Toshiba pulling the plug on HD DVD already? - Yup it's over.

***wraggster*** · February 16th, 2008, 15:22

Japan's NHK has followed up The Hollywood Reporter's earlier indications Toshiba was ready to dump its money-losing HD DVD business, with news that the company is prepared to cease manufacturing software and hardware, at a loss of hundreds of millions of dollars. This caps the worst week ever for red, when HD DVD was dumped by Netflix and Wal-mart, pushed to the background by Best Buy and put on -- an apparently incredibly short -- deathwatch right here. Toshiba is mum on the subject right now, but we hear there's plenty of cheap players and movies in a dumpster around back of the HQ.

Update: Along with an English translation of the NHK's article (Thanks sfditty!) comes additional confirmation from Reuters sources, it's a wrap. Toshiba is shutting down its DVD manufacturing facilities in Aomori Prefecture, Japan, while official word is expected "soon".

http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/16/t...d-dvd-already/

**DPyro** · February 16th, 2008, 17:37

It was only a matter of time...

**Gizmo356** · February 16th, 2008, 17:49

Took them long enough.

http://HD-DVD.justgotowned.com

**Napalm-Death** · February 16th, 2008, 18:13

Don't worry guys! Microsoft and Toshiba have a plan that will bury Bluray alive!!!

**phsychokill** · February 16th, 2008, 18:14

you realy have to feel sorry for the people who got hd-dvd players or the addon for the 360 they all just wasted a hell of alot of money. it was always obvious with blueray being in the ps3 as standard that it would take off faster.

**phsychokill** · February 16th, 2008, 18:16

Originally Posted by Napalm-Death

Don't worry guys! Microsoft and Toshiba have a plan that will bury Bluray alive!!!

you will find ms's plan was actualy for both to fail they they could incorperate direct downloads into windows to take controle of the market so by hd-dvd failing ms has just lost their window unless they can pull a golden egg out of their arses

**chip19** · February 16th, 2008, 18:58

Originally Posted by phsychokill

you realy have to feel sorry for the people who got hd-dvd players or the addon for the 360 they all just wasted a hell of alot of money. it was always obvious with blueray being in the ps3 as standard that it would take off faster.

I don't feel bad for those people. With BetaMax and other formats that have died in past format wars, people should realize that they need to wait before buying something. And really... I don't see the need for HDDVD or Bluray in the mainstream right now anyway, when most people still lack HD TVs.

**Napalm-Death** · February 16th, 2008, 19:35

Originally Posted by phsychokill

you will find ms's plan was actualy for both to fail they they could incorperate direct downloads into windows to take controle of the market so by hd-dvd failing ms has just lost their window unless they can pull a golden egg out of their arses

Typical M$, my post was meant to be mimicking JKKDark. :P

**Nicko01** · February 16th, 2008, 19:37

Originally Posted by phsychokill

you will find ms's plan was actualy for both to fail they they could incorperate direct downloads into windows to take controle of the market

That is not going to happen any time soon. HD media takes a large amount of space, which would both take a long time to download, AND would fill up your hard drive quickly. Also, what small number of people have a computer connected to their TV? Not many actually do. People want a way to go out to the store and buy a physical copy of the video and put it directly into a player on their TV, because that is the easiest way to do it. Also, you have no proof that Microsoft plans to launch this any time soon. It would also cost them a lot of money for something that they don't even know would work. Apple has already started this anyway, so Microsoft has no way of catching up because of how much content they already have up, and a large number of people already have accounts with them.

And why would Microsoft spend a large amount of money toward something that they knew was going to fail? That part of your post really makes no sense to me.