Wait, the HD-DVD died out? Me and my friends have been been too busy bathing off the southern coast of St. Barts with spider monkeys for the past two weeks. Tripping on acid changed our whole perspective on shit. Movie? Anyway, MS has released an update for the defunct piece of hardware:
This update includes:
- Compatibility improvements with certain titles
- Additional support for network features
All you need to do is play any HD-DVD movie and be connected to Xbox Live. Thats if you haven’t already converted it into a fancy toaster oven.
[via majornelson]
February 25, 2008 – 12:49 pm
Drunk Pandas must be some sort of Friggin’ Psychic. How long has it been? One day?
Spooky.
Anyways. Read More »
February 24, 2008 – 10:00 am
Just like the HD-DVD format, the add-on drive for the Xbox 360 is going the way of the dodo. Microsoft issued a statement to let everyone know they won’t be manufacturing these anymore, but will still support them.
As a result of recent decisions made by Toshiba, Hollywood studios, and retailers, Microsoft plans to withdraw from HD DVD. Xbox will no longer manufacture new HD DVD players for the Xbox 360, but we will continue to provide standard product and warranty support for all Xbox 360 HD DVD Players in the market. As we stated earlier, we do not believe this decision will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace. HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room, along with playback of the DVD movies they already own.
Expect a fire sale pretty soon both on hardware and HD-DVD movies. In case you want to own some high def that is 100% obsolete, that is. I’m leaving mine hooked up for a while, at least until I can replace the movies I watch on BluRay.
February 20, 2008 – 4:30 pm
From the files of the “No Shit” archive, media giant and former B.F.F. of HD-DVD, is already planning to go full Blu-ray as soon as they can. Universal does have future plans and releases in HD-DVD. There are still many people out there, myself included, who have some sort of an HD-DVD player or attachment. These people will still need media until they can make the switch. Here is what Universal had to say:
“While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray,” said Craig Kornblau, president of Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
No word yet on Dreamworks and Paramount, but both have titles set to release in the old format as does Time Warner. The format war is over; we know this. There still will be some new titles coming to appease the alienated millions who took the wrong side in the conflict.
February 19, 2008 – 10:43 am
As you may have read, HD-DVD is going to join Betamax in the Land of Misfit Media Players. Here is a eulogy that I feel is appropriate:
Donny was a good bowler, and a good man. He was one of us. He was a man who loved the outdoors… and bowling, and as a surfer he explored the beaches of Southern California, from La Jolla to Leo Carrillo and… up to… Pismo. He died, like so many young men of his generation, he died before his time. In your wisdom, Lord, you took him, as you took so many bright flowering young men at Khe Sanh, at Langdok, at Hill 364. These young men gave their lives. And so would Donny. Donny, who loved bowling. And so, Theodore Donald Karabotsos, in accordance with what we think your dying wishes might well have been, we commit your final mortal remains to the bosom of the Pacific Ocean, which you loved so well. Good night, sweet prince.
Good Night Sweet Prince in did. Now, I cannot wait for the fire sale on HD-DVD’s to come.
February 19, 2008 – 9:41 am
Ring the bell people. It’s officially over. How official? Toshiba held a press conference in Japan this morning where they stated they will no longer sell or produce HD-DVD players or media beginning in March, as in two weeks from now.
Toshiba said they have no idea what other studios will do as far as future releases, but I’d be willing to be Universal and Paramount already have some plans for producing BluRay titles really soon.
I guess I’ll leave my HD-DVD add-on drive for the 360 hooked up for a while… at least until the few HD-DVD titles I own make their way over to BluRay (specifically the Bourne series, Transformers, and Knocked Up).
February 18, 2008 – 5:00 pm
As the format war crawls to an ultimatum, MS, the biggest HD-DVD supporter outside of Toshiba, released a statement on how the feel HD-DVD is doing as well as their future plans. It does not reveal much, but it seems that they are gearing up for a huge Plan B. Here is said statement:
We do not believe the recent reports about HD DVD will have any material impact on the Xbox 360 platform or our position in the marketplace. As we’ve long stated, we believe it is games that sell consoles and Xbox 360 continues to have the largest next-gen games library with the most exclusives and best selling games in the industry. We will wait until we hear from Toshiba before announcing any specific plans around the Xbox 360 HD DVD player. HD DVD is one of the several ways we offer a high definition experience to consumers and we will continue to give consumers the choice to enjoy digital distribution of high definition movies and TV shows directly to their living room along with playback of the DVD movies they already own.
I would not mind seeing a Blu-ray attachment, but for the price of close to $200 dollars, you are almost better off buying a PS3. I am waiting for the fire sale of HD-DVD’s to start. Once they dump it, those movies will see a huge drop.
[via Gamerscoreblog]
February 16, 2008 – 10:06 am
It looks like this is finally going to be over and we can all move on with our lives. As a journalist and even more so a consumer, this needs to end. Amidst some speculation, it looks like Toshiba is going to finally say uncle. Jodi Sally, VP of marketing for Toshiba America Consumer Products, was quoted as saying that:
“given the market developments in the past month, Toshiba will continue to study the market impact and the value proposition for consumers, particularly in light of its recent price reductions on all HD DVD players.”
This is not a white flag, but it sure looks like their gearing up for something. Reducing the price of HD-DVD players did nothing, if only to encourage consumers to return their stuff. I think its safe to say that the horses are circling the wagons here.
[via engadget]
February 15, 2008 – 1:00 pm
Toshiba’s HD-DVD format is backed way into the corner and getting the piss beat out of it. The referee is mere seconds away from jumping in and stopping the fight. How did this all happen? Wal-Mart today announced they will stop selling all HD-DVD players and discs by June of this year. Ouch. Here’s what Susan Chronister of Wal-Mart had to say on the company’s blog:
So… if you bought the HD player like me, I’d retire it to the bedroom, kid’s playroom, or give it to your parents to play their John Wayne standard def movies, and make space for a BD player for your awesome Hi Def experience.
Sick burn. I guess it all started with the Warner announcement earlier this year, followed by the quick one-two combo of Netflix and Best Buy turning to BluRay. Now almart has made the switch, which looks to be the final nail in the coffin of HD-DVD. Seriously, if Wal-Mart stops stops selling your format, just call it quits.
[via Check Out Blog]
February 12, 2008 – 8:51 am
I know, I know, another format war related post, but alas, this is news. I also just set the record for the most commas legally used in a sentence. Anyway, as the death of the HD-DVD seems to become an inevitable truth, Best Buy has decided to pick a favorite child:
Because we believe that Blu-ray is fast emerging as that single format, we have decided to focus on Blu-ray products,” Brian Dunn, Best Buy’s president and chief operating officer, said in a statement.
The reason behind this, you better sit down…Best Buy believes that the consumer will benefit from a single HD format. Well, shave off my pubes and punch me in the face.
[via reuters]
