Below are some sources:

• Amazon.com to Support Blu-ray as the Digital Format of Choice for Customers
• Universal Studios Goes Blu-ray Disc

Is it over? Is there a chance for rebound?
Might be not. But… there is always a chance to start a new “war” with “new and better” format.

Meanwhile on Feb 19, 2008 your HD-DVD player become just another upconvert model for regular DVD and remaining HD-DVD:

Dear loyal Toshiba customer,

Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. (“Toshiba”) announced on Tuesday, February 19th, 2008 that it has completed a thorough review of its overall strategy for HD DVD and as a result of recent market developments, the company has decided to discontinue sales and marketing of HD DVD players.
While we continue to believe HD DVD is the best format for consumers, based on its technological advancements and the value and quality inherent in our player offerings, recent market developments have led us to the decision.

As for your HD DVD player, you can still enjoy your current library of HD DVD and standard DVD movies and the HD DVD player will upconvert the standard DVDs so you can enjoy them in near HD quality. And you can play your CDs too.

PS. Am I a lucky one who was looking from the side? I did not bought one or another exactly because of the “war” factor.

The post HD DVD v Blu-Ray: Part 3 – Story continues appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

It really has not near as much to do with end users’ choices as it has to do with the decisions of corporate executives.

Is it? Lets do some research to find out and look at some history of format’s war.

With original offering about the same number of DVD titles a year ago, it is consumer demand which is changing balance between formats.

An estimated 1.97 million HD DVD discs have been sold between spring of 2006 and September 2007, compared to 3.01 million Blu-ray discs (source)

Was it consumers choose PS3 with BR over XBox360 with HD?
Toshiba originally won by introduction DVD format and succeed of marketing it, but Toshiba was not quick and aggressive to push their HD-DVD enough to consumers to secure market place (they were first to present a DVD player by 3 months originally, so they have had an advantage of the first place).

With 750,000 HD DVD by November 2007, but PS3 did it all

Buoyed by a rush of titles this year, Blu-ray has racked up a slight lead in unit sales — 100 units to every 98.71 units of HD DVD — since the inception of both formats, according to First Alert data. (Source)

We see that the consumer is voting with their dollars with a clear preference for Blu-ray,” Chapek said. “This clear, objective measure shows the writing is on the wall.”
“Seeing HD DVD in our rear-view mirror is no surprise to us,” added David Bishop, worldwide home entertainment president, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. “Blu-ray’s success is something that we have predicted since we first started promoting the new format. It has always been Sony’s position that there would be an inevitable migration from HD DVD to Blu-ray because of several factors, including the technical superiority of Blu-ray, the successful launch of PlayStation 3, the growing availability of BD playback machines and BD-enabled computers from the best consumer electronic brands in the world, as well as the growing number of hit titles being made available on the BD format.” (Source)

There is long article on wikipedia about both formats and history behind it HD_DVD versus Blu-ray_Disc.

As I have said here and mentioned earlier, history of the HD-BR battle is about marketing and not much about technology or executive’s decisions. Original supporter list was very close in numbers, but marketing and bundling with PS did it all.

The post HD DVD v Blu-Ray: Part 2 – Consumers or Executives appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.

Looking at original list of supporters for HD-DVD there is not much left… Marketing misfire? Or just a fact that “Blu-ray discs are more expensive, but hold more data—there, that’s all.”

And now HD-DVD team is not happy at all.

Will Microsoft release Blu-Ray DVD for XBox now? Back in 2006 it was said that “a Blu-ray Xbox 360 peripheral could appear for the system if the need arises”. Did time came? With current DVD-drive for XBox available it should not be to hard to provide option for another external DVD. Smart original design or backup plan?

 Long Live the King! Not much alive though…

The post HD DVD v Blu-Ray: The King Is Alive! Long Live the King appeared first on Dragonsoft Technology View.