It's official: HD DVD has officially died an official death

by Kyle Orland { Feb 19th 2008 at 6:45PM }

We were pretty certain when we first heard the rumors, and we were even more certain when other sources said an official announcement was coming. Now that the official announcement from Toshiba has officially happened, we're officially 100% sure that HD DVD is officially dead. Official!

Well, maybe we should scale that back a little. Although lead company Toshiba has said they'll no longer make HD DVD players, they are reportedly stocking up on recordable HD DVD media for those who want to make their own discs (remember: BetaMax lasted for years as a professional recording format for broadcast outlets). And there's nothing preventing entertainment companies from continuing to put out HD DVDs if they want to. We don't know why they'd want to but hey. if people are still making Sega Genesis games, anything is possible.

Tags: blu-ray, console wars, ConsoleWars, dead, format wars, FormatWars, HD DVD, HdDvd, toshiba

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

XanthouS @ Feb 19th 2008 6:48PM

Finally, we can lay this pointless war to rest. Next stop, Iraq!

Squirrel3D @ Feb 20th 2008 12:31AM

Um...no I don't think so. And I'm not getting into any political debate with you because whatever I'll say will just be a waste of time.

SoulBlade @ Feb 19th 2008 6:49PM

oh for the love of god another story about this...

im so glad it's over and final. i can only hope there will be no more stories about this silly war after this.

Ryan @ Feb 19th 2008 6:57PM

It was fun while it lasted..

Marty @ Feb 19th 2008 7:00PM

I'm not buying into any HD format until all the prices come down. A lightly higher clarity in video and audio that isn't worth the premium at this point.

qo_op @ Feb 19th 2008 8:02PM

you obviously havent seen a high def movie running on a 120hz HD tele.

AK @ Feb 19th 2008 8:24PM

So by your logic, a Ferrari F430 isn't worth the price unless you have seen it?

Delgado @ Feb 19th 2008 8:38PM

Good for you; however, stop posting the same thing over and over.

I'm pretty sure that you've said something along the lines of "its not worth the slight aesthetic upgrade" at least 5 times, and I'm also pretty sure that no one cared for any of those occurrences.

Spend your money how you want, but don't be condescending towards people who appreciate HD and full well know that its not "lightly higher clarity." That is opinion, not fact. It is a huge upgrade from DVD, both mathematically in the number of pixels and frequencies, and visually.

Lord Chako @ Feb 19th 2008 9:42PM

Delgado,
Here is a "fact". The majority of households in America, don't own HDTV's. So for a majority of people, DVD is perfectly fine for them.

Don't be condescending towards the majority of television owners, who feel that there is nothing wrong with their standard definition televisions, and dvd players.

Just because some people have more money than others, doesn't mean their opinion is any less valid.

That my friend, is a "fact".

Delgado @ Feb 19th 2008 10:17PM

Um, OK. Let's put "fact" in quotes some more.

A) Read what I said again, then read points B through D.

B) I did not say anything about the majority of households in America, or the average consumer. I did not use the word "majority" once, and I did not even comment on HDTVs market penetration.

C) I said nothing condescending towards the majority of television owners. DVD is a great format. Normal TVs are fine too. I CHOOSE to use something that is technologically superior.

D) I did not say that anyone with less money had invalid opinions. I said that people with invalid opinions shouldn't keep repeating their point of view when it is incorrect. HD formats are technologically better, and I choose to use them because film is a hobby of mine. Good for him if he doesn't want to pay for it, I don't care - I appreciate it, and it is NOT "lightly higher clarity."
That is what I said.

Stop taking steroids, it makes you angry and it obviously has the side effect of making you in particular argue poorly.

Lord Chako @ Feb 20th 2008 1:16AM

"A) Read what I said again, then read points B through D."

Read what I posted, and then read points 7 though X.

"B) I did not say anything about the majority of households in America, or the average consumer. I did not use the word "majority" once, and I did not even comment on HDTVs market penetration."

True. But Marty's argument still holds a lot of water for a majority of people. Which you were so quick to dismiss as "opinion, not fact".

"C) I said nothing condescending towards the majority of television owners. DVD is a great format. Normal TVs are fine too. I CHOOSE to use something that is technologically superior."

So you not being condescending has nothing to do with the comment "I'm also pretty sure that no one cared for any of those occurrences."?

"D) I did not say that anyone with less money had invalid opinions. I said that people with invalid opinions shouldn't keep repeating their point of view when it is incorrect."

Please enlighten me as to how someone can have a "invalid opinion", when we are talking about perceived value.

"Stop taking steroids, it makes you angry and it obviously has the side effect of making you in particular argue poorly."

Stop trying to derail the conversation, and stick to the topic at hand. If you can't rebut a counterpoint without personal insults, you are better off keeping your mouth (or is it fingers?) shut.

It only makes you look bad.

Lord Chako @ Feb 20th 2008 1:28AM

If point A says read B-D, why should I care what point A says?

Jon @ Feb 20th 2008 4:31AM

"A lightly higher clarity in video and audio that isn't worth the premium at this point."

DVD: 720x480 resolution (348k pixels)
HD (BRD and HD-DVD): 1920x1080 resolution (2m pixels)

You may not have the capacity to differentiate the quality, but the clarity isn't just "lightly" higher. The numbers don't lie.

N-Zero @ Feb 19th 2008 7:00PM

damn we all knew this when HD DVD lost warner bros. It was over than just like it is now. The big death blow was warner bros. leaving HD DVD and going to blue ray. Doesn't matter though. People who bought HD DVD movies still have movies in HD just their player are worthless know since that format lost. Too bad for them. Well can't wait for some more blue ray movies baby GIVE ME SOME TRANSFORMERS ON BLUE RAY

HD ALL THE WAY YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!

Fernando Rocker @ Feb 19th 2008 7:05PM

What is this? Engadget? =p

RobLink @ Feb 19th 2008 7:05PM

And the worst part is, I got an HDDVD player for my 360 for Christmas. Good timing.....

Joe @ Feb 19th 2008 7:07PM

$200 down the drain...(sobbing)

Triforceowner @ Feb 19th 2008 7:10PM

It is still going to be hard to justify re-purchasing any DVD in Blu-ray. Upscaling looks good, so a boat-load of extra features would be the only thing to get me to repurchase.

XanthouS @ Feb 19th 2008 7:17PM

I agree. I've been making my new movie purchases (and LOST Season 3) in Bluray, but I don't see replacing my 200+ DVD collection. Upscaling looks solid enough for most films.

I'd consider Bluray copies of some more recent films though (The Matrix, LOTR, etc.)

Fandel @ Feb 19th 2008 7:10PM

And once again, this is proof that anyone who is an early adopter on an expensive new format player is a moron.

why not the LS2/LS7? @ Feb 19th 2008 7:24PM

HD-DVD is not a viable recording medium either. Go to newegg. There are 4 BluRay writers for sale (and they don't even offer the best one, the LG) and 0 HD-DVD writers. There never has been an HD-DVD writer offered for sale in the US except built into a Toshiba laptop.

And media is difficult to find too.

There were 20,000 writers "sold" in Japan, largely meaning they're sitting in warehouses.

Mr Khan @ Feb 19th 2008 7:25PM

Hey, even UMD had a little revival with those MTV series, so a survival of the format in some form isn't unlikely

Personally, i think that Blu-Ray was the better format technologically, but HD-DVD was better equipped for the specific purpose of movies

Mr Khan @ Feb 19th 2008 7:25PM

Why did i put that in past tense?

Gehodra @ Feb 19th 2008 7:48PM

Because you're a time traveler. I'm so jealous.

name123 @ Feb 19th 2008 7:26PM

I'll take consoles for $200.

An Xbox 360 with the RROD.
An HD-DVD add-on.
A Xbox 360 owner.

What is things that have no life?

Blazur @ Feb 19th 2008 7:35PM

I'm on to you, Rogue...

Abuzar @ Feb 19th 2008 7:43PM

The 360 owner of course! lol jk I have a 360 too, so I cant say I have no life.

Raikage (Ludwig Defense Force) @ Feb 19th 2008 9:00PM

Things that anyone would rather have/be than owning a PS3?

CORRECT!

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Feb 19th 2008 9:03PM

oooh oh oh let me play let me play.

What is things that have no life.

losers who feel the need to insult people of their console preference.
losers who feel the need to troll in every thread.
losers who act like they'll get something from their company of choice if they troll.

Why it looks iike I just described Name123 in a nutshell.

Zoesch @ Feb 19th 2008 11:52PM

I'd say name123 for those $200 Trebek

eldee @ Feb 19th 2008 7:33PM

seems like we've heard this news repeatedly all week long.

Tomorrow: It's officially Official, HD DVD is dead for reals.

Microswirl @ Feb 19th 2008 7:35PM

Another filler post. Shut up already! geez!

Darkiewonder @ Feb 19th 2008 7:49PM

good riddance. Now back to gaming news!

rokobungi @ Feb 19th 2008 7:51PM

well, when players are reduced to sub $75 and the movies retail for under $20 I'll fully support blu-ray
sorry ps3 still isn't an option unless my falcon goes RROD (tiny change in hardware... BIG difference in longevity)

FidliousWong @ Feb 19th 2008 8:19PM

Yeah, I remember when MY falcon was supposed to last....

playwhutyalike @ Feb 19th 2008 8:21PM

I'm with you. The only movie I gave a shit about last year was Transformers and I saw that on the Extreme Screen here. I can't justify buying a HD-DVD or Blu-ray system for one movie.

ONI5 @ Feb 20th 2008 3:38AM

Time for HD WMV to slip in.

ATM94 @ Feb 19th 2008 8:06PM

And the public goes back to not giving a crap about either one. Don't worry, HD-DVD. You'll soon be joined by Blu-ray on the 'Island of Misfit Formats' along with the current residents: SACD, DVD-Audio, UMD, D-VHS, Minidisc, VideoCD, LaserDisc, CED videodiscs, Betamax, and 8-track.

Poisoned Al @ Feb 19th 2008 8:07PM

El Reg did a nice piece on the war and how it started:

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/02/19/ft_hd_dvd_obit/

If it wasn't for HD-DVD, Blu-ray might have come in (*shudder*) a caddy. Also it pushed the price of blu-ray players down, so it was good for something I guess.

Zeus.:God @ Feb 19th 2008 8:15PM

It's sad, considering that HD-DVD was superior from a consumer standpoint. Comparable (darn near equal) movie quality and storage, cheaper to produce and cheaper to buy, and every HD-DVD was/is guaranteed to work on every HD-DVD player produced, unlike Blu-Ray (versions 1.0, 1.1 and soon to be 2.0).

It really is a sad day for smart consumers.

FidliousWong @ Feb 19th 2008 8:21PM

smart consumers don't buy iPods and McDonalds....

welcome to america

Poisoned Al @ Feb 19th 2008 8:47PM

Or send a truck full of money to Warner Brothers.

Zoesch @ Feb 19th 2008 11:55PM

Law of the internet: If you repeat bullshit 1000 times on at least 4 different forums it'll become truth.

It's still bullshit.

Because neither format was "better" or "worse" for consumers, being that one had the dubious advantage of defined interactivity and no region locking and the other had the less dubious advantage of size and scalability.

Just like DVD-R vs. DVD+R.

Killer @ Feb 19th 2008 8:25PM

Oh look the 51st article of HD DVD. Thank you Joystiq! I totally forgot about this happening, after reading about it 3 minutes ago on Engadget, EngadgetHD, Ps3fanboy, xbox360fanboy and many others. I will say this, through this entire 2 weeks up to the end. At least Joystiq wasn't into posting the exact same articles more than 5 times a day. Thank you Joystiq for that at least.