It's Official - HD-DVD RIP Toshiba pulls plug. Well, lots of plugs Source: Toshiba
Well, it’s official. After emitting a death rattle that seemingly lasted for months, after virtually every major studio decided to back rival format Blu-Ray, and after major retailers in the US recently chose to stop stocking it, HD-DVD has finally been put out of its misery by Toshiba.
The company will no longer develop, make or market HD-DVD players. Here are selected highlights from a Toshiba press release that has just been issued. To read the full thing, click the link above.
‘Toshiba Corporation today announced that it has undertaken a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and has decided it will no longer develop, manufacture and market HD DVD players and recorders. This decision has been made following recent major changes in the market. Toshiba will continue, however, to provide full product support and after-sales service for all owners of Toshiba HD DVD products.
"We carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called 'next-generation format war' and concluded that a swift decision will best help the market develop," said Atsutoshi Nishida, President and CEO of Toshiba Corporation. "While we are disappointed for the company and more importantly, for the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for high definition content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital convergence a reality."
Toshiba will begin to reduce shipments of HD DVD players and recorders to retail channels, aiming for cessation of these businesses by the end of March 2008. Toshiba also plans to end volume production of HD DVD disk drives for such applications as PCs and games in the same timeframe, yet will continue to make efforts to meet customer requirements. The company will continue to assess the position of notebook PCs with integrated HD DVD drives within the overall PC business relative to future market demand.’
So, this high-definition format is no more. It has ceased to be. It’s expired and gone to meet its maker. It’s a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. If you hadn’t nailed it to the shelves, it’d be pushing up the daisies. It’s off the twig. It’s kicked the bucket. It’s shuffled off the mortal coil, run down the curtain and joined the bleedin’ choir invisible. It is an ex-format.
Which is a shame – not just because this correspondent, along with at least one other Empireite, bought one just before Christmas - but because we admired the quality of HD-DVD, and – hey! - there’s nothing wrong with a little competition. Of course, Sony won’t agree – they’ll be jubilant (as will staunch Blu-Ray supporter, Mr. Michael Bay) and now Blu-Ray is set to rule the HD format… at least, until the next big thing comes along.
What about you, readers – are you sad to see HD-DVD go? Did you think that it was better, or worse, than Blu-Ray? Are you glad to hear that Toshiba will still provide after-sales support? Was there room enough for both Sony and Toshiba’s formats to thrive in the market? And does anyone want to buy a big, black doorstop?
L: DanCurley
L: Chris Hewitt
so it's a shame to see one go.
Eh!? This format war as been torturous for everyone. It's kept people away because they were scared of buying the wrong one, it's kept the number of films released down to a miserable trickle and it's kept the cost of the films outragously high. Good bastard riddance to HD DVD. All hail Blu Ray!
PS3 is defo the way to go, as already reported it's the only Blu Ray player that's online so can have its firmware up... Read More
I don't buy alot of DVD's but i have been told that Blu-Ray only looks good on big screens. I think i'll wait a few years and wait for prices of both big screen tv's, Blu-Ray discs and players to come down b4 i purchase anything. ... Read More
at I never got any of those new gadgets, I am still using my DVD player, and for a long time. or=#990066]So, next, I will get an Blue Ray player. Just wait if the Blue Ray player will last that long XDD ... Read More
L: Terribly_Mauled
I continue to be intriguied by people who assert that buying into HD means you simply must rebuy your entire DVD collection.
I have no intention of doing this, other than for the really obvious titles - LotR, Star Wars, The Matrix...
sp;
Absolutely agreed. I rebought Sunshine and Starship Troopers because some things just have to be done in HD. But Big Trouble in Little China is most defo staying in SD... ... Read More
L: Chris Hewitt
so it's a shame to see one go.
sp;
Eh!? This format war as been torturous for everyone. It's kept people away because they were scared of buying the wrong one, it's kept the number of films released down to a miserable trickle and it's kept the cost of the films outragously high. Good bastard riddance to HD DVD. All hail Blu Ray!
PS3 is defo the way to go, as already reported it's the only Blu Ray player that's online so can have its firmware updated via ... Read More
I really hope the corporations are NOT gonna fully support the BluRay format from now on. It may be the biggest container of both next-gen discs, but it's also the slowest. Games run like sh*t when they require BluRay-discs. Load times go a step backwards if they continue with these discs. Corporate People: portable drives (USB/FLASH) are the future, not discs! ... Read More
Yes folks Blu-ray has won we all knew it would way back last year when Blockbuster announced they were not going to stock HD-DVD rentals, then the PS3 was released which pretty much sealed the deal, and finally Warner Bros went Blu-ray only. And anyway, the name "BLU-RAY" just sounds cooler. One thing we should all be greatful for is this.... when they release Super-Def (and they will) we wont have to make a choice over formats, because THIS WILL NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. Toshiba will take o... Read More
I continue to be intriguied by people who assert that buying into HD means you simply must rebuy your entire DVD collection.
I have no intention of doing this, other than for the really obvious titles - LotR, Star Wars, The Matrix - and some true classics and personal favs. Some classic films I havent even bought due to poor dvds e fact that they are getting HD releases in the future is a true bonus.
The other 1000 odd dvds I own can be happily upconverted to 1080p HD on the Toshy and PS3 ... Read More
It was in the pipeworks for ages and like a lot of other people, I've built up an awesome DVD collection and am gonna be a fan of stamping on puppies before I rejig the whole collection. Dont care if its a lesser format (even though the picture quality difference isnt THAT huge), not gonna bother changing. DVD is still king and a damn sight cheaper too. ... Read More
