Toshiba's retail marketing executive, Mike Eves, has told Pocket Lint that he believes both high definition disc formats will remain for many years to come.
Eves reckons it's like the difference between petrol and diesel - which is a rather bizarre analogy though I suppose they are two "formats" of fuel that are completely incompatible.
Eves also thinks that it's perfectly acceptable to have exclusive content on each format. Apparently, because users are used to getting exclusive games for their consoles, they should be used to it.
Great! What about consumers who aren't gamers? And given that the standard DVD format is now universal, why should consumers now be forced to choose a format and risk missing out on certain titles?
He had very little comment on dual format players — possibly because Toshiba don't make them, and are fixed on HD DVD — but he did admit that he wouldn't like two standalone players under his TV.
He spent the rest of the time talking up the interactive features of HD DVD.
(Via Pocket-Lint)
It is obvious that the HD war could continue for years:
1) Different game consoles: Wii, P3, and XBox 360
2) Sound: Dolby (5.1 etc.) versus DTS, and THX
3) DVD various formats: -/+ R, -/+ RW, RAM, Divx,
MPEG4 etcetera.
What makes things interesting:
1) Dual; Blu-ray and HD DVD players
A) LG's BH-100 - No interactivities (BD-Java
(Blu-ray) & HDi (HD DVD)
http://www.reuters.com/article/technology-media-telco-SP/idUSN0443957620070905?pageNumber=1
B) LG's BH-200 - Should have interactivities
C) Samsung's BD-UP5000 - whould now have full
interactivities for both formats.
http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/004989.html
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=blended&field-keywords=bd-up5000&results-process=default&dispatch=search/ref=pd_sl_aw_tops-2_blended_208086688_1&results-process=default
Now include BD-Java:
http://www.samsung.com/us/news/newsRead.do?news_seq=4074&news_group=&news_type=&news_ctgry=&page=1&rdoPeriod=ALL&from_dt=&to_dt=&search_category=&search_keyword=
http://www.electronichouse.com/article/samsung_unveils_more_info_about_its_dual_blu_ray_hd_dvd_player/C175
2) I think that marketing excellent dual Blu-ray and HD DVD players properly with excellent picture quality and features etcetera at a competitive price is excellent.
If Blu-ray had their way a standalone player would cost about £1,000. Blu-ray DVD films would probably still have inferior picture, sound and features.
I think the competition between Blu-ray, HD DVD and dual players is excellent:
1) Better picture, sound and features etcetera and lower prices.
We should have recordable dual Blu-ray and HD DVD players with PVR/DVR (pause, and rewind etcetera live TV programmes), start broadcastings on time, and one touch serial (episodes) recordings etcetera.
Toshiba it appears as created Vardia RD-A301 HD DVD:
http://www.hdtvuk.tv/2007/11/toshiba_launchi.html