Toshiba Quits HD DVD; Format War Over
I was on the elevator heading to work and I saw a quick news splash on the “elevator news update” that Toshiba has pulled out of the HD DVD business. This is no shock considering all of the studios, retail outlets and online rental companies that suddenly decided to join Blu-ray.
“This was a very difficult decision to make … but when we thought about the trouble we would cause to consumers and our partners, we decided it was not right for us to keep going with such a small presence,” Toshiba Chief Executive Atsutoshi Nishida told a news conference.
It’s no surprise how I felt about a Blu-ray win after my article Format Wars was posted in Truth Serum. However, I hope that this leads to cheaper Blu-ray players outside of the PS3. And I’m also curious to see if Microsoft sticks to its statements of supporting the winning format no matter which was victorious. Could a Blu-ray add-on be in the near future for Xbox 360 owners?
February 19th, 2008 at 8:12 am
I sure hope there will be some sort of trade in program for those of us who have the current HD-DVD products. What a devastating blow, couldn’t this at least have waited until I got those 5 free HD-DVD movies first? Now I’m not even sure those will come anymore.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Same here
February 19th, 2008 at 8:32 am
why exactly would there be a trade in program? you guys expect Toshiba to offer that for people who buy Blu-ray players? would you have expected Sony and its partners to offer an exchange as well?
there won’t be any trade in program…at least not one endorsed by Toshiba. maybe local retailers will have their own deals..maybe.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:38 am
MS releases a Blu-Ray addon for $199 then I’m buying it.
Only reason I’d pass is if I found another standalone for $199. Magic price point for me is $200, otherwise I’m sticking with standard DVDs, its not like I buy a lot to begin with.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:42 am
$200 is too much. especially at this point in the game. if they do it, they need to keep it the same price as the HD DVD is now which is $179. no more than that.
February 19th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Better off buying a PS3 for $400 then a stand alone player for half that or more. Course I really dont care about the whole Hd-dvd VS Blueray war. If I watch any Hd content, I usually get it through digital distribution resources, like the 360 or Comcast on demand.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:06 am
The only way I will buy BR, is if Microsoft releases a addon. If they decide not to, I will stick with my digital distribution.
@ Goon360
You can find stand alone BR players for less than a PS3 now. Last time I saw one it was in the 299 range.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:09 am
@Hazy, that’s good info. i’m not buying PS3 BR player either really. i’d use it only for movies so i’d much rather have a standalone if i’m not going to play any games on it.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:27 am
I apologize. I just checked Best Buy and it seems the 299 Samsung model is gone. The cheapest is now 399.
No thanks Blu Ray, I’ll stick to my 6 dollar HD download service.
Sure I could grab a PS3 for the same amount, but it would also be just a movie player. In my book, 399 is just too expensive for watching movies.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:30 am
yeah screw the $399 price for HD movies. i’ll wait. hopefully there’s a BR add-on or something for $179 or even a standalone at some point for that price.
until then i guess it’s HBO HD and all the other HD channels via DirecTV lol
February 19th, 2008 at 9:30 am
Yeah I have COX on demand and the HD movies I’ve seen so far look fantastic. They usually run about 4.99 a piece.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:35 am
F%&K!
February 19th, 2008 at 9:54 am
The price for the Xbox 360 HD-DVD drive is only $129 http://www.xbox.com/en-US/hardware/x/xbox360hddvdplayer/
Not that anyone would buy it now.
February 19th, 2008 at 9:58 am
You do realize that manufacturers could either raise prices, or just leave them at the level they are at for quite some time now since there is no competition. I just hope that there is at least one honest manufacturer out there who will make a good player for <$200, or even <$150, which is my magic number.
Plus, I don’t like Sony’s DRM. It is eerily similar to the rootkit fiasco from a few years ago.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc#Digital_rights_management_.28DRM.29
February 19th, 2008 at 10:04 am
@Jugga, yeah people will now see just how great Sony and its partners are with BR. i don’t foresee any pricing change for a LONG time. what’s their motivation to cut costs again? yeah..none since there is no HD DVD. people always root for the dumbest things as consumers.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I just don’t buy movies that much, so I have a hard time saying, its cool to spend $400 for a PS3, just to have BluRay and some games only available to PS2 or PS3. What is see happening is getting an Stand Alone player or Addon and a Wii as a second console for my girls. Now if PS3 drops prices closer to $200, then I’ll rethink things. Come on Sony, drop your PS3 to the magic $200 mark.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:39 am
Blu Ray was the worst decision for the consumer. Sony now knows it doesn’t need to drop any prices.
@ Juggalo
I remember that rootkit fiasco. I couldn’t believe a company would do that. Leave it to Sony to prove everyone wrong.
February 19th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Thank god for things like Netflix……………………………………………………
………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………….
30 bucks to watch a movie and put it down to collect dust O_o No………………………………………………………..
………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………….
……………………………………………………….dot
February 19th, 2008 at 11:43 am
I kinda knew Blu-Ray was gonna win all along, and i bribed toshiba off, which may have something to do with it…lol
February 19th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Resolution is good.
February 19th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
…this is the way the world ends….
Well, for those that have HD-DVD players….one small, but sad positive note is that you probably will be able to pick-up HD-DVDs real cheap as stores get rid of their stock.
February 19th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
“so what happens to all my 360 games now that Blu-ray won?”
February 19th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
DjDATZ…..they continue to work fine since they were DVD9 discs.
February 19th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
and thats why i did not buy a hd dvd player but i do hope the go blu ray cause then i will buy that
February 19th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I’m just glad that this “war” is over. But I am hesitant to switch my library over to Blu-Ray considering how soon an all digital distribution system will be the industry standard…
February 19th, 2008 at 6:05 pm
@DjDatz, lol, I’ve seen a few comments around, (all who think dj is not to bright, note the “quotation marks”)
February 19th, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Well good for Sony. As for me I DON’T CARE! The formats are just the same except one has more space. If the 360 was using the HD-DVD format for games I would be more interested but it’s not. Why should it manner to me as a gamer? I have more games than movies and don’t have a HDTV. Sony did a good job of standing tall during the war. Now only they can do something about this console war? LOL
February 20th, 2008 at 7:46 am
I am not buying blu-ray unless I am ablsolutely forced to. There was no difference between the two…
It sad that Sony was loosing the console wars so they had to pay off studios to switch to thier format…
February 20th, 2008 at 8:07 am
people will see what no competition does. it was competition that led to the BR camp including features that HD DVD had…it was competition that got BR players to lower prices (although still expensive).
however, now…what’s the motivation? oh yeah i get it..”they’re looking out for the consumers” lol
February 20th, 2008 at 9:02 am
Thanks for the icon update. Add the luck one also when you get around to it.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:14 am
I honestly thought for a while that no one format would win, and we’d just see everyone buying a hybrid HD-DVD / blu-ray player. I see Sony as having won primarily because they sacrificed some things in the PS3 so they could increase their install base - a move that worked out pretty well for them. I’m still waiting for the lower movie prices before I shell out for a new player, so like most people I know, DVD-9 is still the format of choice.
I wouldn’t say no to an afforadable blu-ray add on for my xbox, though!
February 20th, 2008 at 9:53 am
I have standalone players for both. I look forward to HD-DVD movies being on clearance.