Toshiba CEO: HD DVD didn't stand a chance after Warner left

We had an inkling that the format war was soon to be over when Warner announced it was going Blu-ray just before CES and HD DVD canceled its press conference, but we didn't realize how quickly things would come to an abrupt end. It looks like Toshiba CEO Atsutoshi Nishida was decisive in ending the battle, telling the Wall Street Journal that HD DVD didn't stand a chance after Warner left, and that if HD DVD wasn't "going to win then we had to pull out, especially since consumers were already asking for a single standard." That's interesting, especially since Toshiba issued all those jilted-lover press releases as former partners defected and continued to waffle for another month or so and even air a Super Bowl ad, but we suppose PR people can't go running around saying things like "One has to take calculated risks in business, but it's also important to switch gears immediately if you think your decision was wrong," like the CEO can. Of course, the CEO probably shouldn't be saying Toshiba's upconverting DVD players are so good "consumers won't be able to tell the difference from HD DVD images" either, but give the man a break -- he's still in mourning.

[Thanks, ogscorpion]

[phanbouy @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:04PM]

what i don't understand is why netflix has dropped all their existing HD DVD titles... did they trash 'em all? WTF?

[hemmy @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:13PM]

Inventory space costs money, and Toshiba threw in the towel. Would make anyone question stocking HD DVD now. I'm sure there's still money to be made by Netflix from HD DVD supporters, but that's at best a short term proposition.

[phanbouy @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:21PM]

hmm.. well personally i'm just trying to milk this $50 xbox HDDVD player i just picked up. well... the good news is that HD titles seem to be about $5-7 less on average per title than Blu discs on Amazon right now. Not bad considering the reviews I've read on hidefdigest show that they're usually the same in quality, compression, special features, etc. And if I do buy HD titles at least I can rip em and burn them (eventually...on something..!)

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:42PM]

netflix thinks it's so cool, so it has to maintain it's image my changing every now and then.

So much like middle school man...

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:58PM]

NOTE: MILKING HDDVD 360 ADD ONS VOIDS WARRANTY AND ENDS FORMAT WAR.

That was directly from my HDDVD add on's box. Nice going phanbouy :P

[Sam Winter @ Mar 4th 2008 4:09AM]

@phanbouy

The reason movies released on both HD-DVD and Blu-ray disc look the same is because the dual format studios would encode the video to the limitations of HD-DVD's bit-rate and storage capacity, and use this transfer for both the HD-DVD release and Blu-ray release.
With HD-DVD gone, studios can now focus on improving the film transfers of their movies to get the maximum picture and sound quality on Blu-ray disc.
Blu-ray can support video+audio bitrates of 48mbps, which will be even more important for 1080P/60fps material and higher (2160P? 4K cinema?)

[phanbouy @ Mar 4th 2008 1:02PM]

@Sam, so is your point then that no one should buy any HD media until the newer, higher throughput discs are released?

[Killer @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:12PM]

5 days without HD DVD News on Engadget.

Then this happens....
Damn it, oh well we were on a roll.
This time lets go for a personal best of 6 days. That would be amazing...and histroic.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:12PM]

then why drop it way after thte warner announcment. No wonder why HDDVD failed, under the control of these people. And advice for early adopters: keep your HDDVD's as relics, and maybe you could sell them for a lot since they'll all be gone

[Ali @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:18PM]

As long as the titles are available in other formats DVD/Blu-Ray, they wont be worth much at all. The exclusives or rares that remain no longer produced on the other hand may become 'relics' to some collectors. Either way, dont get carried away, no chance they'll ever resell for above initial retail price at max.

[Homeboy @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:16PM]

There's one force Bluray had behind them, and that was PS3. If MS had fully supported HD-DVD then their chances of winning the war would have been substantially greater. With a built in HD-DVD player xbox 360, HD-DVD titles like Tranformers would have been flying of the shelves.

Sure a built in HD-DVD player would have jacked up the price, but in the end it would have be worth it, especially for the HD-DVD association. PS3 did suffer sales from the get to because of the high price but now when Bluray has won the price is not as big of a factor because the device supports a future format.

Unfortunately HD-DVD lost because they didn't push the format hard enough. They should have cut a deal with MS and made done everything they can to make MS build a HD-DVD player inside the 360.

[caramelzappa @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:24PM]

An internal hddvd drive in the 360 would have helped toshiba with the format war, but it would not have helped microsoft with the console war, and since the xbox is a gaming console first, media center second it made a lot more sense for microsoft to not risk too much on movie format wars and focus on making a good game console and shipping it before it's competitors. The ps3 is finally picking up speed, sure, but I do think Microsofts year head start really helped them out, while an HD drive would have crippled their progress in the gaming industry.

[Homeboy @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:33PM]

caramelzappa: Yes I understand Microsoft's decision to move cautiously, because after all Toshiba were the ones who had most to win from MS blessing the 360 with a built in hd-dvd drive. Not only that but the format was risky and it's was either die or win. MS has their own battle against Sony and didn't want to risk sinking down in the water together with Toshiba in the format war.

For Sony it was either win big or lose. With PS3 and Columbia/Sony pictures on their side, HD-DVD was clearly the under dog.

[Killer @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:21PM]

"And advice for early adopters: keep your HDDVD's as relics, and maybe you could sell them for a lot since they'll all be gone"

Geez, thanks for the advice. What would I do without you giving advice? Oh right, it would be a better world for everyone.

[mushrooshi @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:24PM]

Was expecting a CE-Oh No he didnt!
Then I read it was form Toshiba.

[Flashpoint @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:37PM]

Engadget needs more HDDVD death photos. This one's been used like 10 times.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:44PM]

maybe they should get one flash picture that shows master chief with a blu ray emblem with his rocket launcher, blowing up some dude that has an HDVD emblem driving away in a banshee

[Homeboy @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:45PM]

I agree. And I know that Engadget's Bluray loving photo editors still have the drive in them, they when nuts the days when Toshiba pulled the plug on HD-DVD.

The Woman is the picture should be cremated by now with her ashes in the the form of 360 HD-DVD add-on, Tranformers Dics and Toshiba stand alone player, poured into a container.

[Killer @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:50PM]

@CUBSWILLWIN

Are you like 4 years old? Seriously, because...

"maybe they should get one flash picture that shows master chief with a blu ray emblem with his rocket launcher, blowing up some dude that has an HDVD emblem driving away in a banshee"

Did you think that up on your own? Please, tell me it wasn't you and it was really your 4 year old cousin or something.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:50PM]

or maybe a picture that has to do with monty python. I don't know why but I just want one

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:52PM]

it was my 4 year old neighbour!! HA YOU ARE WRONG!!!!!1111 ZOMG!!!111!!! :P

[Killer @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:58PM]

Only a Cubs' fan would have a comeback that stupid.

Also, they already have a monty python picture. I don't know where you've been since they've used it like 7 times already.

Example:
http://www.engadget.com/2008/02/22/how-would-you-change-the-outcome-of-the-format-war/

[Killer @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:00PM]

^^^ And the irony of it you're the first post ^^^

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:00PM]

well aren't I forgetfl. And no offence, but I don't wanna make any mean comebacks, so if you are trying to insult me, whatev

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:03PM]

Also, maybe I want one with American gangster :P

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:04PM]

Flashpoint, are we spamming you inbox with replies?
:)

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:06PM]

Killer, whats your favorite basbeall team? I'm not gonna say bad things about it if you tell me, don't worry, just wanna know

[Intrepid @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:43PM]

Cancelled, not canceled. Use an application such as Mircosoft's Word to type and correct your article - then post it.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:44PM]

Microsoft not mircosoft ;)

[Homeboy @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:46PM]

You fail.

[Ellianth @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:49PM]

In the future check to make sure that your country's English spelling of a word is universal. It's spelt with two Ls here, but not everywhere else.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=canceled

[Mike @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:52PM]

Is Steve Ballmer posting here now?

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:56PM]

no it's a desperate microsoft salesperson that isn't selling any copies of Word, so it's trying to stupidly and annoyingly persuade people to buy it's products.

It's possible

[Intrepid @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:02PM]

No I don't work for 'Microsoft' lol, I just expect a large news site like engadget to spell correctly in their articles, whether I can or not. But I just checked my Oxford dictionary, and it says that in the US it's acceptable to spell it either way... Just not in any other English speaking countries.

[ethana2 @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:04PM]

Firefox has spell check. As if we need engadget using any more Microsoft products in their operations.

[Benjesuit @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:48PM]

HAHAHA! Nice Cubswillwin! Nice!I love when spelling nazi get cuaght out there like that!

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:59PM]

caught not cuaght!

Ha! I love doing this
sorry :)

[ethana2 @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:06PM]

What browser /are/ you guys using? Don't you see the little red lines under words in the typing forms? This is basic browser functionality here.

[Intrepid @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:06PM]

Lol as you can now see, it was a typo. That's not the same as a spelling mistake.

[CUBSWILLWIN @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:07PM]

I use firefox but I don't pay attention to those lines. I spell the way I want really. In fact, I usually spell words correctly unless I'm typing really really fast when I'm in a hurry.

[Baxter Madu @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:41PM]

"I spell the way I want"

You are the cancer that is ruining Engadget

[King @ Mar 3rd 2008 7:56PM]

Very dumb decision by Toshiba, HD-DVD can exist a lot longer or beat Blueray if Toshiba continues developing it as a pure recording media. Hard drives are cheap, but they're inconvenient to upgrade or replace. HD-DVD disk is good for backing up HD movies, moving HD contents off the hard drive. It costs less than Blueray and benefits the consumers. If HD contents are backup on to HD-DVD disks, all HD movies can be on HD-DVD format, screw the movie studios. Also with the support of adult movie industry, HD-DVD will sure get more market share and eventually wins all the movies studios heart back. I hope one company can pick up the HD-DVD technology and revitalize its glory.

[benjesuit @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:46PM]

HAHA. cubs, I had 'em all fooled until I misspelled skool.

[Neebs @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:22PM]

That picture never gets old.

[Jon Doe. @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:33PM]

The only thing I'm already missing about HD DVD is their players price, still half as expensive as the cheapest BR player, and their region free disks. I'm MORE then pissed on that point because I have friends who were planning on visiting Japan in 09 and the concept of bringing back import HD Anime.....damn format bullshit.

[MasterCKO @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:40PM]

1) Just wait to get a Blu-ray when players hit a mainstream price. It will happen , so hold your horses.

2) The US and Japan are in the same Blu-ray region (Region A, IIRC), so your friends can still get you HD anime to play in your BD player back at home.

[ogscorpion @ Mar 3rd 2008 8:40PM]

No problem Nilay. For those of you who would like to read the entire article, here is the link:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120450428955606405.html?mod=hps_us_editors_picks

[HB96st @ Mar 3rd 2008 9:39PM]

"Dang!, We've got nothing to write about!! Quick, pull up HD-DVD is dead #816-A!!"

Imean, it's dead already... stop whipping a dead horse..

[Jon Doe. @ Mar 3rd 2008 10:59PM]

Dude we've gone past whipping a dead horse. Engadget seems to have hung the horse in a tree along the side of the road and put up a sign: "free cheap shot. Take your best hit."

[Taylor @ Mar 4th 2008 12:14AM]

If only our government was as keen at recognizing a bad decision and changing gears, rather than this "we can't admit we were wrong" mentality...
:(
And for all you who think i'm the type to rag on them whenever i can, i'm really not, but seeing someone so clearly realize a bad decision and changing gears just makes me remember how much i wish our leaders could do the same...
-Taylor