Industry experts believe that
HP's recent
insistence on changes to the
Blu-ray
specification will provide a key boost for
Sony's technology in its
battle against Toshiba's
HD-DVD system
by removing Microsoft's
and Intel's objections to
Blu-ray.
The boost for Blu-ray came last week when HP announced its support for two
new technologies (Mandatory Managed Copy and iHD) and requested that the
Blu-ray Disc
Association include these as part of the Blu-ray specification.
"This is the latest twist in the battle between the two camps vying to
control the format for the next generation of optical media," a research report
written by Gartner
analysts Van Baker, Laura Behrens and Mike McGuire stated.
"If HP's proposed changes are approved, the Blu-ray format should emerge as
the clear winner."
Gartner believes that Blu-ray has the edge because its supporters, led by
Sony, include large PC original equipment manufacturers, including
HP,
Dell and
Apple, as well as content
providers, including
Disney,
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and
20th Century Fox.
The analyst firm pointed out that, although the Toshiba-led HD-DVD camp has
lined up other content providers, including
Paramount Pictures,
Universal
Studios, Warner
Bros and New Line
Cinema, two of them (Paramount and Warner Bros) have announced that they
will release both HD-DVD and Blu-ray content.
Other providers are rumoured to be planning similar moves.
NBC Universal, Gartner
noted, is the most important one solely in the HD-DVD camp.
Gartner's report observed that just days after Paramount's recent dual-format
announcement, Microsoft and Intel appeared to be endorsing the HD-DVD format.
But the analyst goes on to state that HP's move "potentially reverses that
stance".
This likely about turn is attributed to the fact that the major sticking
point for Microsoft and Intel with Blu-ray was Mandatory Managed Copy, which
allows consumers to make one protected digital copy of an original optical disk.
"Both technical specifications include this capability, but the Blu-ray
consortium has not officially implemented it because of resistance from content
providers," said Gartner.
"HP has now formally petitioned the Blu-ray consortium to implement the
Managed Copy and iHD interactive capabilities already present in the HD-DVD
specification.
"If HP's efforts are successful, the major incentive for Microsoft and Intel
to endorse HD-DVD will be eliminated. Gartner believes the only potential way
for the HD-DVD camp to remain viable would be to reduce royalties, and even that
might not make a difference."
According to Gartner, HP's move has the potential to end the format war
before it seriously slows the introduction of next-generation DVD.
The analyst group advises content owners, consumer electronics companies and
those that supply them to prepare to move quickly to Blu-ray if the consortium
adopts the positions on Managed Copy and iHD suggested by HP.
"It appears that Blu-ray will emerge the winner," Gartner said.
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