HD-DVDs breaking the $100 barrier
Looking for a new optical drive to replace your old one? You might not bite but its worth mentioning that HD DVD drives have been dropping in prices. What is HD DVD, you ask?
HD DVD or High-Definition DVD is a high-density optical disc format designed for the storage of data and high-definition video. It is designed to be the successor to the standard DVD format and is derived from the same underlying technologies. Since it employs a blue laser with a shorter wavelength, it can store about 3 1/2 times as much data as its predecessor (Maximum capacity: 30 GB instead of 8.5 GB). A 51 GB triple-layer preliminary spec has been approved. However, no movies are currently scheduled for this disc type.
PC World writes: “If you’d asked me a week ago — and as a matter of fact, someone did — I’d have said that you could sum up the high-definition disc war like this: Blu-ray is selling a lot of software, and HD DVD is aggressively pushing hardware. Essentially, each side has banked on either the chicken or the egg.
In scenarios like these, industry observers look for knockout punches (rare), or potential tipping points (a bit more common). We may be witnessing one right now: as part of its “pre-Black Friday” promotion, Wal-Mart will be offering Toshiba’s entry-level HD-A2 player (soon to be replaced by the HD-A3) for a mere $98.97 — making it a lot easier for cash-strapped consumers to get into the HD world at their own pace.
Should Blockbuster start restocking their shelves to take advantage of a potential wave of new HD DVD owners? I guess we’ll find out pretty soon.”
