Pioneer has no current plans for HD-DVD/Blu-ray drives

04 Sep 06 15:12 by Crabbyappleton in category Uncategorized To news archive

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On September first, we reported, along with many other websites, that Pioneer would provide hybrid, Blu-ray/HD-DVD blue laser drives, in the near future. This was of course very exciting news, however, sadly, it has turned out to be false.

We have received a mail this morning from a representative of Pioneer, he has told us stories originating during this years IFA in Berlin, were incorrect and do not reflect their current plans. The Pioneer representative, stated to CD Freaks that his standard response to this question: “Does Pioneer have any plans to support HD DVD?” is as follows:

“Currently we have no plans to do so….. however, Pioneer will monitor the market situation with other formats and will “consider” to adopt those formats as and where the market is demanding it”.

He went on to say that his comments to some press people at IFA have been taken totally out of context and that it has been concluded by themselves that Pioneer would be introducing HD DVD support into their 3rd generation BD writer model.

Pioneer has clarified the statement further by saying this….. “Currently we have no plans to do so…..”

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Source: Mail

8 Comments

neo1918: Posts: 259; Posted on: 04 Sep 06 18:22

There must be some kind of licensing clause preventing a combo drive from being developed. (Presumably to help win the format 'war'.) All the companies are being very careful to say that they will not develop dual drives.

Burningas: Posts: 20; Posted on: 04 Sep 06 21:24

thank god

shaolin007: Posts: 883; Posted on: 05 Sep 06 05:07

Or, it probably isn't cost feasable to do. The drive might cost $1500 USD or more. Not alot of people have that kind of money to slap down on a DRM through and through player that requires special equipment to play properly.

Kenshin: Posts: 12764; Posted on: 05 Sep 06 08:19

No wonder. Pioneer, LG, Samsung, etc. all belong to the original Blu-ray founders. They probably just made a promise, written or verbal, within the group not to publicize any development or marketing of products to support both HD DVD and Blu-ray. Lite-On IT doesn't have such an obligation. However, as far as I know for quite sure, LG and Samsung DO have such plans (even though they both have more to gain from Blu-ray royalties than from HD DVD.) Such press releases mean only NCND. What they want are profits, revenues, marketshare, long-term growth, etc., NOT keeping promises and remaining loyal to any one interest group or partnership company. Pioneer especially in the past strongly denied any plan of making drives to support both DVD+R(W) and DVD-R(W). They were in the end just forced to do so because all other major DVD writer drive manufacturers seemed to pursue the "dual" or "multi" strategy and even the hard-core Pioneer DVD-R enthusiasts more and more wanted Pioneer to include DVD+R(W) support.

JamesL: Posts: 113; Posted on: 05 Sep 06 08:45

This is VERY bad news for the High Def formats

With both formats lacking full studio support early adopters will have to choose which movies to watch or buy both formats. Many will probably choose neither and HD DVD/BluRay. Even as a pro-HD supporter that currently owns both formats I am only buying new release titles and 'excellent' olds ones as opposed to replacing my entire DVD collection. The Studios are losing $1000s from me alone - and I'm sure I am far from unique.

Prototype: Posts: 190; Posted on: 05 Sep 06 19:31

Theres a clause in the BluRay licensing agreement that explicitly prohibits manufacturing of a drive to read or write HD-DVD disks. How any manufacturer will get around this I don't know, but it probably be relaxed once both camps realise how farcical their positions are.

SpeedyJDK: Posts: 57; Posted on: 05 Sep 06 21:26

Atleast i was right. Said it was fake news when i heard about the combo. And lucky it was. Only Blu-Ray needs to survive.

heroineworshipper: Posts: 41; Posted on: 07 Sep 06 06:42

Bad idea: Announcing the hybrid drive. Stupid idea: Retracting the announcement. Everyone knows there's going to be a dual format drive. It's the most obvious necessity since credit cards for Americans. Instead of asking how they could leak a story like this, ask how they could expect to survive without developing the drive.

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