Ah yes, just when the DVD format situation could not possibly become more confusing, it does. Enter the Toshiba HD-DVD / DVD combo disc. From what I am hearing, the hope is to use this as a method to begin to ‘ease’ consumers into the idea of HD video content.

With the public in mind, I too have a method for allowing the same goal to happen, only a lot faster. Find a way to get the prices on down on HD television sets. I do not know what the costs are to build and market these turkeys, but I am willing to bet that there is some fat that could be cut if manufacturers look. Besides, the factory jobs are likely all overseas anyway, so there is no loss there.

The disc – which the companies hope will help consumers on their merry way to the next generation of optical discs – will exploit the similarity between the DVD format and Toshiba’s new HD-DVD format. This means film studios could put a movie in DVD format on one side and HD-DVD on the other, which will be useful for slowly introducing HD-DVD for potential customers since they’ll be able to play the discs on regular DVD players.