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Microsoft Chooses Sides in DVD War | |
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| Time: 05:39 EST/10:39 GMT | News Source: ZDNet | Posted By: Julien Jay | ||
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Microsoft has decided to support one of two competing formats for popular DVD recording technology, a decision that is intended to make the storage devices as easy to use as current CD burners and floppy drives. At its annual Windows Hardware Engineering Conference ( WinHEC), Microsoft plans to demonstrate software and to provide technical documentation for incorporating the DVD+RW format into its Windows operating system, according to a Microsoft Web site detailing the schedule for the conference. "This presentation explains how support for DVD+RW in Windows has been designed to become the standard storage solution for the PC and consumer electronics environments," reads the description of a presentation planned for next week's show. Microsoft will be adding support for DVD+RW into a future version of Windows, code-named Longhorn, according to the site. | ||
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| #1 By 116 (129.116.86.41) at 4/11/2002 9:33:11 AM |
| Well, if MS succeeds then there goes Apple's claim about innovating in the industry. (They went with DVD-R/RW). This should get interesting quickly. |
| #2 By 3339 (65.198.47.10) at 4/11/2002 1:35:45 PM |
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I'm glad MS is deciding to make this interesting, but I don't think this necessarily decides it. After all, as #3 mentions Longhorn is a ways away, even if they offer a SP for this, most users want have this for a while... And PC users who do move to DVD burners will probably have software packaged with the drive. And there is the issue of those people who feel screwed by DVD+R/DVD+RW incompatibility. The Reg is covering that part of the story, I love this sort of bullsh1t:
"Q10: How easy will it be for the consumer to incorporate DVD+R technology into their DVD+RW products? "A10. The upgrade program interface will be intuitive and easy to use. With a few simple clicks, consumers will be able to add DVD+R capabilities to their DVD+RW drives. Philips and HP will make the DVD+R software upgrade DVD+available this fall." This was not replaced until January of this year, when the following appeared: "Q1. What's the truth, does DVD+RW offer write once capability or not? I've seen individual companies answer this differently. "A1: The DVD+RW Alliance includes a specification for DVD+R. This is an extension of the DVD+RW format. This is a company-specific decision on the timing for products with write once capabilities. Current products do not provide this functionality, however, we anticipate that the majority of the DVD+RW products will offer write once capabilities in 2002." So comanpies like Phillips, HP, Sony seem nice, but they've screwed themselves for the next few months. Meanwhile, Apple is far and way the leading computer manufacturer shipping PCs w/ DVD burnign capabilities. Pioneer is far and away the largest DVD burner manufacturer. Apple has reduced the cost of the media the most(DVD-RW media is $2 or less; you still see DVD+RW sometimes being sold for $10). By the time Windows users realize that they have built-in DVD burning capabilities, Apple may have DVD-RW burners in every PC they produce. And if they do, ultimately lose, they can switch formats relatively easily--but Apple doesn't lose customers all that easily so they can handle the backlash at the time. |
| #3 By 3339 (65.198.47.10) at 4/11/2002 4:59:18 PM |
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Anon, there is also the issue of MS being a founding member of the Mt. Ranier spec--this is largely concerned with recording data though and had nothing to do with video--which will be the largest application for DVDs. But, yes, HP, Dell, Phillips, Sony, and MS have been in league together on this issue for a while--MS has just been waffling.
Everything you say about compatibility is correct, although the newer devices will have a high compatibility rate. Of course, this could be more confusing for those that have a DVD player they have purchased in the past few years up to about mid-2003. Having Sony and Phillips sounds nice, but Sony and Phillips don't have a lock on media or standards on this issue... And as I pointed out, customers are pissed at HP, Dell, and others who foisted DVD+R on them and claimed they would be able to do a software upgrade. SO these guys aren't really proving themselves as market leaders. DVD-RW, on the other hand, has Pioneer, Samsung, NEC, adn Hitachi which about balances out the big providers of players and recorders. And Pioneer is kicking ass in recorder production, and Apple is way ahead in terms of computers w/recorders. |
| #4 By 3339 (64.175.43.4) at 4/12/2002 12:03:34 AM |
| I had forgotten that Sony was shipping the Pioneer drive as well. Yup, I agree--if anything it just makes it funnier because I think it's stacked against +RW. Sure will be interesting. Isn't th Formac package (the software/hardware package) shipping with the Pioneer drive too? Who is making +RW devices, and what are they up to? |
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