DVD format talks break down

by brian_turner

Talks between Toshiba and Sony, about bringing together rival DVD technologies, have broken down.

The Japanese Daily Yomiuri newspaper reported that the two companies now plan to go ahead with their own formats. Toshiba, with NEC and Sanyo, is promoting HD-DVD, while Sony, with support from Dell and Samsung, favours Blu-ray technology.

The next generation of DVDs are scheduled to go on sale later this year. They will provide significantly greater data storage and will include high-definition video, providing 3D-like quality pictures.

The rivalry between HD-DVD and Blu-ray mirrors the battle between VHS and Betamax, which resulted in the demise of Betamax. It had been hoped to avoid and similar conflict between the next generation DVD formats.

However, although both sides are willing to re-open negotiations if an opportunity arises, Toshiba now plans to launch its first HD-DVD products by the end of this year, with software production commencing by the end of this month.

Sony plans to include a Blu-ray disc drive in its new PlayStation 3 game console next year.

Blu-ray discs can store 50GB of high-quality data, while Toshiba’s HD-DVD can hold 30GB. Both disc formats offer much better quality audio and video, and could provide more space for interactive elements.

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