TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s Toshiba Corp surrendered in the high-definition home movie war on Tuesday, giving up on its HD DVD format after losing the support of key studios and retailers to the Blu-ray technology backed by Sony Corp.The Blu-ray win means consumers no longer have to choose between rival incompatible formats and run the risk of being stuck with a 21st century equivalent of Betamax, Sony’s videotape format that lost out to VHS in the 1980s.

Lucky consumer! It is very hard to be a good consumer in this bad bad world full of choices from two products. Coke or Pepsi, Mac or PC, Intel or AMD, Republican or Democrat… aaaaaaaaaah my head spins..

But the Blu-ray win comes just as digital movie downloads appear on the market, rolling out movies and TV shows on high-speed Internet connections and bypassing the disc altogether. That could limit growth for Blu-ray, analysts said.

Oh No! Downloadable movies? Who would think of that? Maybe you can spend some quality time with your kids to see what they were doing with ‘em computers last five years.

CEO Nishida said Toshiba has “absolutely no plans” to make or sell Blu-ray players.

Well, even Apple now include drivers for Windows and they would never ever let third-party OS on MAC…

“We are going to have to work extra hard to make up for these two years,” said a Matsushita official who declined to be named.

Wow! It took only two years to develop HD DVD? Or is the R&D in Japan now so cheap that you can simply ignore the cost of 10+ years? Do they have some scientists sweat shops over there?

Apple starts to rent movies in SD and HD quality over broadband through their iTunes store.

Rend and Watch almost instantly - within 30 seconds with a broadband internet connection. Watch on all platform Mac, Win, including Apple TV, last ipods, ipod touch/iphone.

Most of us watch movies ones.

The price is like a physical rental price, available 30 days after release.

30+24 rule
You have 30 days to start watching rented movie, after you start you have to finish watching within 24 hours (or watch as many times you want within the 24 hours). You can transfer between devices.
All major studios are on board: Walt Disney, Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros, MGM, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, FOX…

If this takes off, it could also bring blow to the sales of physical format such as BD.

Movies, Movies Movies
They will update Apple TV 2.0 to be able rent directly on iTunes (no PC required) in DVD and HD quality with surround sound so you can watch it on your TV in livingroom. Apple is trying to succeed where nobody else did.

The “broadband connection” is the break point of course, but we want to see how it works in real time. If apple does deliver and people will accept it, then this may rapidly change the whole BD/HD situation.

Wb and its owned New Line drops HD DVD after May 2008 when the current contract expire and will be using BD.

In response to consumer demand, Warner Bros. Entertainment will release its high-definition DVD titles exclusively in the Blu-ray disc format beginning later this year, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. and Kevin Tsujihara, President, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group.

WB owns one of the biggest library of films. HD DVD without WB on board will surely impact the HD/BD controversy for the benefit of BD.

Warner Home Video will continue to release its titles in standard DVD format and Blu-ray. After a short window following their standard DVD and Blu-ray releases, all new titles will continue to be released in HD DVD until the end of May 2008.

That is as good as dead. Releasing HD “after a short window” is just to keep the contract with toshiba in place. And even this will stop after MAY 2008.

Toshiba is quite surprised by Warner Bros.' decision to abandon HD DVD in favor of Blu-ray, despite the fact that there are various contracts in place between our companies concerning the support of HD DVD.

Act surprised for press release…  HD DVD promo group posponded (cancelled) the press conference at CES after the WB announcement and are currently discussing this issue with other HD DVD partners. It is a blow to HD DVD and a big one no matter how you sugarcoate it.

During the few years of DVD-lab development I created many backgrounds and audio background music that simply cannot be all included with the installation because of the size restrictions. (more…)

HD-DVD did it. Blue-Ray didn’t make it to the first round.
Backed by Toshiba, Microsoft, Paramount, Universal and others, the first HD DVD titles and players are already shipping while the Sony Blue Ray is delayed.

(more…)