That is the number of players for both formats that the Computer Electronics Association has said likely shipped in 2006, the first year of global sales. Earlier, the organization had anticipated 750,000 players would ship for the year.
Earlier this week, for instance, South Korea's LG Electronics formally announced it would release a combo Blu-ray/HD DVD player after months of flip-flopping on the issue. It plans to provide details on Sunday, the eve of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.
Component manufacturers such as NEC and others have begun to prepare parts that could be used in combination players. Hitachi, which has announced a Blu-ray camcorder, said in October that it wants to look at the issue again.
Meanwhile, Time Warner has said it will promote an alternative format, called Total HD, that can be used in either Blu-Ray or HD DVD players.
Blu-ray and HD DVD are high-definition, high-density optical disks. Blu-ray disks can store more data, which will allow studios to add more behind-the-scenes information, say backers. HD DVD advocates, however, say their technology better leverages the DVD infrastructure. Thus, the players will be cheaper.
Taking sides
Sony, Philips, Panasonic and others back Blu-ray. Microsoft, Intel and Toshiba back HD DVD.
Various studios have lined up behind one format or the other. Some have agreed to support both, but the customer confusion angle continues to exist. Consumers have to remember to buy a particular disk for their particular format.
Make no mistake: the arguments and competition continue. Last month, Sony Electronics President Stan Glasgow said that combination players can be technically difficult to design and that a combination player would likely be prohibitively expensive.
In October, Kazuhiro Tsuga, an executive officer at Matsushita, which backs Blu-ray, characterized the possibility of a combo player as "stupid," largely because of the high price tag such a device would have.
Another factor adding cost is royalties. Manufacturers that build combo players have to pay fees to both the Blu-ray and HD DVD organizations. Although LG has said it will ship its combo player in the first quarter, it won't reveal the price until Sunday.
The Total HD disc likely faces similar barriers to acceptance. Studios would have to agree to adopt it and many have already invested in Blu-ray or HD DVD.
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A shotgun marriage for Blu-ray and HD DVD???
Re: A shotgun marriage for Blu-ray and HD DVD???
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