Toshiba is issuing a firmware upgrade for owners of HD DVD players (of which there are several million), figuring that a lot of those players are still in use—especially considering the HD disc format war didn't end until early 2008.
But apparently new HD DVD users are coming into the picture, at least for now. Not bad for a dead format.
While virtually no new HD DVD discs are still being produced out of Hollywood or any other content provider, HD DVD players are backward-compatible with standard DVDs (where imaging is said to be noticeably superior to standard disc, according to some former HD DVD bloggers online).
But here's the kicker: The Financial Times reports this week that because of the weakened economy in the United States and parts of Europe, sales of steeply reduced HD DVD players and the format's remaining packed content are "still going strong."
For old users, and new, too, Toshiba is offering its HD DVD firmware update (4.0) at its Web site for these player models: HD-A1, HD-XA1, HD-D1, HD-A35, HD-A2, HD-A2W, HD-A2C, HD-D2, HD-A20, HD-XA2, HD-A3, HD-D3 and HD-A30.
