Microsoft and Intel Back HD-DVD

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif

Reuters reports that Microsoft and Intel have announced their plans to back the HD-DVD format for high definition content. Microsoft's support for the HD DVD format was expected based on previous announced partnerships with Toshiba.

Meanwhile, Apple announced support for Blu-ray technology in March of 2005. Blu-ray is the main competitor to the HD DVD format.

While, Microsoft/Intel control a large proportion of PC hardware, content providers have not yet joined their site:

But the battle over next-generation DVD formats is far from over, Kaufhold said, noting support in Hollywood for Blu-ray. Several studios, including Walt Disney Co., Sony Pictures and News Corp. unit Twentieth Century Fox, have said that they will release high-definition movies on Blu-ray.

[Surreal]

that's an interesting development ...isnt apple behind...man, these formats are going to be annoying...arent they?

while blu ray may be more expensive...i think that it is the better choice. far more room for expansion.

[mgargan1]

maybe AMD should back blu-ray.

But it's funny that Apple is going to go with blu-ray, and intel is going to HD-DVD.

[x86isslow]

i'd say ominous that intel and apple are going in two different directions

[Hoef]

I think it will result in lack luster consumer demand .... Nobody wants to end up with the betamax of HD DVD's

[Steamboatwillie]

Steve did say that this is the year of HD

[lcde]

Now with DVD+/-RW and DL I don't see why a combo drive wouldn't occur. Then no one would be "stuck".

[ZorPrime]

Originally Posted by Macrumors

While, Microsoft/Intel control a large proportion of PC hardware, content providers have not yet joined their site:

big deal.

Edit: Even Microsoft is unsure about HD-DVD... notice how they said they're putting HD-DVD in the XBox 360? Now they say they're "keeping their options open". HD-DVD is DOA. With all of the major PC manufacturers, Apple, Dell, HP, Sony, etc. backing Blu-Ray in addition to the manufacturers producing the embedded chips that will be decoding MPEG4 HD streams and broadcasts, I'm not worried about HD-DVD. Blu-Ray will win.

[Rod Rod]

Apple supports Blu Ray and HD DVD.

At the moment, Apple supports HD DVD more than it supports Blu Ray. Just look at DVD Studio Pro 4. It has the capability to author discs that conform to the preliminary HD DVD spec. This means that although right now only G5 equipped Macs running Tiger and DVD Player 4.6 can play back HD DVDs created with DVDSP 4, once HD DVD players hit the market they shouldn't have any trouble playing those discs.

Originally Posted by Apple

Apple is committed to both emerging high definition DVD standards—Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD. Apple is an active member of the DVD Forum which developed the HD DVD standard, and last month joined the Board of Directors of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

source: http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2005/apr/17hd.html

[SkAlex]

I just hope betamax comes out on top when this is all done with...

[budugu]

I am with intel & MSFT here! Finally some one having some sense. HD-DVD is more compatible with current DVDs and is far cheaper than Blu-ray. Sony has a track record of making insanely expensive proprietery **** for sovling simple problems! i agree that having 50 GB is better than 30GB but at what cost and flexibility? As you can see the DVD-DL double of what a dvd can hold but who is using it (movies are released in DL for time or just to make it more painful to copy!)? I think the if blu-ray wins it is going to some f***ing locked down version directed by content providers (& sony) who will be only worrying of how to protect that content than make it better. As long as they lock the tech down, they are not going to let the generic makers enter and make the stuff available for cheap.

GO HD-DVD!

[ryanw]

I think consumers would benifit most from a 'dual support' system. Blu-ray uses a very intense holographic type system to allow the intense amount of storage. There won't be any 'blu-ray' consumer burners for a LONG time. Where as HD-DVD could have consumer burners pretty quickly.

Why not allow for something like toshiba is doing where you could have a BLU-RAY reader and HD-DVD reader/burner?

If that isn't the solution, consumers are going to suffer. One format will win in the end (beta/vhs) and a group (either HDDVD or Blu-ray) will be left with a bunch of worthless media down the road (ie. beta)

I'm guessing that in the END, HD-DVD will win. Based off of ONE reason. People will think BLU-RAY is something new and weird, but HD-DVD is just a new version of DVDs. Consumers are stupid, which makes HD-DVD the default winner. It's the one consumers are going to know what it is and buy it.

[budugu]

Originally Posted by lcde

Now with DVD+/-RW and DL I don't see why a combo drive wouldn't occur. Then no one would be "stuck".

it would cost more than twice to make the "combo". It is completely different laser technology.

[Mac_Freak]

The fight between HD a Blue-Ray should be fought like a men, in the ring.
In the left corner J Steve wearing his bleu jeans and black turtle neck, in the right Bill Gate$. Let get ready to ramble!

[andiwm2003]

is it possible to have both standards in one drive?

if not then just add an external dvd drive to your internal one. as a computer user it doesn't matter what format is supported. in the end we will have both and chose for our backup the more cost effective or stable. so whoever supports what will not matter one year later.

it's only relevant for customers buying a home theater. since that is not a time sensitive investment we can easily wait it out and buy then.

so i don't understand why this is so important for many people. what am I missing? does it affect the pro's in a particular way?

[BGil]

Originally Posted by Mac_Freak

The fight between HD a Blue-Ray should be fought like a men, in the ring.
In the left corner J Steve wearing his bleu jeans and black turtle neck, in the right Bill Gate$. Let get ready to ramble!

Microsoft officially back both formats. They'll back anything that uses their codec. I'm guessing they prefer HD DVD because it's more compatible with their media center plans and their Xbox 360 strategy but they are playing both sides.

In addition, they have their own red-laser format backed by a few companies. It's basically the HD DVD authoring spec on a regular DVD like the High Def DVD's they've already released.

[Tommyg117]

Is anyone else angry that they have to get all new dvds? I don't know about anyone else but I have a fairly extensive dvd collection, I don't want to have to buy a whole new format, let alone one of TWO different formats. This is not cool

[Mac_Freak]

Originally Posted by Tommyg117

Is anyone else angry that they have to get all new dvds? I don't know about anyone else but I have a fairly extensive dvd collection, I don't want to have to buy a whole new format, let alone one of TWO different formats. This is not cool

Fortunately for me, I don't own any DVDs

[Object-X]

Guess I'll wait for the PS3. In a lot of ways this really sucks for consumers. So much for console gaming platforms being the all in one home entertainment device. My TV only has one HDMI port, so which console is going to get it?

[shawnce]

Originally Posted by x86isslow

i'd say ominous that intel and apple are going in two different directions

I'd say totally irrelevant for the Apple / Intel CPU relationship.

[obeygiant]

this crap gives me a headache.

last time i saw a blu-ray disc, it was in a cartridge just like the old dvd-ram. it sucked. people want just a disc, not some confabulated doohicky.

[iMeowbot]

Apple partner Samsung have already said they expect to have a dual-format drive out within a year. There's nothing to see here.

[Porchland]

Originally Posted by Tommyg117

Is anyone else angry that they have to get all new dvds? I don't know about anyone else but I have a fairly extensive dvd collection, I don't want to have to buy a whole new format, let alone one of TWO different formats. This is not cool

Hopefully the consumer HD-DVR players will be backwards compatible with DVDs the same way DVD players are backwards compatible with audio CDs. If not, we'll all need another component in the home theater.

Either way, your DVDs will still play; they just won't look as good as the new ones. Why is it "not cool" to make a better product available that doesn't hurt what you have now?

[Stella]

Just yet more competing formats to confuse the consumer!

Life is Great!

[iMeowbot]

Originally Posted by obeygiant

last time i saw a blu-ray disc, it was in a cartridge just like the old dvd-ram. it sucked.

That's been fixed. (Maybe Apple should buy some of this stuff for their nano cases )