[veniex]

 http://www.engadget.com/2009/07/18/t...-by-years-end/



"Need a little something to get you over the Saturday lull? Gnaw on this. Japan's own Yomiuri is reporting today that Toshiba is expected to finally admit defeat and enter the dark, devious world of Blu-ray later this year. For those keeping tabs, we've heard both confirmations and denials about the outfit finally caving and supporting the format it once battled so valiantly, but this seems to solidify it. If machine translation is to be believed, the company's first DVD / Blu-ray deck will boast a BD 18 label, and it's slated for release somewhere in the world by the year's end. The article also mentions that Tosh is strongly considering a Blu-ray recorder for the Japanese market, though no further details on that are available. C'mon Toshiba -- get this bad boy to the States before Christmas. We're anxious for a BD price war."

 

[Richard Paul]

Toshiba launching Blu-ray player by year's end

Quote:
Need a little something to get you over the Saturday lull? Gnaw on this. Japan's own Yomiuri is reporting today that Toshiba is expected to finally admit defeat and enter the dark, devious world of Blu-ray later this year. For those keeping tabs, we've heard both confirmations and denials about the outfit finally caving and supporting the format it once battled so valiantly, but this seems to solidify it. If machine translation is to be believed, the company's first DVD / Blu-ray deck is slated for release somewhere in the world by the year's end. The article also mentions that Tosh is strongly considering a Blu-ray recorder for the Japanese market, though no further details on that are available. C'mon Toshiba -- get this bad boy to the States before Christmas. We're anxious for a BD price war.

 

[narcopolo]

What is meant by BD 18, or is that the model number?

 

[BuffaloJim]

Of course they're going to embrace Blu-ray. Even Sony eventually made VHS players. But before that happens, there will probably be some more crow eaten in Toshiba board meetings.


Jim

 

[Nosferax]



Quote:
Originally Posted by narcopolo /forum/post/16848031


What is meant by BD 18, or is that the model number?

The audio setting goes to 18 man! 18!!! That is way more than 11!

 

[Richard Paul]



Quote:
Originally Posted by narcopolo /forum/post/16848031


What is meant by BD 18, or is that the model number?

Engadget originally stated it as the model number based on the Google translation of the Japanese article but they have recently removed it. The Google translation "BD 18 to enter the market, sources said" makes it sound like a model number while the Yahoo translation "entering into the BD market on the 18th, became clear" makes it sound like the Japanese date when the newspaper heard this news. It looks like the Yahoo translation for that statement was more accurate and note that the article was posted online in Japan early in the morning on July 19.

 

[PRO-630HD]

They would really be smart to launch a combo player or have one in the lineup!

 

[PRO-630HD]

Dual format backward compatibility would be a wise move on their part.

 

[Kosty]

I just emailed a senior Toshiba contact I have and they must have been online at home or in the office as I got back almost immediately a formal " I cannot comment at this time subject " response which was out of character very short.

 

[Kosty]

The Google robo translation would probably get the "read only" part right so that implies he is taking about a Toshiba Blu-ray player, and not just a recorder for the Japanese market. They got the part right on that any Blu-ray machine Toshiba to be considering would have some streaming and upconverting capabilities built in.


I just emailed a senior Toshiba contact I have and they must have been online at home or in the office as I got back almost immediately a formal " I cannot comment at this time subject " response which was out of character very short.


If its in the Japanese press, it will increase the odds Toshiba will do this and once they release any Blu-ray capable device in any worldwide market they will have a lot of pressure to bring it to North America and Europe as well.


http://translate.google.com/translat...hl=en&ie=UTF-8

Quote:
Toshiba, Blu-ray into the end of the year


High-definition DVD standards battle, "Blu-ray" (BD) is lost to Toshiba, BD 18 to enter the market, sources said.



The end of the year to release a BD machine. Toshiba BD had hoped to catch-up in the next generation, BD decided to enter the rapidly growing market. The Toshiba entry, all the major electronics company to be involved BD, BD is expected to enhance the selection of equipment and software.


Toshiba to release the current DVD and BD playback-only machine that supports it. The company focuses on delivering Internet and TV, because the expected increase in demand for recording and playback of the mainstream in Japan. Look at the demand of the market, is considering production record player. High-definition DVD standards battle, Toshiba's "HD DVD" The proposed standard, Sony and Panasonic, the leading international film support BD, the industry standard握REZU, 2008 March, "HD DVD" from the business withdrawn.


( 2009 July 19 03 hours 07 minutes Yomiuri Shimbun)

 

[Kosty]

I do not think there is a chance in hell that they would offer a combo HD DVD and Blu-ray player.


They might like to but the cost of getting the component combo drives would be excessive and they are just not available anymore.


The combo SoC is just frozen in R&D and unless Toshiba just bought up all the Broadcomm dual format motherboards that were made for one model years production run and searched the globe for combo HD DVD Blu-ray drives its just unlikely to happen. No manna in it to continue HD DVd support I'm afraid at this point in time. That may have made sense last year but not now or in the future.

 

[Kosty]

Toshiba's branding and price points are below the top tier and costs are a concern. The most likely reason Toshiba would probably do this is not only the incremental money from the Blu-ray hardware but that retailers and dealers that support Toshiba products want a Blu-ray player to match with the higher end higher margin Regza line of Toshiba LCD HDTVs.


Toshiba just launched a LED local dimming backlight 240Hz Regza LCD HDTV and they got some immediate comments on not having a Blu-ray player to match with it. TACP executives know the issue is real.

 

[Kosty]

Related Article:

Quote:
Toshiba Set to Release Blu-Ray Disc Player By The End of 2009 – Rumor.


Toshiba Corp., the developer of HD DVD format, is rumored to launch its own-branded Blu-ray disc (BD) player by the end of the year. The entering of BD market by Toshiba marks the final end of the format war between Blu-ray and HD DVD.


According to Yomiuri web-site, Toshiba has finally changed its mind concerning Blu-ray disc format and intends to release its BD player by the end of 2009. Details about the player are unclear and it is not certain whether Toshiba aims to release BD profile 2.0 player or a device with other profile.


It is necessary to note that apart from the optical disc drive itself as well as firmware difference, virtually all Toshiba’s HD DVD players are truly similar to the yet-to-be-made-available Blu-ray profile 2.0 players. All HD DVD players feature two video decoders to enable picture-in-picture (PiP) capability, Internet connectivity as well as up to 1GB local storage. As a result, Toshiba can easily migrate to Blu-ray or universal HD DVD/Blu-ray players by changing optical disc drive and loading a new firmware version.

Link

 

[K.L.]

Finally.

 

[Richard Paul]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kosty /forum/post/16848521


The Google robo translation would probably get the "read only" part right so that implies he is taking about a Toshiba Blu-ray player, and not just a recorder for the Japanese market.

From what I have read that is what it sounds like and both the Google and Yahoo translations use the term "playback" for what Toshiba is planning to release.

 

[Richard Paul]

For comparison here is the Google and Yahoo translations of the Japanese article :

Quote:
Toshiba, Blu-ray into the end of the year


High-definition DVD standards battle, "Blu-ray" (BD) is lost to Toshiba, BD 18 to enter the market, sources said.


The end of the year to release a BD machine. Toshiba BD had hoped to catch-up in the next generation, BD decided to enter the rapidly growing market. The Toshiba entry, all the major electronics company to be involved BD, BD is expected to enhance the selection of equipment and software.


Toshiba to release the current DVD and BD playback-only machine that supports it. The company focuses on delivering Internet and TV, because the expected increase in demand for recording and playback of the mainstream in Japan. Look at the demand of the market, is considering production record player. High-definition DVD standards battle, Toshiba's "HD DVD" The proposed standard, Sony and Panasonic, the leading international film support BD, the industry standard握REZU, 2008 March, "HD DVD" from the business withdrawn.

Quote:
Toshiba, even within year blue ray entry


With the standard dispute of high picture quality DVD, the blue ray disk (BD) Toshiba which is defeated, entering into the BD market on the 18th, became clear.


The BD corresponding machine is sold even within year. Toshiba had aimed toward the rollback in the following generation of BD, but because the BD market suddenly it grows, entry was decided. With the Toshiba entry, the major electrical machinery and appliances manufacturer being even, it comes to the point of managing BD, the stock of the BD corresponding machine and completeness of the software are expected.


Those where Toshiba sells are the playback private machine which corresponds to existence DVD and BD. Is because in the foreign country Internet transmission of television program is advanced, cannot anticipate the increased demand of the video recording re-gray fabric of main current in Japan. Looking at the demand after the entering, it examines also video recording re-gray fabric production. With the standard dispute of high picture quality DVD, Toshiba about lectured HD DVD standard, but the movie major company of SONY and Panasonic and the foreign country supported BD, could not grasp de facto standard, in 2008 March from withdrew HD DVD business.

 

[LexInVA]



Quote:
Originally Posted by PRO-630HD /forum/post/16848510


Dual format backward compatibility would be a wise move on their part.

Certainly doable but they would have to design the hardware themselves or license an older design as none of the previous makers of DVD\\HD-DVD\\Blu-Ray chipsets are making them anymore.

 

[Lodef]

Now all of you go out and buy it when it becomes available because you know it will be better than any other BD product since Toshiba knows what they are doing and all those others especially Sony don't!

 

[rlsmith]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BuffaloJim /forum/post/16848327


Of course they're going to embrace Blu-ray. Even Sony eventually made VHS players. But before that happens, there will probably be some more crow eaten in Toshiba board meetings.


Jim

Sony started making VHS VCR's long before the VHS/Beta format war could be considered finished (although the handwriting was on the wall). Sony made both VHS and Beta for a number of years.


Also, two years ago Sony chair Stringer basically said that they would enter the market with HD DVD players if they lost the format war. He made a number of very candid statements.

 

[rlsmith]

The retail sector is increasingly pushing Blu-ray.


If Toshiba wants to continue to sell players and HDTV's, they are going to have to be competitive and offer Blu-ray players and HDTV's with builtin Blu-ray. Stores are gearing up to replace DVD with Blu-ray in their offerings. I would not be surprised if Best Buy has given Toshiba something close to an ultimatum.


Toshiba actually has some good offerings they could make. A Blu-ray player with Toshiba's upconversion plus a truly universal streaming video subsystem would be a marketplace winner. Both of these things are products Toshiba has been interested in.


By next year, the same thing will be happening in the computer market. The differential cost of adding a Blu-ray drive instead of a normal DVD drive is now about $80 at retail. As this falls, Blu-ray drives will become common, first in the high end and then it will trickle down. Toshiba presumably does not want to lose the computer market.