The Aftereffects of HD DVD's Death
Toshiba Tuesday put an end to weeks of speculation by telling the world it will stop making HD DVD products by the end of March, bringing an end to the high-def DVD format war. With Sony's Blu-ray now taking its victory lap, the path is clear for tentative consumers to plunk down cash for high-def gear. Here's a quick round-up of some of the immediate impacts.
Soothing the Wounds
Consumers that took the plunge early into HD DVD are left wondering if what they've got now is a $150 doorstop. The answer, it seems, is no. Customers are taking solace in the fact that many HD DVD players will "upconvert" standard DVDs, improving the playback quality of standard DVDs on high-def TVs. Plus, there are still plenty of HD DVD movies out there, which will likely be had for discounted prices. But for some customers, that's just not reason enough to hang onto the thing. Which brings us too ...
eBay Barrage
What better place to dump unwanted electronic equipment than the world's biggest auction site? A quick search for "HD DVD player" on eBay Wednesday brought up 2,095 items, compared to 373 items for "Blu-ray player". One eBay user who got a $150 Xbox 360 HD DVD player for Christmas said he sold it last weekend (ahead of Toshiba's pull-out) for around $45. It's a veritable bonanza for bargain-hunters, if you're in the market for soon-to-be obsolete gear.
Amazon Makes the Obvious Choice
Talk about a Johnny-come-lately. One day after Toshiba unveiled plans to pull out of the market, Amazon.com picks rival Blu-ray as its high-def format of choice.
Way to go out on a limb, Amazon. The online retailer Wednesday in a statement said it is supporting Blu-ray as the digital format of choice for its customers. Amazon will still carry HD DVD products, including movie titles but said it "will more prominently promote" Blu-ray on its site.
Uni-Reversal
Within hours of Toshiba's announcement, Universal Pictures, one of two major studios to back HD DVD format, also declared support for Blu-ray. The other, Paramount Pictures, hasn't yet commented on its plans.