Last-Minute Delays Looming for HD-DVD Launch?

An anonymous reader writes: "No official comment from Toshiba or Warner, but both Best Buy and Amazon revised ship dates for initial HD-DVD hardware and software on Friday, suggesting that high-def DVD enthusiasts chomping at the bit for next Tuesday's arrival of the first HD-DVD players and discs may have to wait a few days more."

Comments

Someone has to say it:

[DingerX]

Universal's "launch" title for HD-DVD is 'Serenity'. Mind you, I like Firefly and all that, but have I missed something? Is Serenity selling DVDs like hotcakes? Or is this Universal's way of announcing mediocre 'wait-and-see' interest in HD-DVD as part of the current format wars?

Then again, I might consider an HD-DVD player to watch Serenity. If, of course, I could afford a TV that would play it back.

Re:Someone has to say it:

[smithberry]

I'd say they have simply picked a title likely to appeal to early adopters of new technology.

Re:Someone has to say it:

[SEE]

Is Serenity selling DVDs like hotcakes?

It sold solidly in DVD upon release (extremely well in comparison to its box office) , and is popular with an audience that is relatively high on early adopters. It's a reasonable choice for an early HD-DVD release.

No Delay, Get them Today!

[Anonymous Coward]

Actually, there are reports and pictures that people have already gotten a hold of HD-DVD players and discs ahead of the actual release date from their local Best Buy.

See this page for more detalis/pics:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=66 7248&page=1&pp=30

Doom9 Comment

[ect5150]

I thought this comment posted on Doom9 was interesting about HD-DVD:

HD DVD was launched early. Yesterday, the first HD DVD players were being sold in Japan and a reader managed to grab one and two discs, and he was not pleased. I haven't managed to get any details yet as to which codec was used and if the disc was single layer or double layer, but 1080i content encoded with MPEG-2 to a single layer HD DVD would indeed be a disaster.. two times the space for 4 times the amount of pixels - you do the math.

Re:Will we ever be able to fit a large HDD on a di

[SEE]

Hard disks, unlike removable discs, have the advantage of being able to have the relation of the heads and media very, very precisely engineered, which means data can be laid more densely on the media. So unless there's a major breakthrough on optical density that has no magnetic denisty equivalent, fixed-media disk systems should always be able to handle more data than removable-media.

As a result, the right medium for backup, assuming a willingness to make the investment, is and always has been tape. Because it packs much more surface area into a single reasonably-dimensioned package than can be done with a removable disc, it will always be better at holding bulk data.

Re:Something I've thought about in the format wars

[VikingThunder]

Oh you know Sony and it's Blu-Ray bretheren are going to start plastering the Blu-Ray logo on all their HDTVs.

Am I the only one..

[cliveholloway]

... who doesn't care one bit about HD DVD/Blu Ray right now? I get the feeling they're launching this new format to a population that largely doesn't give a toss. Very few people outside the tech/geek groups know about this.

Look at HDTV. Very few rushed out to buy it. Most people just upgraded as their old TV died. Hell, there's still a majority of content not in hi-def.

Oh well, at least I get to analyze another major industry change as it unfolds. Always interesting :)