Battle for high definition DVD could be ugly

LAS VEGAS — It was supposed to be the grand unveiling of a new generation in home entertainment when Kevin Collins of Microsoft Corp. popped an HD DVD disc into a Toshiba production model and hit "play."

Nothing happened.

The failed product demo at last week's International Consumer Electronics Show was hardly an auspicious start for the HD DVD camp in what's promising to be a nasty, drawn-out technology format war reminiscent of the Betamax/VHS video tape battle.

Backers of the two rival high definition DVD formats are betting that the millions of people shelling out thousands of dollars for new high-def TVs and home theater sound systems will spend a few hundred more for new DVD players and discs that offer sharp pictures and interactive features.

Analysts say the early adopters, those who rush out and buy whatever new technology becomes available, will jump right in and pay $1,800 for a Blu-ray player from Pioneer or $499 for the Toshiba HD DVD player.

But a prolonged struggle between the two incompatible formats may mean consumers have a long wait for a clear winner to emerge, potentially delaying widespread adoption of high-def DVDs for years.

"There's no question that a format war is not a good idea," Howard Stringer, chairman and chief executive officer of Sony Corp., said this week. Sony is a developer and backer of the Blu-ray format.

The Blu-ray team is confident of getting content from most of the top Hollywood studios. It also believes that the new PlayStation 3, which will come equipped with a Blu-ray drive when it debuts later this year, will tip the odds in their favor.

"With the installed base of PlayStation, we do think we have an enormous advantage," Stringer said.

Blu-ray discs will have the larger capacity, at 25 gigabytes or more. The HD DVD will have the virtue of being more similar to regular DVDs, which simplifies production, according to its backers.

The HD DVD crowd has backing from computer giants Intel and Microsoft and will have the slight advantage of coming to market first. Players from Toshiba can already be pre-ordered from Amazon.com and will hit store shelves in March. Blu-ray players will be available one or two months later.

"HD DVD is really 'Now playing,' " said Yoshiihide Fujii, president and CEO of Toshiba's Digital Media Network company.