SPHE: "PS3 will catapult the format....Consumers tell us they want choice...[PS3] is just another choice for consumers. The content providers' job is to provide choice. This is the best one yet."

Fox: "PS3 is what will change things. Wal-Mart is interested in the new format. In Europe we are having discussions with [retailer] Carrefour and other big players. It's important for dealers to support the format....In an ideal world one format would have been better, but it's very easy for the consumer to choose, consumers choose very clearly and fast...We will look at hardware sales. We won't put movies in stores if there aren't enough players to play them on..."

Disney: "Whatever is out there people are buying. People are buying all the titles....DVD value for retailers is going down. Retailers are 100% behind new formats. They add value and dealers are absolutely 100% behind getting formats established....We shouldn't be frightened of change. People update their computer every other year."

Paramount: "We're seeing interest from channels that are not usually leading edge -- across the board. We are seeing the same dealer support in Europe...We are supporting both formats. We are letting the consumer choose. Time will tell how it pans out..."

Warner: "If they had an HDTV and wanted more to watch on it, I'd say there is no reason to wait...I'd tell them there are two formats and which player to buy should depend on their brand preference, and whether they want to pay more for more features from Blu-ray or get more value for the money from HD DVD. Consumers make these decisions every day, for instance between plasma, LCD and projection....If both formats are out there for a while it will become more and more difficult for a studio to be only on one side. The content issue then goes away. It becomes content neutral -- much like games. Games are either exclusive to one system or are on all formats and format neutral."

For Europe, Toshiba will manage to ship "a quantity of units" of the HD-E1 in December, with the big brother HD-EX1's manufacturing schedule (not shipping, per se) pushed back until January 2007.

For Japan, Toshiba will ship *both* the HD-XF2 and the big brother HD-XA2 in late December. No quantities or prices mentioned. And I'm not 100% sure those model numbers are correct--any help, lymzy or Rio?

For NA, Toshiba will delay the HD-A2 to "early December" but refused to disclose a specific date; they also reaffirmed that the big brother HD-XA2 is still on for December delivery, but they did *not* specifically reaffirm the original 3rd week target release.

The part issue only impacts the entry level models--the high end models are not impacted. Still, they are slipping the high end in Europe. Hmmm.

No word if planned (announced and unannounced) title releases will be reshuffled by studios because of Toshiba coming in late for XMAS.

By the end of 2006, Toshiba expects about 170 HD DVD titles will be released in the U.S., 70 in Japan, 40 in Europe and 20 in Australia. "We expect that the sales of HD DVD products by March will reach the initially planned 600,000 units," said Fujii. Also, Toshiba predicts 4 million HD DVD players for 2007 and 8 million for 2008. More than 2 million of those will be PC drive. The 3G plan is ready. Memory-Tech is also ready for 10 million HD DVD per month.