HD-DVD

Guide Note

The HD-DVD home video format was launched in March 2006, but quickly entangled in a "format war" with the competing format, Blu-Ray. Though the formats sold in roughly equal numbers, by early 2008, the majority of movie studios and retailers were backing the Blu-Ray format, effectively vanquishing HD-DVD.

Fast Facts

1. Developed by: Toshiba and NEC in 2003
2. Common uses: home video
3. US Release: March 31, 2006
4. Key Supporters: Microsoft, Intel, Universal Pictures
5. Encoding: VC-1, H.264, and MPEG-2
6. Capacity: 15 GB and 30 GB (dual layer)
7. Read mechanism: 1x@36Mb/s and 2x@72Mb/s
8. Toshiba abandoned the HD DVD player on February 19, 2008, thus ending the "format wars"

History

In the early 2000s, the simultaneous development of two high-definition home video formats were spearheaded by Toshiba and Sony: HD-DVD, based on standard DVD technology, but able to store three times the data; and Blu-Ray, a more distinct HD storage format. Despite a 2005 attempt to reconcile the formats prior to market launch, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray had commenced a "format war" by the following summer, reminiscent of the VHS/Betamax race of the early 1980s. Over the ensuing two years, the formats competed for the favor of industry and consumers. In February 2008, with the majority of movie studios and retailers backing the Blu-Ray format, Toshiba announced that it would discontinue the manufacture of HD-DVD players, signaling the format's demise. The last two major studio films released in the HD-DVD format are Warner Bros.' P.S. I Love You and Twister (both released on May 27, 2008).

Buying Guide

HD-DVD continues to have its devotees, and the overall critical response to the formats suggests that neither is clearly superior to the other. Buying an HD-DVD player could be a worthy investment for film buffs: they're available at liquidation prices, and the format allows access to thousands of movies that are increasingly available at a discount as well. Before buying a player, research the options on Engadget and Gizmodo—and also consider getting a Dual-Format Disc Player for both formats.

Top Brands

1. Toshiba
2. Samsung