The Most Successful: Toshiba HD DVD or Betamax

Toshiba’s HD DVD was launched in 2006 and early 2008 they have said they will stop making HD DVD’s and the players, that’s a defeat in less than 2 years, which shows Sony’s Blu-ray crushed HD DVD. Although Sony’s other format (Betamax) got beaten in the last format war between VHS and Betamax, although I would say Betamax was much more successful compared to HD DVD.

HD DVD lasted under two years before defeat, while Betamax launched 1975 and by 1980, it had 30% of the North American market and 25% of the UK market, but by 1984 Betamax had backing from twelve companies and VHS had over forty companies backing it. This led to Sony conceding defeat in 1988 and started making VHS recorders.

So it does look like HD DVD was very weak compared to Betamax, and I guess Toshiba will start to make Blu-ray players now.

Did you buy a HD DVD player?