“Microsoft said it will stop making HD DVD players for its Xbox 360 video game system after Toshiba ceded the high-definition video format battle to Sony’s Blu-ray,” The Associated Press reports.
“Microsoft said Saturday it would continue to provide standard warranty support for its HD DVD players,” AP reports. “Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida last week estimated about 300,000 people own the Microsoft video player, sold as a separate US$130 add-on for the Xbox 360.”
“Microsoft was one of HD DVD’s main backers, along with Intel and Japanese electronics maker NEC, and its support for the format was seen as a big win for Toshiba’s format,” AP reports. “But support for the HD DVD waned as major movie studios — Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, News Corp.’s Twentieth Century Fox and Warner Bros. Entertainment — picked Blu-ray to distribute high-def DVDs. Wal-Mart Stores struck what seemed to be the final blow just over a week ago when it said it would only sell Blu-ray players and discs.”
“The Redmond, Wash.-based software maker said the decision to stop selling HD DVD players won’t have a material impact on its video game business,” AP reports.
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “JadisOne” for the heads up.]
So, supposedly, HD DVD’s death won’t hurt Microsoft, but what about your customers who’re stuck with obsolete HD disc players? Oh, right, they’re screwed again; par for the course! “300,000 suckers at $130 a pop! Next, we’ll sell ’em Blu-ray replacements!” – that’s sure to generate some more laughs over cocktails during executive lunches up in Redmond.
Typical. This is what happens when Macrosuck tries to introduce “cutting edge” technologies into their products!
If Microsoft were smart *cough!* they would offer their customers an exchange or exchange credit for swapping out their $130 HD DVD drives for Blu-Ray drives. You know that would mean they would be actually taking care of their customers. Studios should also offer to exchange HD DVD discs for Blu-Ray discs. I know some people would be willing to pay a small surcharge to send in their old discs to get them replaced with the new format. I don’t know how the logistics of something like that would work out, but I think it’d be the right thing to do.
But then again, the temperature in hell hasn’t cooled off yet, has it?
Another defeat for Microsoft is good for everyone!
Good riddance HD-DVD…
“So, supposedly, HD DVD’s death won’t hurt Microsoft, but what about your customers who’re stuck with obsolete HD disc players?”
It will happen the same to them as Mac owners in the 1990’s… or Betamax ones in the 1980’s… They’ve lost their money, but will survive. Still better than losing ones’ house, wife or even life. Get over it MDN, this is just pieces of hardware.
LOL… you PS3 wannabe X-Box suckers got lucky that your beloved MS didn’t have these drives built in to their piece of junk. LOL
Speaking of letting customers exchange HD DVD players…
Insanely Great: Japanese Electronic Store Letting Customers Trade HD DVD Players for Blu-ray
“The Japanese electronics retailer Edion is deeply ashamed it sold its customers HD DVD gear. So ashamed they that they’re allowing buyers to swap in Toshiba HD DVD boxes for Blu-ray players. A little more investigation reveals that the trade must occur during March, and consumers only need pay the price difference.”
From Gizmodo
There was nothing wrong with HD-DVD….However since no movie studio is going to release movies on it Blu-Ray and Downloads are the next place to get your HD video content.
Hopefully Microsoft will release a low cost external Blu-Ray drive. Thats the only way ill buy into the next generation of optical HD content. I already have an apple TV and VOD with crap cast, im not gonna drop 400 on a new player.
Everybody is portraying HD DVD as the new Betamx, but the situation for customers is actually worse. At least with Betamax it was a recorder so it still had a useful purpose as a machine, and they didn’t stop selling them in Japan until about 2003. With the HD- you have yourself a bit of brick, a 1000 quid DVD player yipee! not a great deal when you can get the same function for 50 quid.
Since MDN has not mentioned it, I will ask here (pardon my change of subject):
Did anyone see Jon on the Oscars? I hear that in coming back from a commercial, he was watching a movie and commented that you should see it in full screen, where upon he showed that it was an iPhone and flipped the screen to full screen display.
Anyone see it live?? Anyone have a copy?
en
He said Widescreen I believe. It’s probably all over youtube by now.
Where’s your cocky “fake” pro MS statements now? I guess another codec forced down our throats bites the dust.
Your Arrogance Your Failure™
Not nearly as distressing as all the OBAMA BIN LADIN banners all over this web site! It’s sickening! Ya think MDN supports the bleeding heart ultra-liberal? Microsoft needs to integrate a Bluray drive internally into the Xbox. Peripherals suck!
Thanks, should of thought of that myself. Then again, it is a monday.
en
Sad part is that the majority of the 300,000 morons that bought those obsolete things paid $179, not $129 for them. Oh well, it’s just another costly lesson not to buy into one of Microsoft’s many failed endeavors.
Here it is. did not see it on Youtube but here.
http://gizmodo.com/360276/jon-stewart-bored-with-oscars-pulls-out-iphone
OK, now back to your regular programming.
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en
To ElderNorm:
Here’s a photo.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/25/iphone-wii-guests-at-this-years-oscars/
You MAC sheep haven’t heard the last of HD-DVD. Not by a longshot. CES is only 10 months away and Microsoft has the resources to come up with even more feature rich and revolutionary HD-DVD products. From what I hear the product roadmap for HD-DVD at Microsoft is pretty exciting.
What you smug MAC dorks seem to be forgetting is Redmond has all the pieces in place: xBox, Zune and HD-DVD. Cupertino won’t know what hit ’em.
Your potential. Our passoin.™
Bravo Bravo…
Can you do another dance for us Mac Royalty?
Your Arrogance Your Failure™
Zune is kidding right? I mean I sort of feel the whole DVD, CD thing is DEAD! I don’t really care if it is Blue Ray, Death Ray, HD-DVD or a dead cat, I’d don’t want any of them. I want no moving parts, flash or wireless, skip the disk thing it belongs in the landfill next to Zunes collection of 8 tracks.
Another day, another ditto head is terrified of Obama, another new poster doesn’t know who Zune Tang is…
What a time to be alive…
Just curious, Zuney, my friend……
What exactly IS “passoin?”
So much for XBOX 360 EVER getting games that are too big and detailed to fit on a DVD. You need a PS3 for that. Microsoft: welcome to yesterday. Some PC games already need multiple DVDs.
Microsoft should give back the monney to their shareholders and shutdown! … (Hum! heard this somewhere before….)
‘Passoin’ can be defined as the indisputable knowledge.
For example, I have passoin that if elected Obama would dissolve the U.S. government and convert all legal functions and practices to Sharia law. Christianity will be outlawed and punishable by death if practiced. He will also declare himself supreme leader for life. Wake up, people. He’s different than you—and that’s a very bad thing.
Your potential. Our passoin.™
It’s true. I read it on Drudge.