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OMEN
06-12-2007, 03:56 PM
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The DVD format fight has echoes of the 1980s VHS-Betamax war
Sony says shipments of its Blu-ray high definition DVD players in the US could jump sixfold this year, to 600,000.

It attributes the growing demand to some films coming out on its format and not the rival HD DVD technology, according to Bloomberg.

Meanwhile, Toshiba has lowered the sales target for its HD DVD devices in the US to 1 million from 1.8 million.

The battle of next generation DVD formats has been likened to the competition between VHS and Betamax.

Sony's Playstation 3 games consoles come equipped with a Blu-ray drive while Toshiba plans to put HD DVD drives in all its laptop computers next year.

Sony is relying on exclusive films to spur its growth, after selling fewer than 100,000 units in 2006.

Out of the top 20 blockbusters "there were 14 or 15 that were exclusive to Blu-ray", Sony's Randy Waynick told a meeting in San Francisco, according to Bloomberg.

Blu-Ray is also promoted by Matsushita (Pansonic) in the US.

The 44% cut in predicted sales of HD DVD devices in North America is attributed to a Toshiba executive, quoted by Reuters, who also said the global target would be cut.

"Obviously we are going to have to lower our previous global estimate," Toshiba's Yoshihide Fujii said.

BBC