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For the past couple of years HD DVD and Blu-ray technology have been competing to become the industry standard format for next-generation DVDs.
Toshiba's HD DVD system arrived in the market in April of 2006, the same year that Sony launched its Blu-ray system.
In February 2008, Toshiba announced that it would cease production of its HD DVD players and recorders - effectively making the Blu-ray system the new industry standard.
There were a number of key deciding factors in Sony's ultimate victory - one of which was Sony's decision to ship their PS3 console with a built-in Blu-ray player. To date over 10 million PS3s have been sold worldwide - compared to only one million HD DVD players.
The potential customer base is therefore an order of magnitude higher for Blu-ray in comparison with HD DVD.
And of course, let's not forget that Sony Pictures is one of the largest studios in Hollywood. Obviously they were always going to back the Blu-ray format and they were followed by Disney and Twentieth Century Fox. Although Paramount, Universal and Warner Bros initially went with HD DVD, Warner Bros changed to supporting Blu-ray in January of 2008.
Toshiba themselves identified the decision of Warner Bros studio to use the Blu-ray format as the final nail in HD DVD's coffin. Of course, the previously mentioned disparity in the potential consumer base must have had a major influence on the Warner Bros' decision.
The emergence of a clearly defined industry can only be good news for consumers. There can be no concerns regarding compatibility with a single industry standard and, the cost of the players will tumble as other manufacturers commit to the Blu-ray standard.
As interesting as it is to watch two corporate giants slug it out toe-to-toe, there are some industry analysts who feel that the "format war" is a meaningless sideshow. Many industry insiders feel that more and more consumers will choose to download their home movies from either the internet or from their cable TV suppliers.
The example of MP3 downloads - which actually have a lower quality than traditional music CDs - is cited to support this argument. The key factor in capturing the consumer market for music and video appears to be convenience and instant access, something which Sony and other Blu-ray providers would do well to remember in the future.
However, for the foreseeable future, Sony have set the standard and consumers can spend their hard earned cash without worrying about obsolescence - not for a little while at least.
Hamish Hayward
Blu-Ray DVDs
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