According to this article from HollywoodReporter.com, Toshiba, the principal manufacturer of the HD-DVD format, is either about to give up the ghost on the troubled next-generation video format or has already done so.

Representatives for Toshiba say for the record that no such decision has been finalized as of yet, but realistically, the writing has been on the wall for some time now. As reported by our own Migo earlier this week, Netflix recently announced that they were discontinuing HD-DVDs once their current backlogs were worked through. The format has also suffered defections by Warner Bros. and Paramount to the Blu-Ray camp.

If this pans out, and all signs currently indicate that it will, it means the latest “format war” has indeed ended in a resounding victory for Sony’s technology. Which is somewhat ironic when you consider Sony was very much on the losing end of the last major home video format war, when their Betamax videocassette system fell to JVC’s VHS.

If you liked that, try...

1. Toshiba Pulls Plug on HD DVD, Blu-Ray Crowned Winner
2. Warner Bros backs Blu-Ray, HD format war continues to annoy
3. Paramount, Dreamworks back HD-DVD, drop Blu-Ray
4. Who Watches “The Watchmen”? Probably Nobody.
5. HD DVD for Under $100?

1 Comment »

1. 
   Migo
   February 17, 2008 at 2:36 pm

   It’s not hard to believe that this is how it played out. Toshiba is a big company, but they can’t stand toe-to-toe with Sony and expect to win.

   I’m still saying that if I buy a Blu-Ray player it’ll be a PS3 because I’m cheap and I want something that will pull double or triple duty for me. Besides, it’s still like the second-cheapest player on the market.

   [Reply]

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