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HP Joins HD-DVD Promotions Group, to maintain neutrality


Just when you thought it was safe to look away. While Microsoft didn't have a big HD-DVD related announcement, HP did.

Formerly solidly in the Blu-ray camp, they threatened to go with dual support and now they have. The release notes the BDA'sinclusion of Mandatory Managed Copy, but cites iHD, which will only be a part of the HD-DVD spec, as a reason why they have chosen to promote both technologies. Check the link for the full release.

HD-DVD is still down in studio support, but if the drives can make their way into mainstream PC's, maybe Blu-ray hasn't won after all. Let's play the rampant speculation game (©Joystiq.) and see why this might have happened, or why now, beyond the reasons listed in the release.

  • Microsoft did make a deal with Toshiba to release an HD-DVD 360 add-on/360 re-release and HP wants in.

  • Microsoft is leaning on HP for support of their iHD technology and still thinks they can get it into the BDA spec, and this is just an attempt to make that happen.

  • With Intel supporting HD-DVD and still no word on if MMC will cause them to support Blu-ray, maybe HP needs to do this to sell Viiv-enabled PC's next year.

  • They mention cost in the press release, maybe the rumors of high manufacturing costs/long delayed 50GB capacity are true?

  • HP has taken Lieberfarb's advice and is no longer playing a role in Sony's Art of War inspired tactics?

  • Or maybe they just figure if the format war goes on longer, more people will have to buy replacement hardware for their PC's: cha-ching.

Did I miss any?