HD format wars end in compromise

THE FIRST DUAL-FORMAT Blu-ray and HD-DVD drives will be on show at the Consumer Electronic Show this month.

Manufacturer LG has been beavering on the combo drive it announced last year and says it will deliver these in March, after a launch at the show.

Meanwhile, according to the New York Times, Time Warner company Warner Bros is ready to market a dual-format disk that will work in both Blu-ray and HD DVD drives.

At least, the company has pitched a brand-name into the seething waters of format disputes even if it is a bit short on specifics.

Warner's Total HD disc may be double-sided or multi-layered or may be capacity constrained - more will be revealed at CES - but it's stab at pleasing consumers who will no-doubt want to avoid buying players of each format to add to the stack under the telly in the living room.

Whether disks end up being dual-format or whether players all end up supporting both formats remains to be seen.

With Sony's muscles behind the Blu-ray format, and consequent pressure on Hollywood, we're ready to suggest HD DVD will soon be dead in the water.

Anyone believing that the world won't be flooded with PS3s within 12 months is either luddite or vole. µ