The European Commission is quizzing Hollywood over what it seems to think is the suspiciously large number of companies exclusively backing Blu-Ray. Sony has quite a presence in the entertainment industry, but is it abusing its ties?
Hollywood studios were asked last month to present to the EC files and communications relating to their selection of HD disc format. The EC will be on the lookout for anticompetitive behaviour from the likes of Sony, who may have used their industry positions to hamper competition and restrict the options of studios.
Of course, this news comes following pressure from the HD-DVD consortium, who might understandably point the finger at Sony & co. if Blu-Ray started to pull out in front.
Looking at it differently, though, could Blu-Ray just be better? It's got a better capacity than HD-DVD, though it has been claimed that Blu-Ray disc playback doesn't look as good (sounds immensely subjective). Also in Blu-Ray's favour is the PS3, which comes equipped with a Blu-Ray player... except nobody's mortgage lender will give them enough money to buy one... even if they did actually want one.
Conversely, the well-embedded and very popular XBox 360 has an HD-DVD add-on, but according to the Wall Street Journal, only 160 000 people have bought the add-on.
We could go into disc and player pricing too, but there's a price war on. However, HD-DVD does look the cheaper option right now.
Either way, HD disc sales are nowhere near DVD sales yet, so the two camps are fighting over what is currently a very small section of the market. Perhaps the HD-DVD consortium were wise to spit their dummy out before things got out of hand? Let's see what the EC says.
Of course, both formats are DRM infected, so who in their right mind gives a toss anyway?
HEXUS Links
Europe Steps Up Probe of New DVD Formats - Wall Street Journal.
