Toshiba IS going to delay HD DVD launch
By Matt Burns 
posted Sep 28th 2005 12:36PM
posted Sep 28th 2005 12:36PM
It is official now. Toshiba is for sure going to delay the launch of HD DVD to early 2006, sometime around February or March. This is only for the US market though, as they stated that the Japan market would be able to gaze into glorious HD DVD by years end. This still leaves a few questions though.
* Are the retail demos going to be delayed?
* Is Toshiba updating the US model for 30GB HD DVDs?
These questions will soon work their way out. Speaking of the retail demos, has anyone that works in retail received any information about them?
I'm starting to get tired of this already! Blu-ray or hd-dvd? Before Christmas or after Christmas? While it would be nice to see Sony and Toshiba come to some sort of agreement, am I the only person that would like to see Toshiba as the last man standing? Sony does everything in a proprietary manner! I mean, look at their MP3 players...They tweak their units with a particular codec that makes it difficult for the end user to use the thing! From what I understand, their Playstation 3 hs been getting lotsa flack from the developers because once again, Sony has made things difficult! When it's all said and done, what's not to like about HD-DVD:
1. Disc capacity has approached Blu-ray levels...
2. Backwards compatible units
3. Discs are easier to manufacture, keeping the end user price lower than Blu-Ray
4. Microsoft and Intel are backing 'em...
At the end of the day, I can't find any reasons why Toshiba shouldn't win this fight!
Blu-Ray _is_ still technically better (like Betamax) but more importantly HD-DVD is endorsed by the current standards body -- you know the organization which sets standards in order to prevent needless and destructive format wars. Wheras Blu-Ray is an enomous F-U to that process which will prove damaging to ALL involved.