Hewlett-Packard now plans to support both Blu-Ray and HD DVD

Hewlett-Packard now plans to support both Blu-Ray and HD DVD

Hewlett-Packard has finally announced that they are now going to support both the two groups developing the next generation DVD format. Sony is heading the group developing and supporting the Blu-Ray format and Toshiba is developing HD DVD format and is supported by companies like Intel and Microsoft.

HP had originally planned to support only the Blu-Ray format but had issues with the format after Sony declined to add support for certain technologies in the format related to digital protection. They even threatened to totally discard the support for Blu-Ray but have now decided to support both the formats.

Maureen Weber, a HP representative said in a statement: “Because HP wants to deliver the most user-friendly and cost-effective solution to our customers, we have decided to support both formats.” Both formats have their own advantages and disadvantages and it is hard to decide which one is going to be better for the end consumer.

HP’s decision is however good news for Toshiba which has been losing support from the movie studios, which are increasingly showing more, favor for the Blu-Ray format. Sony however continues to have unconditional and exclusive support from both Dell and Apple Computers. Six of the seven major movie studios are also supporting the Sony group and only NBC Universal is exclusively supporting HD DVD format.