January 5th 2006

Toshiba To Launch HD-DVD Players in March

Toshiba HD-XA1 prototype

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Toshiba has fired a salvo at Blu-Ray by announcing that it will launch two HD-DVD players in the USA in March.

The two models, the HD-XA1 and HD-A1, will sell for $799 and $499, respectively.

"HD-DVD represents the future of HD digital video," Yoshihiro Matsumoto, president of Toshiba America Consumer Products, said at a news conference at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. "It gives consumers a clear migration path from DVD."

Despite the high price relative to standard DVD players, Toshiba are confident that they have an attractive offer to tempt users to the new format. "It’s a price point to accelerate market adoption," said Jodi Sally, president of US marketing for Toshiba’s digital audio-visual products.

Sony, who yesterday were cheered by a calvalcade of annoucements from major film studios announcing Blu-Ray releases in 2006, said that their first Blu-Ray player would hit the streets in June, three months behind Toshiba's HD-DVD offering.

"Blu-ray disc technology is the final piece needed to complete our vision of the high-definition world," said Dick Komiyama, chief operating officer at Sony's US arm.

Meanwhile Samsung is also expected to announce it's first Blu-Ray player at CES this week.