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24 Aug 2005
Sony and Toshiba have given up trying to create a unified format for future DVDs due to time pressure, according to Japanese reports.
Toshiba is planning to have its first HD DVD drives on sale by Christmas, which means that production should start in the next few weeks. Japan's Yomiuri newspaper has reported that officials at the company have said that it is now too late to broker a deal between members of the HD DVD and Blu-Ray camps over future standards.
Talks to unify the two formats began in February, according to the paper, but have been on hold since May. Sony is due to include Blu-Ray in its forthcoming PlayStation 3, scheduled to be out in 2006.
The prospect of two competing formats has caused confusion within the entertainment industry. While Blu-Ray has the support of many Hollywood studios, which were key to VHS becoming the standard for video over Betamax, HDV DVD has the support of the official DVD Forum.
Meanwhile some studios are hedging their bets and will be using both formats. Experts believe that it could be years before one of the competing standards gets enough market share to become the de facto standard.
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Who Cares?
the best solution to this whole problem is to simply build DVD players that play both formats. Both are on a DVD and are the same size. It shouldn't be that hard to build a player that supports both.
Posted by: Mike Hunt 25 Aug 2005
DVD format Choice
I will not be purchasing either format until they sort themselves out,I was bitten over the VHS and Betamax fiasco, not again.
Posted by: Alan clark 25 Aug 2005
Don't buy either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD
I believe that the only way to stop this mess from developing is a concerted campaign by all the technical media to say "Do not buy these DVDs until a unified solution is agreed". If people don't buy the makers will have to change their attitudes.
Posted by: Misceng 25 Aug 2005
Once bitten, Twice shy
I made the mistake of buying betamax I won't let the greedy manufacturers con me again into buying something that will be obsolete in the very near future. Until there is only one standard my money will stay in my pocket.
Posted by: David Seagrave 24 Aug 2005