The distinction: Blu-ray has more capacity at 50 gigabytes, than HD-DVD at 30 gigabytes, but proponents of HD-DVD say their format is cheaper to make because the production method is similar to current DVDs.
From Red Herring
From Red Herring
Sony, Toshiba Eye DVD Format
In the fight over the next generation of DVDs, rivals Sony and Toshiba may compromise on a common format. April 21, 2005
Sony and Toshiba are in talks to develop a common standard for the next generation of DVDs that could end a three-year war between Blu-Ray and HD DVD formats, according to reports published Thursday.
Sony, which backs the Blu-Ray format, and Toshiba, which supports HD DVD, have been waging a format war to establish a standard for the entertainment industry and consumers. This battle is reminiscent of the well-known disagreement between the Sony-backed Betamax and Panasonic-backed VHS video formats in the 1980s.
Behind the two formats are blue lasers, which have a shorter wavelength than the red lasers used in current DVD equipment. Blue lasers allow discs to store data at higher densities needed for high-definition movies and televisions.
While Blu-Ray has the backing of major consumer electronics and computer companies such as Sony, Apple, Dell, HP, Matsushita, Samsung, and Walt Disney, HD DVD is backed only by two major companies: Toshiba and NEC.
The news of a possible compromise came from Japanese business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun, but neither consumer electronics giant would confirm it.
“In the area of next-generation optical discs, we continue to be open to discussions with supporters of other formats consistent with [our] focus,” said a Sony spokeswoman. “We can’t comment on specifics beyond that at this time.”
“We are aware that there have been lingering rumors about talks between the two camps, but Toshiba’s policy is not to comment on individual rumors or speculations,” said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing for Toshiba Storage Device Division.
Timing delay
If Sony and Toshiba make a compromise down the line, the new common format will take at least 18 months to come to the market, disrupting plans to launch by early 2006, said Danielle Levitas, an analyst with IDC.
The question is whether Sony will bow down to Toshiba and HD DVD, especially when it has so much at stake in terms of intellectual property and use of its format for its different products such as the PlayStation 3 and Sony Pictures’ feature films.
“I think that Sony is clearly open to examining more mutually beneficial formats,” said Ms. Levitas. “Sony has a lot of intellectual property tied up in Blu-Ray, [which] they are going to want to leverage.”
If the two companies decide to come together, the real winners will be the consumers, movie studios, and the manufacturers because there would be no confusion over which format to use as there was when Sony marketed Beta video recorders a generation ago.
In the fight over the next generation of DVDs, rivals Sony and Toshiba may compromise on a common format. April 21, 2005
Sony and Toshiba are in talks to develop a common standard for the next generation of DVDs that could end a three-year war between Blu-Ray and HD DVD formats, according to reports published Thursday.
Sony, which backs the Blu-Ray format, and Toshiba, which supports HD DVD, have been waging a format war to establish a standard for the entertainment industry and consumers. This battle is reminiscent of the well-known disagreement between the Sony-backed Betamax and Panasonic-backed VHS video formats in the 1980s.
Behind the two formats are blue lasers, which have a shorter wavelength than the red lasers used in current DVD equipment. Blue lasers allow discs to store data at higher densities needed for high-definition movies and televisions.
While Blu-Ray has the backing of major consumer electronics and computer companies such as Sony, Apple, Dell, HP, Matsushita, Samsung, and Walt Disney, HD DVD is backed only by two major companies: Toshiba and NEC.
The news of a possible compromise came from Japanese business daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun, but neither consumer electronics giant would confirm it.
“In the area of next-generation optical discs, we continue to be open to discussions with supporters of other formats consistent with [our] focus,” said a Sony spokeswoman. “We can’t comment on specifics beyond that at this time.”
“We are aware that there have been lingering rumors about talks between the two camps, but Toshiba’s policy is not to comment on individual rumors or speculations,” said Maciek Brzeski, vice president of marketing for Toshiba Storage Device Division.
Timing delay
If Sony and Toshiba make a compromise down the line, the new common format will take at least 18 months to come to the market, disrupting plans to launch by early 2006, said Danielle Levitas, an analyst with IDC.
The question is whether Sony will bow down to Toshiba and HD DVD, especially when it has so much at stake in terms of intellectual property and use of its format for its different products such as the PlayStation 3 and Sony Pictures’ feature films.
“I think that Sony is clearly open to examining more mutually beneficial formats,” said Ms. Levitas. “Sony has a lot of intellectual property tied up in Blu-Ray, [which] they are going to want to leverage.”
If the two companies decide to come together, the real winners will be the consumers, movie studios, and the manufacturers because there would be no confusion over which format to use as there was when Sony marketed Beta video recorders a generation ago.