NEW YORK: Toshiba Corp. is delaying the launch of its next-generation DVD player for several weeks to coincide with the launch of movies created in the new HD DVD format, the company said.
The exact date of the launch has not been fixed, but the company said it is working with major studios and retailers to finalize the date, a spokesperson said. Toshiba had said in January that its Toshiba America Consumer Products would ship its first HD DVD players, the HD-XA1 and HD-A1, in March.
HD DVD is a DVD format developed by a group led by Toshiba, the other one being Blu-ray created by a group led by Sony Corporation. HD DVD is expected to give a boost to the sagging video market across the world.
Time Warner Home Video is planning to release its first titles in the HD DVD format, including "Million Dollar Baby," and "The Phantom of the Opera," on 18 April.
Sony is planning to come out with its Blu-ray format sometime in May coinciding with the launch of compatible disc players from manufacturers like Samsung Electronics Co. Sony has also delayed the release of its PlayStation 3 console till November. The PlayStation is expected to give a big boost to the installed base of the Blu-ray technology.
While both the formats offer higher capacity for the DVDs, dazzling high definition video and better interactive features, the two groups pioneering the respective technologies have failed to agree on a unified format. It reminds one of the old days of rivalry between VHS and Betamax.
Toshiba has said its HD-XA1 and HD-A1 will be priced at $799 and $499, respectively.
Toshiba is joined by Japan's NEC Corporation in developing the HD DVD format, which has the backing of Universal Studios, Warner Bros., Intel Corp., and Microsoft Corp.
Blu-ray is backed by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd., makers of Panasonic products, Apple Computer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc., along with a variety of other tech companies and studios.
Sony has already marketed its video recorders that use the Blu-ray technology. Toshiba has started demos of the product in 40 major U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Seattle.
