Toshiba adds a little Microsoft firepower to the high-density DVD war going on with Sony. The two companies announced today they would further their recent collaborations as they both work to develop the future of the HD-DVD format.
“Microsoft values our strong relationship with Toshiba, a company we admire for its long-standing commitment to innovation,” said Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect of Microsoft. “This agreement demonstrates our desire to share our innovations with other companies in ways that promote the spread of new ideas — and benefit customers by accelerating the development of exciting new products.”
This alliance between the two companies seems like a pact between two nations embattled against giant Sony who produces not only the Playstation competing directly against Microsoft’s Xbox and Xbox 360 in the future but Sony also wil introduce its Blu-Ray technology to the market sometime in the first half of next year, which will compete directly with the HD-DVD of Toshiba. The PS3 will have the Blu-Ray technology in it and a number of power players in this game have already picked sides.
“We are very excited to take our long-standing partnership with Microsoft to the next level. Our companies have worked together since Toshiba launched the world’s first laptop PC back in 1985, and we enjoy a relationship rooted in mutual respect and understanding,” said Atsutoshi Nishida, president and CEO of Toshiba. “We look forward to extending the scope of our relations to encompass HD DVD, a major driver of the next-generation consumer electronics.”
A Little History
Right now, the battle started this way. Sony introduced its concept for a new format of DVD that works with a blue laser. The blue laser is able to read higher density information from the DVD. The new format will allow disks to carry at least 50 Gbs of information. This consists of two layers of 25Gbs each. TDK has been playing with the disk and has added two more layers making it 100Gbs. Anyway, Sony plans on putting this product in their PS3 and they will market DVD players and DVDs and sell their products for new computers.
Toshiba, shortly after Sony’s announcement, started talking about their own format, the HD-DVD. The format held less information as each layer only supported 15 Gb each but they upped it to 3 layers or 45 Gbs. The advantage for the HD-DVD is that it’s much closer to the current design of DVDs and would require minimal retooling on the part of DVD manufacturers. The Blu-Ray is a total departure from current DVD architecture and would cost much more to retool for production.
Both companies have been at odds over which format will be accepted. Negotiations have been on the table for months but neither side was willing to give. Both sides wanted their formats accepted.
A number of companies have chosen sides in this fight. Dell and Disney have both flown with Sony on this fight but this new development could change things. Back in November 2004, Paramount Home Entertainment, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video, New Line Home Entertainment and HBO Home Video announced their official support of the HD DVD format It would seem a real war may just happen.
Microsoft is certainly the most powerful player in the software industry. Microsoft and Toshiba also signed an opening licensing agreement back in April to share their technology free and clear. This is just a logical extension of that agreement. The press release said Microsoft will put in their software expertise in order to help Toshiba full recognized the potential of the HD-DVD format.
Questions About the Future
What happens next is anybody’s bet because in some ways this brings up a lot more questions about the future of the DVD format than it answers. I still say that this Microsoft will integrate the HD-DVD into their new Xbox 360. After an inquiry to Microsoft, they didn’t confirm this one way or another.
Their PR person handling this particularly announcement for Microsoft, Shannon Cary said, “Microsoft has not announced specific plans regarding support of HD DVD playback in Microsoft products.”
This only seems logical though as this will give the Xbox the oomph it will need to successfully compete with the PS3. If they do go with HD-DVD in the Xbox360, this will get the Toshiba format onto the market first. This will give both companies a leg up on Sony for this fight. Sometimes the first blow can be the most devastating.
The fight for high definition DVD supremacy rages on. Sony fought a battle like this once before over 20 years ago against Panasonic for supremacy in the video tape format and Sony lost that fight back then. The verdict is still out on who’s going to win this one.
John Stith is a staff writer for Murdok covering technology and business.
