Saturday, February 16, 2008

Wal-Mart dumps HD DVDs to back Blu-ray - HDTV- msnbc.com


NEW YORK - Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has decided to exclusively sell high-definition DVDs in the Blu-ray format, dealing what could be a crippling blow to the rival HD DVD technology backed by Toshiba Corp.



The move by the world's largest retailer, announced on Friday, caps a disappointing week for HD DVD supporters, who also saw consumer electronics chain Best Buy and online video rental company Netflix defect to the Blu-ray camp.

[From Wal-Mart dumps HD DVDs to back Blu-ray - HDTV- msnbc.com]
Or, like we say in Virginia:





"It was you, Fredo. You broke my heart."



Of course, there's nothing like kicking a guy while he is down. Here's Arstechnica's take on this mess:




Since the beginning of the year, when Warner Bros. announced that it was pulling support for HD DVD, the prospects appeared grim. Toshiba and some of the other backers of the format put on a brave face, but most observers were wondering if and when Toshiba would acknowledge Blu-ray's fait accompli and let HD DVD join Betamax in The Place Where Unloved Formats Are Eternally Blessed. That time may be soon, according to a report in The Hollywood Reporter, which quotes "reliable industry sources" as saying that Toshiba will euthanize HD DVD in the months ahead.

[From Report: Toshiba making funeral plans for HD DVD; Wal-Mart to go all Blu (updated)]
Hopefully this the last format disc media format war (remember those Divx discs that would self-destruct?), since we will all eventually use online distribution.

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