AfterDawn: News

Toshiba confirms HD-DVD delay in U.S.

Toshiba has confirmed that its next generation optical disc format, HD-DVD, will be delayed in the United States, with its launch now expected to be February or March 2006. The original end of 2005 target is still set for Japan however. "We have been discussing with content holders the most effective way to launch in the US market," Toshiba Corporate Senior Vice President Yoshihide Fujii said, "and it will probably be in February or March."

Speculation that players for the new format would be delayed began to circulate in early September when a spokeswoman said that hardware and content companies were in talks to set a time to release the format, but that the original target might no longer be appropriate. Sony's Blu-Ray format is expected to first show in Spring 2006, being used in Sony's next generation gaming console, the PlayStation 3.



The spring launch of the console is confirmed for Japan but details on when it will be available in the U.S. or Europe were never released. Toshiba's HD-DVD format also recently got some more major backing, this time from Microsoft and Intel. It also has the backing of the DVD Forum, which is something that Blu-Ray doesn't have. However, Blu-Ray can always fall back on the extra storage capacity that it offers compared to HD-DVD and its heavy mixed support which includes huge support from Hollywood studios.

Source:
The Register

Written by: James Delahunty @ 30 Sep 2005 23:08

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• 9 comments

• Ghostdog

  I read an interview where an industry person said that BluRay might not even have larger capacity discs yet, just discs with capacity compareable to HD-DVD.

  1.10.2005 06:43 #1

• Dela

  Yep, the extra capacity that Blu-Ray offers is with Dual Layer discs, but when wiull dual layer BD be available? That's an important question!

  1.10.2005 09:27 #2

• borhan9

  This is all well and good... I just have one question we are disscussing the 2 formats and they all say this ine has more capacity than th other.....
  
  My question is how much capacity are we talking about for either format HD and Blu Ray???

  1.10.2005 14:40 #3

• Dela

  At DL media,
  
  HD-DVD = 30GB (this is a definite to be available soon)
  
  Blu-Ray = 50GB
  
  There was an extra layer added to HD-DVD to make it 45GB but a three layer disc sounds kinda silly ;-)

  1.10.2005 18:41 #4

• A_Klingon

  It's aggravating when one is not able to clearly know for certain what the actual, true capacity of these discs are, especially when their companies (or their competitors) change/alter their tune, and "update" their numbers.
  
  Yes, I've read the wonderful, first-generation DVD-FAQ written by the 'DVD-Guy' (over at Digital Digest), but honestly - despite the auhor's best intentions - the information contained therein can be no more accurate that that which is officially supplied by the firms who make the discs in the first place. And if the competing firms contradict the information given, then what are WE to think?
  
  Maybe we should start with the bare-bones, basic SINGLE-LAYER version of each disc format. We can add layers anytime later. HOW MANY gigabytes are available for each layer offered for each of the two formats?
  
  Also, I think it's very important that we remember the lessons we have learned with standard DVD over the last decade. Specifically:
  
  It could well be years into the future before any kind of widespread backing-up (ripping) of these discs becomes possible. But if/when this should occur, we do NOT need blank (consumer) media with only half the storage capacity of their commercial Hollywood (retail) counterparts.
  
  Since dual-layer media was still _years_ off when DVD was launched, a whole generation of video-compression software sprang up - a necessary evil because a dual-layer commercial disc wouldn't fit on a single-layer consumer blank.
  
  One thing we don't need with genuine High-Definition content is video compresson (it defeats the whole purpose, right)?
  
  So we need to make absolutely certain that consumer blank media will have the same capacity as the commercial movie discs.
  
  And I have to be honest with you - despite the eager anticipaton for Sony's upcoming Playstation 3, I have to express my reservations about a gaming console - no matter how High Tech it may be, is going to have to serve as the mainstream world's introduction to the blu-ray format. I strongly suspect that most serious movie fans would prefer a dedicated Movie-Only Blu-Ray set top player.
  
  Please set me straight on this if I am wrong, but, isn't the new Playstation only capable of playing those little, 3" mini UMD-formatted discs? (These discs do NOT constitute real High Definition).
  
  Since Sony now owns all kinds of traditonal Hollywood Movie Content (Columbia Pictures, MGM Studios), will they (soon?) be offering High-Def content on standard 5" blu-ray discs?
  
  Ahhrrhhhh! So many questions, so few answers.
  

  2.10.2005 16:53 #5

• jetyi83

  the capacities are known and havent changed at all.
  
  blue ray is roughly 25 gigs per layer, and hd is roughly 15 gigs per layer.
  
  right now hd is going to come out sooner, and have dual layer capabilities, but blue ray will eventually figure it out and be able to mass produce dual layer BR discs as well. Its not like this release date will have that huge of an impact on any of us anyway. No one wants to go out and buy a new player while the prices are at 1000 dollars cheapest. Most people will wait and get a ps3 or wait until the prices drop down.
  
  
  discs will be capable of 6-8 layers in the future, so BR is actually capable of 200 gigs. But probobly not anytime soon. i wouldnt be worried just because BR hasnt perfected their DL disc yet. They will.

  3.10.2005 22:53 #6

• jetyi83

  and as for mini s'' discs of the ps3, i havent heard that, and i highly doubt it.
  
  it will act as a blue ray player as well as a gaming console. High end movie watchers will buy a player yes, but the ones that dont want to spend 100 bucks will use the ps3 until the prices for dvd players drop. Just as i did , and millions of others did with the ps2.

  3.10.2005 22:55 #7

• jetyi83

  meant to say 1000 bucks

  3.10.2005 22:56 #8

• A_Klingon

  You're probably right, jetyi83.
  
  I just bought (yet another) Sony DVD player from the Sony Store yesterday, and the salesman there agreed that the PS3 (which they are eagerly awaiting) will very likely have to serve as the world's first introduction to the Hi-Def Blu-Ray format.
  
  And as much as I really (don't like) video games, I - like many others - may have to consider initial prices. It's going to be really costly either way.
  
  And hell - I can't really afford a (true) High-Definition 16:9 1080p television set anyway. :=(

  4.10.2005 05:36 #9