Hitachi & Lite-On jump on HD-DVD bandwagon (1 Viewer)

[Pete T C]

Didn't see this posted elsewhere:

Hitachi to release HD DVD player/recorder in Japan:
http://japan.seekingalpha.com/article/13384

LiteOn to launch sub $1k HD DVD players in USA in August:
http://www.digitimes.com/systems/a20060710PB203.html

 

[AaronSCH]

Oh this is getting VERY interesting indeed... you think we are on the front lines of a movement, Pete?

 

[Pete T C]

Could be

 

[Paul_Scott]

somehow I don't see Lite-on and Hitachi as being brands that get most peoples juices flowing. I know Pioneer and Panasonic have people that are firecly brand loyal....but Hitachi?

still, as long as the quality of the actual products are good, i guess its not a bad thing.

If quality is highly variable though, and they aren't as conscientious with their firmware updating as Tosh has been, it could end up being a negative to the format as a whole. Cross your fingers, I guess.

 

[Alf S]

Getting two low ranking companies onto HD's side shouldn't be something to jump for joy about, that's for sure.

 

[Pete T C]

Low ranking? Hitachi is Japan's largest electronics maker!

 

[MannyE]

And Lite-On makes it easier for a schmuck like me to afford a player!

 

[Harminder]

Hitachi is by no means a low ranking company. I've lived in Hong Kong for years and Hitachi is HUGE out in Asia. There aren't many Hitachi items here in North America but if you go to a city in Asia, Hitachi manufactures a variety of items such as: electric shavers, notebook computers, refrigerators, Air-Con's (I have 2 Hitachi A/C's in my apartment in HK), washing machines, DVD camcorders and all IBM labeled hard disk drives are in fact Hitachi HDD's. This is on top of all the other things Hitachi manufactures other than electronics, such as elevators, construction equipment, auto parts, power tools, etc. Trust me, Hitachi isn't low ranking.

P.S. Hitachi is also majority shareholder of Maxell, hence Maxell will probably produce blank HD-DVD media somewhere down the road.

 

[RobertDW]

I believe Hitachi is the largest conglomerate in Japan with Toshiba in second place.

 

[Joseph Bolus]

According to the article the Lite-On's hope to sell for "sub-$1000"; the Tosh is already available for "sub-$500".

No need to wait!

 

[Jerome Grate]

50,000 BD players per month starting on August, that's a bit optimistic.

 

[Rakesh.S]

yeah, this makes no sense to me.

who in their right mind would buy a lite-on that's more expensive than Toshiba?

If lite-on were $250 or $300, I can understand it. Considering how much of a P.O.S. lite-on dvd recorders and players are, it's hard to see people paying a "sub-$1000" amount for it, when the toshiba is "sub-$500" as you said.