Toshiba delays HD DVD player
03-23-06, 05:24 AM
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Toshiba delays HD DVD player
Video Business
The concluding paragraphs of the article indicate the retailers are becoming less enthusiastic about it:
Toshiba is delaying its release of HD DVD players until studios put out movies in the format, pushing HD DVD’s launch back to mid-April and giving it a slim one-month lead before rival high-definition format Blu-ray launches.
Toshiba isn’t setting a firm release date, but will ship its players to retail in time for Warner Home Video’s April 18 release of movies on the format, said Jodi Sally, VP of marketing, for Toshiba’s Digital Audio and Video Group.
“We’re synchronizing the launch date of players with the release of software to maximize exposure of the format,” Sally said.
Toshiba isn’t setting a firm release date, but will ship its players to retail in time for Warner Home Video’s April 18 release of movies on the format, said Jodi Sally, VP of marketing, for Toshiba’s Digital Audio and Video Group.
“We’re synchronizing the launch date of players with the release of software to maximize exposure of the format,” Sally said.
Tweeter’s Roshinski wondered if HD DVD is biting itself in the foot as it launches.
“My only concern is that [HD DVD] is diminishing whatever lead time they had over Blu-ray,” Roshinski said. “What kept us from picking one side or the other is that HD DVD was going to be so far in front. But I’m wondering what foothold [HD DVD] is going to have. There is just a 35-45 day lead time before Samsung Blu-ray players are expected.”
“My only concern is that [HD DVD] is diminishing whatever lead time they had over Blu-ray,” Roshinski said. “What kept us from picking one side or the other is that HD DVD was going to be so far in front. But I’m wondering what foothold [HD DVD] is going to have. There is just a 35-45 day lead time before Samsung Blu-ray players are expected.”
03-23-06, 10:34 AM
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Saw a demo last night. Looked great on a 60" 1080p DLP, but not enough for me to change my opinion on the Tosh players. Several preorders were made by people. The local UE still has 4/7 as the ship date. Could change.
03-23-06, 11:06 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by digitalfreaknyc
Yup. The Samsung BR is supposed to be out first...even before the Sony...and at a lower price than the Sony.
http://www.crutchfield.com/I-rXYEc22...3&emKey=184359
03-23-06, 11:39 AM
#6
DVD Talk God
Ruh roh. There goes the almost distinct advantage that HD-DVD had: time. Now it's about cost, where HD-DVD still has the edge.
03-24-06, 07:44 AM
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Makes sence though, since they delayed the HD DVD's for a while also. Toshiba is going to shoot itself in the foot if it releases a sub-par product early just to say, "Ha ha, we are first!!"
03-24-06, 09:57 AM
#9
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Originally Posted by Spiky
Another price issue will be the discs. Right now, HD-DVD has generally indicated higher prices than BD. It'll be interesting to see what happens.
03-24-06, 10:06 AM
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03-24-06, 10:17 AM
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I hope HD-DVD *never* launches!!
The sooner either HD-DVD and/or Blu-ray leaves the marketplace, the sooner I'll get into a HD optical disc format.
Blu-ray already has the support of more Hollywood studios, provides better technology than HD-DVD (dual-layer Blu-ray will provide 50Gigs for a HD movie to spread out in); and is even more backward-compatible than HD-DVD is. (Rumor has it that the first-generation HD-DVD players will only provide backward compatibility with commercially produced DVD's. Your home movies recorded to DVD-R and/or DVD+R are *not* guaranteed to play.)
I really wish that Blu-ray was the *only* HD optical format! As long as both co-exist in the marketplace, I'm staying with SD-DVD (well ... unless Lucas releases the *original* original 1977 Star Wars movie to one of these formats!)
The sooner either HD-DVD and/or Blu-ray leaves the marketplace, the sooner I'll get into a HD optical disc format.
Blu-ray already has the support of more Hollywood studios, provides better technology than HD-DVD (dual-layer Blu-ray will provide 50Gigs for a HD movie to spread out in); and is even more backward-compatible than HD-DVD is. (Rumor has it that the first-generation HD-DVD players will only provide backward compatibility with commercially produced DVD's. Your home movies recorded to DVD-R and/or DVD+R are *not* guaranteed to play.)
I really wish that Blu-ray was the *only* HD optical format! As long as both co-exist in the marketplace, I'm staying with SD-DVD (well ... unless Lucas releases the *original* original 1977 Star Wars movie to one of these formats!)
Last edited by Joseph B; 03-25-06 at 04:01 AM.
03-24-06, 10:30 AM
#12
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I have yet to see a pressing reason to upgrade from SD. These delays and MSRPs are doing little to change that.
03-24-06, 10:34 AM
#13
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Yep, I still don't care about HD-DVD. It has me intrigued of course...since I always want the NEW thing, but I'll pass. I hate the format war...just seems dumb, "Why can't we all just get along"
03-24-06, 11:20 AM
#14
Originally Posted by Draven
I have yet to see a pressing reason to upgrade from SD.
These delays and MSRPs are doing little to change that.
03-24-06, 01:04 PM
#15
DVD Talk Hero
Well, I'm a video producer by trade, so I definitely notice the difference. And I'll actually watch football on my television if it's in HD. But I haven't abandoned watching SD content, and have yet to see a big incentive to invest heavily in one of these two formats.
DVD and the associated costs were a much easier upgrade to stomach, since there were a lot of advantages over VHS. When you get right down to it, all this is is a "better looking DVD," and since they can't even agree on a format, I'm not going to adopt as early as I did with the DVD revolution.
DVD and the associated costs were a much easier upgrade to stomach, since there were a lot of advantages over VHS. When you get right down to it, all this is is a "better looking DVD," and since they can't even agree on a format, I'm not going to adopt as early as I did with the DVD revolution.
03-25-06, 10:20 AM
#16
Senior Member
There really did need to be only one option.
The format war is probably a good thing in the long run to drag prices down quick, but it is annoying.
I look forward to the Playstation 3. I can at least have some form of Hi-Def player and play games as well. Even if Blu-Ray bombed, at least I still had the game system out of it.
Sony's mistake is launching too high. $1000 really is insane when a PS3 will be half of that and does much more.
Quality won't be as good on PS3? I don't know. They have said this will be a full featured player. But, who knows?
I just know one thing. I will be pre-ordering because I am not dealing with Christmas Psychotics again.
The format war is probably a good thing in the long run to drag prices down quick, but it is annoying.
I look forward to the Playstation 3. I can at least have some form of Hi-Def player and play games as well. Even if Blu-Ray bombed, at least I still had the game system out of it.
Sony's mistake is launching too high. $1000 really is insane when a PS3 will be half of that and does much more.
Quality won't be as good on PS3? I don't know. They have said this will be a full featured player. But, who knows?
I just know one thing. I will be pre-ordering because I am not dealing with Christmas Psychotics again.
Last edited by AllHallowsEve; 03-25-06 at 10:22 AM.
03-25-06, 02:32 PM
#17
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Originally Posted by AllHallowsEve
Sony's mistake is launching too high. $1000 really is insane when a PS3 will be half of that and does much more.
