Media
The much reported battle between Sony's Blu-Ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD high definition formats may have been eased this week with the launch of two new products.
South Korean company, LG Electronics announced at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics show that it plans to launch a DVD player that will run both types of discs. Warner Brothers is also expected to reveal a single product that can play films and television programmes in both formats.
Market research has shown that the rivalry between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD has confused many consumers, who think the choice is similar to when VHS and Betamax video formats emerged 20 years ago.
Helen Davis Jayalath of market researchers Screen Digest, said: "Customers are clearly concerned about buying into the new Betamax, and we have long believed that a combined approach, either a dual-software disc or dual-player hardware, will be part of the solution. The LG Electronics player means that even if one format doesn't survive, you have still bought a viable piece of kit, rather than an expensive dust-catcher."
By 2010, Screen Digest believes that just under one third of total spending, around £5.7 billion, in the three key regions of US, Japan and Europe will be generated by sales of high-definition formats.
LG has described its new dual player as a "technological breakthrough to end the confusion and inconvenience of competing high-definition disc formats for both content producers and consumers". The product will go on sale in the US early this year.
Warner Brothers is also expected to confirm that it has developed a disc that can contain films in both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats, believing retailers are more likely to back a combined disc, rather than have to stock twice as many products for both formats.
Barry Meyer, chief executive of Warner Brothers, told The New York Times that he believed neither Blu-Ray nor HD-DVD was going to go the way of Betamax quickly. "The next best thing is to recognise that there will be two formats and to make that not a negative for the consumer."
The Blu-Ray format has so far been set back by the delayed launch of Sony's PlayStation 3, which includes a Blu-Ray disc player, but most of the Hollywood studios have aligned with the format, giving users access to premium movie content, which could ultimately strengthen its position.
HD-DVD is supported by Microsoft and Toshiba, with an add-on HD-DVD drive for its popular Xbox 360 games console, and has sold just as well as its rival in its first year of release.
Andy Parsons, chairman of the US Blu-ray Disc Association, added at the CES: "It comes down to content and selection of content. No-one is going to buy any player without good array of content.
South Korean company, LG Electronics announced at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics show that it plans to launch a DVD player that will run both types of discs. Warner Brothers is also expected to reveal a single product that can play films and television programmes in both formats.
Market research has shown that the rivalry between Blu-Ray and HD-DVD has confused many consumers, who think the choice is similar to when VHS and Betamax video formats emerged 20 years ago.
Helen Davis Jayalath of market researchers Screen Digest, said: "Customers are clearly concerned about buying into the new Betamax, and we have long believed that a combined approach, either a dual-software disc or dual-player hardware, will be part of the solution. The LG Electronics player means that even if one format doesn't survive, you have still bought a viable piece of kit, rather than an expensive dust-catcher."
By 2010, Screen Digest believes that just under one third of total spending, around £5.7 billion, in the three key regions of US, Japan and Europe will be generated by sales of high-definition formats.
LG has described its new dual player as a "technological breakthrough to end the confusion and inconvenience of competing high-definition disc formats for both content producers and consumers". The product will go on sale in the US early this year.
Warner Brothers is also expected to confirm that it has developed a disc that can contain films in both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats, believing retailers are more likely to back a combined disc, rather than have to stock twice as many products for both formats.
Barry Meyer, chief executive of Warner Brothers, told The New York Times that he believed neither Blu-Ray nor HD-DVD was going to go the way of Betamax quickly. "The next best thing is to recognise that there will be two formats and to make that not a negative for the consumer."
The Blu-Ray format has so far been set back by the delayed launch of Sony's PlayStation 3, which includes a Blu-Ray disc player, but most of the Hollywood studios have aligned with the format, giving users access to premium movie content, which could ultimately strengthen its position.
HD-DVD is supported by Microsoft and Toshiba, with an add-on HD-DVD drive for its popular Xbox 360 games console, and has sold just as well as its rival in its first year of release.
Andy Parsons, chairman of the US Blu-ray Disc Association, added at the CES: "It comes down to content and selection of content. No-one is going to buy any player without good array of content.
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