Consumers about to face a confusing and expensive choice between two conflicting standards for high-definition DVDs will face further costs to upgrade their entertainment systems if they want to enjoy all the benefits of the new movie players.
Hollywood and electronics makers have aligned themselves behind two warring formats called Blu-ray, led by Sony Corp., and HD DVD, championed by Toshiba Corp., which on Thursday said it may delay its launch from late March to mid-April. "I don't think all the challenges and costs of next-generation DVDs have been realized by consumers yet," analyst Paul-Jon McNealy of American Technology Research said.