MICROSOFT And INTEL Back HD-DVD

(From The Yahoo Avid User's Group)

MICROSOFT and INTEL have announced they have joined the HD-DVD CONSORTIUM instead of BLU-RAY.

Microsoft And Intel Back HD-DVD

This seems very odd, since most players of any consequence (SONY, MATSUSHITA, SONIC, PIONEER, etc.) are in the BLU-RAY CONSORTIUM, and Blu-Ray will be rolled out in SPRING 2006 to what I can only assume will be major fanfare. Unless there is something missing, it seems almost certain that Blu-Ray will be the format of choice for Hi-Def DVDs. However, the WINTEL press release apparently said that HD-DVD is "the only viable solution at this time."

All this makes it by no means certain that Blu-Ray will be the format of choice. Blu-Ray does has more backers, but PIONEER pulled back their first recorder because they are aware of the market confusion.

What could possibly be going on here?

Here's the official reason.
HD-DVD Support A Last Minute Switch, Microsoft Says

HD-DVD has the huge merit of lower manufacturing costs, whereas Blu-Ray has a larger capacity. Both could be easily overtaken by emerging newer technologies using HOLOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUES.

MICROSOFTS' VC1 CODEC allows you to view both 720p and 1080p HD from an ordinary DVD-ROM drive. The very few titles available on AMAZON.COM are certainly impressive, and allow the viewer to watch HD today without any new technology at all.

Consumers won't tolerate two rival formats, which could mean Hi-Def DVD could still be born. HDTV sets take on the overall market is still very low, and almost none of the HD-ready TVs can handle 1080p natively. Add to this the success of SONY in pushing 1080i as an HD standard which can't be viewed properly on anything, and you have the perfect recipe for one massive consumer shrug of the shoulders.

Do you remember the battle over SACD and DVD-AUDIO?
My point exactly.

So think about all this when you purchase your favorite TV show's DVD. You'll probably have to buy them all over again in some Hi-Def DVD format yet to be detemined. Sheesh.