Sony, Toshiba to agree on new DVD format

RC Cola · 05-09-2005, 05:40 PM

Quote:

SEATTLE (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp. (6758.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and Toshiba Corp. (6502.T: Quote, Profile, Research) are close to finalizing a plan to develop a common standard for next-generation DVDs to resolve a three-year-long battle over formats that threatened the industry's growth, a Japanese newspaper reported on Monday.

A detailed plan could be unveiled ahead of a key meeting of manufacturers involved in the manufacture of next-generation DVDs scheduled for May 16, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun said.

Sony, along with Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. (6752.T: Quote, Profile, Research) , maker of Panasonic brand products, had been pushing for the standard it calls Blu-ray, while Toshiba, with NEC Corp. (6701.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd. (6764.T: Quote, Profile, Research) , has been promoting a technology called HD DVD.

Both sides have indicated that a new, unified format will use Sony's technology for recording information onto an optical disk while Toshiba will supply software that will handle efficient data transfer and copyright protection.

Source

I'm glad that these two are working things out and bringing together the advantages of the Blu-ray disc and the HD-DVD software, although I think the BR software wasn't too bad either. At least this way, both sides have something put into the new format.

edit: Stupid language censor.

droxford · 05-09-2005, 05:43 PM

Thank God!

The industries totally screwed things up with the whole DVD-R vs. DVD+R battle, and I was hoping they wouldn't do the same thing (maybe worse) with the new formats!

-- droxford

A-Train · 05-09-2005, 05:46 PM

So, does this mean my DVD collection becomes obsolete, or my DVD player?

Dave2000 · 05-09-2005, 05:50 PM

probably just your DVD player, I would guess it would be backwards compatable with the current DVDs out now.

RC Cola · 05-09-2005, 05:55 PM

Dave's right. The new players will be BC with DVDs, so you'll just need a new player to watch high definition movies.

Or you could buy a PS3 and get a great gaming console that plays high definition movies.

Dave2000 · 05-09-2005, 06:43 PM

im wondering how long it will take before DVDs take over video cameras...

isoman2kx · 05-09-2005, 06:44 PM

amazing how far deez nutz have come

SWTsig · 05-09-2005, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave2000
im wondering how long it will take before DVDs take over video cameras...

sony is already advertising a new camcorder that tapes directly onto a dvd; kinda like the digital camera they released a few years back that recorded the photos directly onto a 3" CD.

RC Cola · 05-09-2005, 07:17 PM

IIRC, Sony also was talking about using a special type of Blu-ray mini-disc that could be used in camcorders. It was probably the size of the normal mini-discs and had a capacity of like 8-9 GBs IIRC. I'm not sure if they will follow up on that idea though given all the work they've been doing on merging these formats. It would probably be a while though.

It would be pretty cool to make high-def home movies. Too bad I probably won't have a TV to take advantage of that for quite a while.

DallasThomas · 05-09-2005, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RC Cola
...Sony, along with Matsu****a Electric Industrial Co. Ltd...

edit: Stupid language censor.

Why the **** can't you say Matsu****a?!

**Dr of Dunk** · 05-09-2005, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave2000
im wondering how long it will take before DVDs take over video cameras...

Both Sony and Panasonic have cameras that write to 3" dvd's.

**Dr of Dunk** · 05-09-2005, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RC Cola
It would be pretty cool to make high-def home movies. Too bad I probably won't have a TV to take advantage of that for quite a while.

Do you have a hi-def camcorder?

RC Cola · 05-09-2005, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr of Dunk
Do you have a hi-def camcorder?

No, I don't have anything hi-def. I should have specified that I was talking about hi-def recording to hi-def discs, since I'm guessing there are hi-def camcorders going by your question.

I don't really know too much about the camcorder market.

Dave2000 · 05-09-2005, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dr of Dunk
Both Sony and Panasonic have cameras that write to 3" dvd's.

Just wondering when it will be standard, like how DVDs are pretty much standard over VHS.

RocketsPimp · 05-10-2005, 09:07 AM

What about the NEC DVD-RW drive I just bought? Should I bother keeping it?

RocketManJosh · 05-10-2005, 09:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by RocketsPimp
What about the NEC DVD-RW drive I just bought? Should I bother keeping it?

I would think its going to be awhile before these things actually hit the market here. I heard they are going to start selling HD-DVD stuff in Japan late this year early next year meaning we definitely won't get anything for probably a year. My guess is they are going to be quite expensive for a good time as with all new technology.

RC Cola · 05-10-2005, 09:53 AM

Actually, I think they were planning on selling some sort of HD-DVD player here in the U.S at least before the year was over since a few of the major movie studios were providing support this year (89+ titles IIRC). Also, technically, Blu-ray has been around since like 2002-2003.

One good thing about the pricing stuff is that a lot of the new technology that made DVD expensive can still be used in this new technology, not to mention Sony and Co. have already done a lot to reduce the price of Blu-ray to compete with HD-DVD, which had the cost advantage. I think Toshiba was saying that a HD-DVD player would hit the market at under $1000. I also seem to remember reading about BR/DVD/CD combo drives that some of the manufacturers said wouldn't be too much more expensive than their top-of-the-line drives that they'll be putting out soon. Take it for what its worth though. If nothing else, the PS3 can't afford to launch too much more than $300, so maybe that will drive the sales of this format somewhat like the PS2 drove DVDs.