Is Toshiba Finally Dumping HD DVD?

Has Toshiba had enough of the pain?

The Hollywood Reporter says that the manufacturer could be pulling the plug on the HD DVD format in just a few weeks. Despite the company slashing player prices, others seem to be avoiding the flailing format like the plague, giving Toshiba no other choice.

It’s tough to take the information with a grain of salt. However, the rumor is based on “reliable industry sources.” We need names!

For more, check out
[Link: electronichouse.com]

[Link: aintitcool.com]

says the same no actual facts

"Sources inside Toshiba have begun leaking to the press - that Toshiba is no longer going to be manufacturing HD DVD players - and is abandoning the format altogether. Apparently, this decision is going to cost Toshiba hundreds of millions of dollars "

All of the reports for the past few days have been fueled by the same "inside source"... so until someone named from Toshiba actually comes out and says it, it's still a rumor. Despite the headlines I've seen that seem to think that when a rumor is printed *twice* suddenly it's good enough to be fact.

The BBC is reporting that because of these rumours Shares in Toshiba have gained more than 5% because speculation intensified that the electronics giant is set to scrap its high definition DVD format, HD DVD.

The firm said it was reviewing its business strategies, but heres the big BUT added it had made no decision over HD DVD's future.

again no facts just speculation so much so the BBC is reporting it which isn't really known for it's speculation

[Link: news.bbc.co.uk]

Its official. Toshiba has announced it's pulling out. Walmart also will stop carrying HDDVD. Bluray wins.

Or maybe not?

[Link: remotecentral.com]

How confusing.

Yes, I'm positive HD-DVD is dead. But I have still seen NOTHING official. Even 100 headlines reporting the same "inside source" do not a named official source make!

When you see something like, "Mr. Smith, public relations manager of Toshiba's optical division, says that the company will begin 'ramping down HD DVD efforts' and will stop all marketing and production by the third quarter", now THEN you can jump up and down and yell "it's official".

At least the BBC plainly states right at the beginning of their article that it's all speculation, unlike what normally passes for journalistic integrity on the internet.

Toshiba is having a Press conference on Tuesday 5PM Tokyo time.

and according to [Link: www3.nhk.or.jp]
if google translation works well the BOD of Toshiba voted unanimously to drop HD DVD.

Any bets on:

1) When Toshiba joins the BD consortium

2) When Toshiba produces their first BD-compatible player

3) When the first BD drive is released for the Xbox 360

4) When Universal and Paramount announce that they are jumping ship

bets, no but here are my guesses


no idea (by the way it is BD association)


3-6 months would my guess if they piggy back on someone else (like Samsung)


no idea, what would it need? obviously HW wise it is just a normal USB drive, but I guess it would need SW. It also becomes more complicated because MSs support of HD DVD was all about slowing down BD, but now will they
a) think there is a market (let's face it many 360 fans got burned by buying the HD DVD add-on
b) think they need it (i.e. does it make the 360 look inferior without it compared to the PS3)


If Toshiba does announce they are dropping HD DVD in 3 hours then I would guess it could be even this week? but from just before CES I thought before the end of the quarter as most likely.



what are your guesses

BBC now confirms that toshiba president says its over

[Link: news.bbc.co.uk]

"We concluded that a swift decision would be best," Toshiba president Atsutoshi Nishida said.

Toshiba said the tipping point came last month when Warner Bros' followed a number of other film studios in deciding to release its movies only in the Blu-ray format.

"If we had continued, that would have created problems for consumers, and we simply had no chance to win," he said.

"It shows what a highly competitive market it is. When it comes to video, it is the person with the most content that wins," Gartner analyst Paul O'Donovan said.

and there is this on the Toshiba web site

[Link: toshiba.co.jp]

hey, how come no one else made their predictions?

To help with one of them [Link: homemediamagazine.com]