Toshiba May Pull HD DVD Plug

Sales, studio defections indicate fat lady may have sung
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 17, 2008 2:08 PM CST
Toshiba May Pull HD DVD Plug
Akio Ozaka, President and CEO of Toshiba America Consumer Products, speaks about Toshiba's HD-DVD and other Blu-Ray players during a news conference at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2008 before the start of the convention on Monday. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)   (Associated Press)

Toshiba has temporarily halted production of players and movies in the HD DVD format, and is contemplating dropping the format altogether, PC World reports. The move would cost the company tens of billions of dollars, but the defection of several studios and retailers to the rival Blu-Ray format has left HD DVD’s future very much in doubt.

"We are making considerations following the impact of Warner's announcement but we haven't made any decision," said a Toshiba spokesman, referring to Warner Brothers' January decision to back Blu-Ray. Further siding with Blu-Ray by Netflix and Wal-Mart in the past week may sound HD DVD's death knell; a formal announcement from Toshiba is expected this week. (More Blu-Ray stories.)

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