LG talks Blu-ray/HD DVD combo player

Last night LG said it would release a combination Blu-ray/HD DVD player in early 2007. The news comes with no other details, but I expect the company to divulge a bit more information, perhaps including a mocked-up image or even a physical box of some kind, at the company's press conference, scheduled for 8 a.m. PT this Sunday at CES. Until then we're in the dark as regarding questions such as "When exactly?" "How much?" and "Is this for real?"

LG has made a similar announcement before, so I'll believe in this player when I see it. That said, a combination player would be a huge step toward calling a truce in the format war, and there's no doubt that both Blu-ray and HD DVD could use a popularity boost. This announcement also makes the purchase of a stand-alone Blu-ray player (PlayStation 3 notwithstanding) or HD DVD player seem even more premature than it did already. If you can buy a player that will handle both formats, you'll be able to actually purchase movies you want and not have to worry about whether they'll work with your player. If LG's and other combo players hit the market soon and prices tumble at their usual rates, average HDTV owners might actually want to consider buying the hardware and discs.

[nauqb11]

RE: HMMMMMM

Well Blu ray looks like the wind is blowing in the other direction. This is great news for HD DVD. Now you do not have to own a Blu ray player only in order to watch their crappy movies. Way to go LG> just don't try to charge an arm and a leg for it.

[jawooten3]

Combo Disc

A combo player would certainly help ease the format war, but for those who have already invested in one player over the other (PS3's Blu-Ray for me), a combo disc would be a more viable option. There was an article in today's NY Times about Warner Brothers coming out with a new disc format, called Total HD that "can play films and television programs in both Blu-ray and HD-DVD." Apparently, they will formally announce it on Tuesday at CES. I'd prefer the universal disc over the universal player. We'll see how it all turns out.

[shagnastyface]

Combo blue beam technology.

SOUNDS great for both "us" AND "them". BUT I am ALWAYS leery of monopolies of ANY kind. If this DOES occur, then I like the idea of a "universal" MEDIA format, rather than concentrating so much on "compatable" players/recorders. It seems to me that the manufacturers of these products would support this idea as well.<br /> What I wuld REALLY like to see, is greater consumer awareness. (MOST USERS DON'T EVEN REALIZE THAT BOTH "FORMATS" ARE BLUE LAZERS!)

[natejohnstone]

BRILLIANT, and the way to insure BOTH survive

This may be the only way to insure both formats (or any HD format) will survive. <br />The public doesn't want another Beta Disc issue (Sony, 0 for 2?), and is retisent <br />to make an expensive gamble. <br />Whether I will get a combo player depends upon price. A PS3 at $600 plus a the <br />non-premiun HD-DVD at $500 may still be cheaper than a combo player (plus <br />the whole PS3 game console thing...).

[aorian]

Combo Hi-Def DVD players...

LG isn't the only company that has announce intentions to produce a combo Blu/HD DVD player. Samsung had on their website in 3rd quarter of 06' their plans to introduce a combo player that would play Blu-Ray, HD and Standard DVD's. I don't remember the target date for production, just that they were working on a player. So maybe with LG's announcement, it will move Samsung to get their unit on the market quicker!

[brykos]

Dual Format Disc will.....

Make my decision that much easier to go w/hd dvd. to me, it's a warning shot from the studios that they aren't going to put up w/ the nonsense between sony &#38; toshiba any longer. The studios want to sell hi-def format and aren't going to put up w/the bs any longer. w/hd dvd a better quality &#38; 1/2 the price, it's a no-brainer (actually, it was already a no-brainer)

[Cowboyinbrla]

Don't forget...

Sony, in this case, not only has one of the formats in its portfolio, it also has a studio. So while some studios may be involved in the "warning shot", don't include Sony in that group.<br /><br />Many studios may release content on universal discs, but if Sony decides to release its own library ONLY in its own format, a universal player would become that much more desirable. Retailers are unlikely to want to stock both versions of a title, rental locations ditto.<br /><br />Ultimately, we'll probably end up with universal discs for most content, and universal players as standard, with pure blu-ray or HD-DVD machines and discs as proprietary formats, for game consoles and the like, and for the occasional stubborn content producer.