New tool streamlines development and testing process for HD DVD content, accelerates advancement of next-generation interactivity, including experiences powered by Microsoft HDi technology.
December 13, 2007: 09:00 AM EST

Posted By:Julia Boorstin

Black Friday is a big day for DVD and player sales but some people may be confused. If you buy "Ratatouille" in high def, you've gotta have a Blu-ray player. If the new high def "Transformers" is your thing, that Blu-ray player on your PS3 is totally useless, you need an HD DVD player.

This year all eyes are on the high definition market and the battle between HD DVD and Blu-ray: which side will sell more movies and more players this crucial holiday season?

21.11.2007 - While the two high-definition DVD formats are battling each other for market dominance consumers are having difficulty choosing from either disc format, which is slowing the growth of the HD market, says Windows client business manager Mike Hughes. The DVD industry currently is very widespread and it cannot be denied that it has an incredible turnover, observes Hughes.

"However, it is difficult and potentially very interesting that we have dual high-definition standard that hasn't been reconciled.

Blu-Ray Backer Approves New HD DVD Standard

by Anton Shilov

11/19/2007 | 03:09 PM

Walt Disney Home Entertainment, a major Hollywood studio and one of the strongest backers of Blu-ray disc format, voted for approval of a preliminary specification of 51GB triple-layer HD DVD media, just like all the backers of HD DVD and unlike some other backers of Blu-ray Association within the DVD Forum, who typically abstain in HD DVD-related votes.

Nov 8, 2007 09:34

Toshiba has sent all troops to the war field to make a pretty tough christmas for Sony's Blu-Ray. In a fantastic move by Toshiba, Walmart and BestBuy more than 90,000 HD-DVD players sold during last weekend.

Within three days, HD-DVD format significantly increased its installed base and sold nearly as many as the best-selling stand-alone Blu-ray DVD player has sold since its launch.

By Ed Oswald, BetaNews

November 7, 2007, 12:01 AM

ANALYSIS: Sources close to retailers indicate that Toshiba sold over 90,000 $99 HD DVD players over the weekend, and that figure only represents a portion of the retailers that participated in the frenzy.

According to Video Business, the 90,000 count includes Toshiba HD-A2 players sold at Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Circuit City along with a few other brick and mortar outlets. But it apparently doesn't include online retailers who also participated in the price drop, such as

November 1, 2007 10:09 AM PDT

Posted by Matthew Moskovciak

If there is one thing that Wal-Mart is keenly aware of, it’s the notion of price sensitivity. No matter how good a product may be, the common consumer will not consider purchasing it unless it is at a price that is comparable to similar, even if inferior, products.

Such is the case with high-definition movies. Even if the common consumer knows that HD movies are noticeably superior to DVD, he or she will not likely invest in the technology until it is deemed affordable.

(10/30/2007)
ERIK GRUENWEDEL

The Blu-ray Disc Association this week is rolling out the stops for a pre-holiday marketing blitz. Select retailers have dropped the retail price of Toshiba’s HD-A2 HD DVD player below $200.

But new Jupiter Research indicates just 24% of consumers even consider high-def packaged media when upgrading their home entertainment systems.

The report found that an abundant supply of standard DVD movies, compared to a relative limited number of titles in HD DVD and Blu-ray, has resulted in little motivation among consumers to adopt.

Battle rages for HD movie supremacy
But costs, incompatibility keeping consumers away

By Hiawatha Bray, Globe Staff
October 30, 2007

Greg Kushmerek of Jamaica Plain likes high-definition television so much, he custom-built a computer just to record HD versions of his favorite shows and play them back in his home theater.