SEATTLE (AP) — Microsoft Corp. said it will stop making HD DVD players for its Xbox 360 video game system after Toshiba Corp. ceded the high-definition video format battle to Sony Corp.'s Blu-ray.

Link: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i...ZEJ9wD8V0RI780

I actually think its sad. Further competition would be good for prices (I dont see blank blue ray disk prices dropping anytime soon, as there is no competition). I dont see any prices dropping more soon (not like they have). Further, it might sound like a good deal to get a hd-dvd palyer and movies now that they are going mega cheap, but whait if your player fails? I'm guessing at most a 1 year warranty. If you bought other than a factory extended warranty, they cannot replace it if units are not avalable. I fear getting stuck with a bunch of hd movies that I may never have a player for (and if you got a library of movies cheap like many might, the player might eventually become in high demand, making prices.... not so nice).
Also, forgive me if I am wrong, but they tried to pack so much copy protection capabilities into blueray, there were many problems, meaning lots of equipment out there that is incompatible, so no used/cheaper/clearance market for a while (fully compliant equipment might fetch a preimum for being compliant). That means that stores/online sellers with old outdated tecnology (new sealed stuff though), might not be dropping prices near as much (old technology, but compliant so charge more).

I'm guessing, no blue ray bargin hunting for several years to come.....They might not even fix the exsisting problems with the format in a hurry anymore (no more competition, why rush, there is nothing else to buy). Sounds like another microsoft. By the time they start to get the bugs finally worked out, something new comes out, and they just never fix those last bugs.

Yeah, esp. with a company like Sony in control.

Maybe it won’t matter that much anymore. FLASH is getting cheaper and will be more abundant when everyone starts making these…

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/periphera...day-231693.php

I mean…if you think about it…that spinning disc idea dated back to the vinyl record players. It’s about time we just get rid of this crap.

That's why you buy a backup player for dirt cheap in the next few weeks. The D3 at costco looks to fall even lower in the next week or two. If they fall to $50-$60 then it is a no brainer to pick up another player as a backup at that price. You are correct about Blu-Ray being DRM infested. Just think Arccos on a whole new level.

I believe with one format, competition will get even bigger. Local retailers like bestbuy, circuit city, walmart, costco etc are trying to showcase their blu-ray isle more aggresively, trying to attract people to go hidef. Not to mention they they will also need to compete with online retailers like amazon.

Consumer electronics manufacturer now can concentrate producing their hardware products. Between the big names (LG, Sony, Panasonic, Samsung etc) there are competitions for sure. There will be newcomers in the market from smaller companies. Remember Walmart "Venturer" HD DVD player?

Electronics will be cheaper as we know but don't expect it to happen overnight.

Now the question is, what about the $29 and up blu-ray movies?
Yes there were problems when the new BD+ protection was out in some of Fox titles but with firmware updates it's history now. Actually the BD+ titles also affect PC users, PowerDVD Ultra forced users to update the software with their 98MB download. But PC problem got less attention compared to standalone blu-ray players.