Yes, I think it’s true. HD-DVD, my friends, is dead, or at least in the last of its death throes. Being an early adopter, I went out a few months ago and picked up a HD-DVD player, thinking that at the bare minimum both formats would exist for a year or more. It turns out my timing was rather poor.
A few of the major studios moved from HD-DVD to BluRay last month, and the move was so dramatic that the HD-DVD guys cancelled their talks at the CES show in Vegas (which actually probably did the most harm to their effort). Reuter’s is reporting that HD-DVD is basically dead, and a leak from WalMart indicates that they are no longer planning to stock HD-DVD in the future.
This is yet another example how corporate greed once again took precedence over consumer satisfaction. While nobody forced me to go out and buy a HD-DVD player, I watched the industry in a virtual stall for years (despite HD TVs being fairly prevalent now), and simply got tired of watching my TV go to waste. Had the two camps resolved their differences a long time ago, most of us would probably have cheap BluRay players in our houses already, and this sour taste in my mouth would never have occurred.
So that’s it. Happy trails HD-DVD, it was nice to know you.
Sucks to be you.
But, I can’t feel too heartily! I still cannot afford a HD TV, and I have the hugest boner for HD out of anyone ever. So despite your setback, I’m still jealous of your TV.
I was mildly curious which format would win out, but didn’t really have a preference one way or the other. I haven’t purchased a movie in quite some time, and can’t remember the last time I used my current DVD player. The future is gonna be all about downloadable movies anyways – Apple is doing its part to help that out (AppleTV Take 2).
Definately was waiting for a format to win and like you I thought it would have lasted a year or so. I see further greed happening with the cost of these HD DVD’s and Bluray DVD’s, I’m surprised the regular DVD’s having come down in price at all.
I think I’m gonna get an Apple TV anyways, and screw the BluRay.
I think I will hold on to the CRT and regular DVD player just a while longer. :-p
Found you just page-jumping (don’t recall from where). My boyfriend sent me this link just half an hour ago, though.
http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/02/16/toshiba-pulling-the-plug-on-hd-dvd-already/
Yah I read that too.. Happy trails, HD-DVD.
Happy trails.
Only interesting wrinkle to the Hi Def DVD format wars is that Microsoft XBox is HD-DVD. Will XBox adopt BlueRay? Wouldn’t that be interesting that it supports the format of its key competitor Sony?
That’s a good point, I hadn’t thought of that.
Microsoft has yet to use HD DVD for anything other than movies on the 360 and has resisted building it into their 360 system drives (despite numerous revs of the hardware).
I doubt they will change anything with the current system and wait until the dust settles in the next iteration of the 360 (720?) and probably go with an all digital download (no media) option for games and movies.
Not sure if you heard or not, but I just heard an ad on the radio that said something like: return your HD-DVD player to Future Shop (not sure if you had to have bought it there) and they’ll give you $100 off a BluRay / HD-DVD combo unit. The old player will be donated to some sort of after school program…