DVD wars :: VT all over again?

Remember the video tape wars between rival Betamax and VHS supporters? Could it happen again with the new DVD format?

Earlier this week Microsoft and Intel announced their support for HD-DVD (High Definition DVD). Major DVD producers in China weighed in behind the American giants.

Yesterday, Dell and HP accused them of spreading false information and backed the Blue-ray system. In a statement, Maureen Weber, HP’s Personal-storage Unit General Manager said, “From a PC end-user perspective, Blu-ray is a superior format. The technical merits and consumer benefits of Blu-ray Disc make it the ideal solution for HP’s customers.”

CNET’s Gamespot reports : Dell founder Michael Dell also lashed out at Microsoft and Intel during Wednesday’s launch of a new premium PC line. “Which version of Windows was the first to support DVD drives? The answer is none,” Dell said, “because there is no DVD codec in Windows, because manufacturers have always provided their own codecs.”

Microsoft’s Richard E. Doherty, a program manager in the company’s Media and Technology Convergence Unit said, “We’re still very hopeful that a war can be prevented. If there is going to be a format war, we really want HD-DVD to be the winner.”