Could it be? A single format next-gen DVD in the works
WinInfo | at | by Mike
In a blockbuster development that could literally have huge implications for Blockbuster, the DVD rental company, Sony and Toshiba are unexpectedly discussing the possibility of dropping their currently incompatible next-generation DVD formats and pursuing a singe joint high definition DVD standard. My goodness. Are we really learning the lessons of the past for a change? Currently, Sony is backing a next-generation format called Blu-Ray, while Toshiba backs a competing format called HD-DVD. Both formats have their pros and cons, but the biggest problem, of course, is the incompatibility. In the early days of PC-based DVD burning, for example, differences between the so-called "plus" (DVD+R, DVR+RW) and "minus" (DVD-R, DVD-RW) formats slowed adoption and bedeviled consumers. But the high definition DVD stuff is far more important because the market is so much bigger. Will they work it out? Stay tuned. But my guess is that we're going to still face another DVD format war, regardless.