RCA is getting ready to ship an HD-DVD player to compete with Toshiba’s first offering. The launch of RCA’s HDV5000, which is a Thomson brand, comes after Toshiba’s HD-A1.
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Wal-Mart states a tentative arrival date for the player of May 18, 2006 and will be ready to ship just as soon. The HDV5000 is backwards compatible with DVDs and CDs and will be able to up-convert DVD video to high-definition quality. The set up player will feature 5.1-channel audio output which is standard on most, if not all, DVD players nowadays and will also feature HDMI output for digital audio/video signals directly to HDTV sets. Another feature is a network connection which will allow the player to retrieve extra content.
There is no word yet on any other features of RCA’s HD-DVD player but we’re thinking the specifications probably won’t exceed those of Toshiba’s HD-A1 player. Pricing on the HDV5000 is set to about $500 at places like Wal-Mart, which already has the player on pre-order. At this price the HDV5000 directly compete’s with Toshiba’s HD-A1.
Content in the HD-DVD format has also been said to launch this week with titles popping up at retailers for around $29.99. Obviously, to reap the intended benefits of HD-DVD titles an HDTV is required with the proper connections.
HD DVD to outsell Blu-ray 2.5:1 in 2006 - report
HD DVD will have taken almost 70 per cent of the high-definition media market by the end of the year, leaving rival format Blu-ray Disc with a market share of just 30 per cent. So claimed market watcher ABI Research this week, though it warned the picture may change in 2007.
ABI paints the arena as a Sony vs Toshiba fight, noting that Sony’s Blu-ray player is four months away while Toshiba’s HD-A1 and HD-XA1 HD DVD players are shipping in the US now. Samsung’s player is supposedly just two months away, so Toshiba’s lead isn’t as long as ABI suggests, but it’s a good one nonetheless.
It also has the price advantage - Toshiba’s machines are about half the price of the competing Blu-ray Disc players - and that’s what will propel HD DVD to market domination this year, ABI reckons.
How long it retains the lead remains to be seen. The PlayStation 3, due in November, could well start reversing the two format’s relative market positions. Possibly not in the immediate term - most early buyers will be focused on games - but certainly as 2007 rolls by.
But the early market lead is important for HD DVD. Content providers will look for one format to establish itself above the other, allowing them to move behind it. A few studios support both formats, but most favour one or the other. Those promoting Blu-ray will be tempted to shift allegiance - or at the very least support both formats - if HD DVD builds a clear lead early on.