Two big OEM computer makers have stood up to Microsoft and Intel, dismissing their claims of HD DVD superiority.
The Blu-ray Disc Association, which has been battling HD DVD blue laser format backers for three years, issued a statement where Dell and Hewlett-Packard denounced as inaccurate information cited by Microsoft and Intel about the Blu-ray format.
In its statement, Dell and HP noted how the 50GB capacity of Blu-ray will be greater than HD DVD’s 30GB; they claim the Intel and Microsoft assertion about AACS content protection being a format-specific system is incorrect:
Managed Copy is not a function of the optical disc format, but a function of the content protection system. The AACS content protection system, which is used by both Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD, enables managed copy and network streaming functionality.
They even cited aesthetics as a reason for Blu-ray’s superiority: The Blu-ray Hybrid Disc is the more elegant solution as it holds both versions of the film on the same side of the disc, which provides for easy labeling and greater ease of use for consumers.
With consumers watching from the sidelines, movie studios and technology companies have taken one side or the other in the blue laser format competition. Both Sony and Toshiba, the main backers of Blu-ray and HD DVD respectively, have alternately talked and fought over the possibility of a single format emerging.
After three years, the two sides have made no progress, and it appears that both sides will release consumer products in 2006. Sony will debut its PlayStation 3, which will come equipped with Blu-ray technology, while Toshiba should make HD DVD players available after the holidays.
Many stories have drawn comparisons to the VHS/Betamax videotape format battle, which Sony and Betamax lost. That outcome left Betamax buyers stuck with machines that had no content produced for them.
While today’s younger consumers won’t remember that, they will be just as affected if two formats come to market, and one ends up yielding to the other.
David Utter is a staff writer for murdok covering technology and business. Email him here.
