Intel goes neutral (supports Blu-Ray too) starting Q2 2008

[Boz]

Intel to support both HD-DVD and Blu-ray

By Colleen Taylor, Contributing Editor -- Electronic News, 9/18/2007

SAN FRANCISCO -- In a major step toward bringing an end to the much-buzzed-about format war that has pitted HD-DVD technology enthusiasts against the backers of Blu-ray technology, Intel Corp.'s CEO Paul Otellini today said during the Intel Developer Forum opening keynote that the company's fifth-generation Centrino mobile platform codenamed Montevina will have native support for both HD DVD and Blu-ray media when it launches next year.

Montevina, which is slated to make its debut in Q2 2008, will support Intel's 45-nm Penryn Core 2 processors, which are on track for a November 12 release. The fourth generation of Intel's Core 2 Centrino line, codenamed Santa Rosa, was launched in May of this year; Otellini said today that Intel has since shipped some 10 million Santa Rosa-based platforms.

Blu-ray has been supported by heavyweights like Sony Corp. and Philips Electronics, while Toshiba Corp. has been the major proponent for HD-DVD. Hollywood studios have taken sides, as well, with Lions Gate, Sony Pictures, and Fox Studios championing Blu-ray, and Universal Studios championing HD DVD.

However, as the industry's leading microchip maker, Intel's support of both HD DVD and Blu-ray throws a significant amount of credence behind the movement to bring some sort of a compromise to the two technologies, which have seemed destined to serve as bitter rivals in a market-dividing war.

Meanwhile, Intel is not the only company opting for neutrality in HD DVD and Blu-ray compatibility. Within the past year LG Electronics launched the Super Multi Blue Player, a high-definition DVD player capable of playing both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats; ST Microelectronics held demonstrations of its Sti7200 high-definition decoder chip with capabilities for both HD DVD and Blu-ray; and Broadcom Corp. debuted a complete system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution, the BCM7440, that combines Blu-ray and HD DVD, into an integrated, single-chip design.

Further, some industry watchers will likely be gratified by Intel's format-straddling stance, as analysts have predicted that universal players will eventually win out in the coming months as next-generation DVD technology evolves.

SOURCE: http://www.edn.com/index.asp?layout=articl...cleid=CA6479670

Of course this article has incorrect information as HD DVD is supported exclusively by Paramout and Dreamworks and Weinstein along side Universal and Disney is omitted from the Blu-Ray camp and they did not mention that Warner also favors HD DVD with 23 HD DVD exclusive releases.

Edited September 19, 2007 by Boz

[Kuja]

Smart move. :p

[shockz]

I'm so sick of this format war...

[Miuku.]

I'm so sick of this format war...

Indeed. What's even stupider is people cheering for their respective formats when they're the ones losing.

[Crazysah]

Well naturally... wouldn't you cheer for your team when they are loosing to get them all fired up?

[whocares78]

there really is no war

this is not like the beta vhs battle it is like the + - DVD battle, beta and vhs were different sized media hd and bluray are the same size as DVD, so in the end consumers will win and most devices will support both technologies, rendering the "battle" over

as it says in the last line of the articel "universal players will eventually win out in the coming months as next-generation DVD technology evolves."

and intels position hardens that philosphy

[giantpotato]

Of course this article has incorrect information as HD DVD is supported exclusively by Paramout and Dreamworks and Weinstein along side Universal and Disney is omitted from the Blu-Ray camp and they did not mention that Warner also favors HD DVD with 23 HD DVD exclusive releases.

Please point out where this "incorrect information" is. The article simple left out some studios for the sake of being concise. Why oh why must you try to put a positive spin on everything HD DVD.

[Boz]

Please point out where this "incorrect information" is. The article simple left out some studios for the sake of being concise. Why oh why must you try to put a positive spin on everything HD DVD.

So how is leaving out 2 MAJOR studios from equation from HD DVD side correct? It is purposley left out to create an illusion that only Universal supports HD DVD and this is INCORRECT.

[Athernar]

there really is no war

this is not like the beta vhs battle it is like the + - DVD battle, beta and vhs were different sized media hd and bluray are the same size as DVD, so in the end consumers will win and most devices will support both technologies, rendering the "battle" over

as it says in the last line of the articel "universal players will eventually win out in the coming months as next-generation DVD technology evolves."

and intels position hardens that philosphy

Er, what? :blink:

HD-DVD has a 31GB capacity, Blu-Ray has 50GB and the DVD is 4.7GB.

What would be the point of the HD formats if they were the same as DVD? :huh:

[Sam]

He means physical size.

[Nicholas-c Veteran]

I'm so sick of this format war...

same, they need to decide, if not abandon both and make HD-Ray or Blu-DVD

if they decided then normal people would get rid of their DVD Players for _____ and prices would come down

[sundayx Veteran]

Players, discs and burners that do both formats FTW!