kefrank

i'm curious about that as well. my guess is they will initially float both a dual-format player and a BD-only player and eventually stop producing the dual-format one.

Qui Gon Jim

I agree. The bright side would be that Tosh keeps in support for HD DVDs in a new BD deck. Dual format, in essence but I am think of it more as a BD player with HD DVD as a "feature." Semantics, I know.

Qui Gon Jim

I agree. The bright side would be that Tosh keeps in support for HD DVDs in a new BD deck. Dual format, in essence but I am think of it more as a BD player with HD DVD as a "feature." Semantics, I know. I have been impressed with the quality of my HD DVD player and I would love to see what Tosh could deliver in a BD deck.

Gizmo

I'd buy a Toshiba dual player right away, if the price was right. Not paying anywhere near the $799 that Samsung is asking. $499 is my price point. I'd love to get rid of the PS3.

Gizmo

Its very hard to type comments through an iPhone for the past week I just got my true internet back so I can post things that make a little more sense rather then 2-3 sentences that take 10 minutes to type. However, I don't see that it gives people a right to cheer about the possible death and bash HD DVD like what is going on right now.

I'm not that bitter as many think. I just don't think Blu-ray is it like the majority of Pro-Blu people do. They seem to think Blu-ray will sell millions over night, when the sad truth is they are lucky if their chosen format sells 20k discs each week.

Gizmo

Blu-ray BOGOs had been going on since April/May of last year...Thats hardly a Holiday time at all. I remember getting several new releases days after they came out on BOGO price at Frys (Hellboy, Cruel Intentions, RE:2). BOGOs got more and more common towards the middle of summer once Paramount went Red, it was a BOGO every week at several different stores.

tonymontana313

Anyway you look at it, Toshiba gets major props for making this decision. When they decide to join the BDA fold, you can bet your bottom dollar that they are going to light a fire under all the CE companies asses.

lordzeppelin

This was my thought exactly. I'll still be enjoying my A2 for years, regardless of format, and would love to see a damn nice Toshiba dual-format player. Who could pass up a player of that quality for $98? And I'll still be picking up HD-DVDs on the cheap. Although, I can't wait for the inevitable Gladiator HD...regardless of format.

Gizmo

Hmm....yes and no.

IF (and I'll say IF until Toshiba says so) makes a Blu-ray deck, this is how I think it will go.

Toshiba Blu-ray only Deck $299/$399
Toshiba Blu-ray/HD DVD "Legacy" Deck $399/$499

Toshiba will continue to have HD DVD playback in their players for years to come. Since they would be using the HD DVD spec, these players should be 2.0 (for dual).

Samsung/LG drop out of the dual player race (either because Toshiba is pricing way to low, or the BDA makes them as a stipulation for Toshiba coming on board, being the ONLY dual player maker period).

Hopefully this will force other Blu-ray CEs to drop their own prices on players as well. Toshiba has pretty much by themselves sold 1 Million HD DVD players...something not even Sony could do for Blu-ray (as a SA player, not PS3). I imagine some people who bought HD DVD may feel burned by Toshiba, but I have had nothing but awesome players from them and would feel great about buying a Dual player from them.

I imagine the BDA is offering Toshiba something right now, just like they are doing with Universal/Paramount. All 3 can easily pack up their toys and go home, but the BDA knows they need ALL studios on board if they want the format to be a "success".

RoboDad

And I hope you don't think that I think that Blu-ray is "it" either, any more than I thought HD DVD was "it". But I do think that, with one format (and it wouldn't have mattered at all to me which one) now established as the clear winner, there is the possibility for it to become "it". Only time will tell, though.

But I will give it my full support now, because, as an early adopter, that is part of my goal, to help the format succeed, to reach a price and availability point where the masses can't help but become interested in it. To me, that's what being an early adopter is all about.

sracer

I think that it is unrealistic to think that Toshiba would produce an inexpensive dual-format (HDDVD/Bluray) player. As the industry shifts to Blu-ray only, the competition for players is going to get fierce and Toshiba is not going to want to hinder itself by eating the cost of including HDDVD support in their Blu-ray players.

But then again, I'm puzzled by all of the praise for the quality of Toshiba's players.... every Toshiba DVD player/recorder that I've owned has been subpar.

I don't know why Toshiba should get "major props". IMO, both Sony and Toshiba deserve to get slammed hard for forcing a format war in the first place....

Gizmo

Which is fine, I'd rather the Red cases to win

But so it goes, and if its Blue, then thats where I will be going. I simply can not wait for the clearance sales though. I will buying way too many damn titles. Since I have several HD DVD players, and for the most part the HD DVD version is the same as the Blue, I would much rather spend $5 on Casino on HD DVD the $20 for the Blu-ray version.

Thats $99 A30 at Best Buy is looking REALLY good right now as an extra player...

Gizmo

IIRC, the cost of adding HD DVD in to a Blu-ray player is not very much at all. The real cost is in the extra components that it requires that at the moment is not a requirement on Blu-ray (Ethernet, 1GB ram etc,).

Deftones

Errrrr.... Sony deserves to be slammed for going against the norm, and wanting to push their own proprietary format.

Draven

*sigh*

Well, my A2 is a hell of an upconverting DVD player, and the gamer in me was going to buy a PS3 eventually anyway, though I still wish they had done a cheap non-Blu Ray version. I still don't like the idea of using my game console as a disc player too.

So I'll continue to enjoy my 10 or so HD DVD discs and probably get a PS3 soon. As a consumer, I'd always rather have a dedicated machine for each need rather than a multi-function but Sony wants me to pay for both at the same time. Guess I have to accept that.

I'll always believe I that a reasonable price is better than than the "expensive but worth it" line that Sony spouted. And I think they severely fucked up the PS3 as a gaming console in just about every way. But it sounds like it's a good Blu-ray player so I guess I'll pick it up.

Doesn't mean I'm happy about it.

bunkaroo

'll be very interested to see how any forthcoming Toshiba Blu-Ray players handle the whole 1080p24 -> 1080i60 -> 1080p60 process that's been problematic on the A20/A30/A35 machines. The fact that they haven't been able to fix it via firmware makes me think there's some kind of design flaw in these machines. I hope this is something that gets corrected for their machines going forward.

Mr. Cinema

I've also read stories that Sony approached the DVD Forum back around 2000-2001 to discuss the need to begin developing a high-def format and was told they didn't think that was necessary to pursue at the time. So then Sony, Panasonic, and others formed the BDA and began the development. Then Toshiba began developing HD DVD. But I think they started out with a 720p disc before pushing that up to 1080p.

Toshiba is reaping the rewards from dvd patents. Why get angry at Sony for wanting to do the same thing in HD?

Anubis2005X

What makes HD-DVD the "norm?"

tonymontana313

For me I'm just glad this format war is over. Hopefully there are no hard feelings between posters here and everyone takes the high road from this point forward. No point in looking back or crying over spilt milk.

TheMovieman

What can I say, I'm a rebel...





But seriously, I am glad it's over. Going to have to see cheaper BR players to go that way, otherwise I'll just sit it out (like I should've done before, lol).

bunkaroo

Because it has DVD in the name, silly!

Seriously, I've always thought Blu-Ray is a better name for a format than HD DVD.

Blu-Ray: two syllables, rolls off the tongue and sounds like something new.

HD DVD: five syllables, seems like a tongue-twister and sounds like it's extending an existing product.

Mind you, I'm just talking about the names here - not the technical merits. Blu-Ray IMO always had the better marketing all around.

eb3604

I have a thought about the whole blu ray/hd thing. i just got a free a30 from best buy so i want HD to stick around. dont think im some blu ray fanboy.

but Sony is notoriously hardcore with their drm copyright stuff. most of their things that have failed, a part of the reason was because of drm. the movie industry says movie piracy is increasing, profits are in the pits, etc. so maybe one of the reasons seamingly the entire movie industry is backing blu ray is because of the drm. not that it cant be cracked eventually, but idk just a thought.

not sure if this is true, but i remember reading this, that HD dvds are region free? that would be another reason for movie studios to back away.

PerryD

The only concern or affect on me is if there is a window where a new major release is not available on one of the high def formats (e.g. There Will Be Blood) because of a premature death of the format. If the remaining studios go blu before stopping releasing HD-DVDs, then I'm fine with the format going away. I just want to watch movies.

Also, if Amazon starts up their Buy 1 Get 1 sales with the latest Sony, Disney, and Fox titles, that's another concern of mine that will go away regarding HD-DVD dying. I've been buying most of my Blu-ray titles in the $8 to $10 range, and I'm not going to be paying $25 to $35 for my movies.

hermes10

Exactly.

pro-bassoonist

And I think it is. Given that a number of members here have revealed that they have already exclusively moved to buying HD media only I believe it is fare to conclude that BR is already chipping away from DVD.

When all major distribs unite behind BR then the format and those who are in charge with planning its further progression will refocus. Until then...one step at a time.

Pro-B