DVD war heats up as Blu-ray rejects HP plan

Issue centres on HP's backing for iHD and mandatory managed copy

The Blu-ray Disc Association has stated that it will not adopt recent proposals from HP by the time the technology is launched.

HP has responded by saying that it may have to back the rival HD-DVD standard as well, and adopt a "neutral" position over next-generation DVD technology.

The issue centres around HP's backing for technologies known as iHD and mandatory managed copy.

Mandatory managed copy lets users legally copy DVDs and store the digital file on a home network, while iHD provides for new interactive features and is slated to be implemented in Microsoft's forthcoming Windows Vista operating system.

The Blu-ray Disc Association said this week that it will incorporate mandatory managed copy, but will launch it in spring 2006 with interactive features built on Sun Microsystems' Java software.

The organisation said that HP's request for interactivity is "being considered" while it continues down the path of implementing a Java solution.

"I am not saying that we will not implement what HP has requested, but it is not going to stop the format at this time," Blu-ray spokesman Andy Parsons told Reuters in an interview.

"HP is still a valued member of the Blu-ray Disc Association and I expect to see it supporting Blu-ray in upcoming promotional events."

Microsoft and Intel support HD-DVD, but HP is trying to ensure that customers do not have to choose between competing formats.

The potential nightmare for the industry is the two formats facing a battle for customers in the same way as the Betamax and VHS formats did 25 years ago.