Intel, Microsoft back new DVD standard

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Intel Corp. and Microsoft Corp., the leading suppliers of chips and software for most of the world’s personal computers, are throwing their support behind the next-generation DVD standard known as HD DVD.

After taking a neutral stance for months in the battle between the competing HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc formats, the companies said Tuesday they have joined the HD DVD Promotion Group that includes Toshiba Corp., Universal Studios and others.

The move means upcoming PCs running Microsoft’s upcoming Windows Vista operating system or Intel’s Viiv entertainment technology will come with support for HD DVD drives.

“We want to make sure that whatever is put out on the market is going to be as consumer friendly as possible from the price and usability point of view,” said Blair Westlake, vice president of Microsoft’s Media/Entertainment and Technology Convergence Group.

Blu-ray is backed by Sony Corp. and a variety of other companies, including Apple Computer Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. and Dell Inc.

It was not clear how Microsoft and Intel’s move would affect the stance of computer makers, but the PC industry has managed to skirt confusion over dueling standards in the past by offering drives that can handle multiple formats.

Efforts so far to merge the standards into a single format have gone nowhere as tech companies and studios have divided into the two camps.

HD DVD will offer consumers the ability to keep on their PCs a copy of a movie that can be streamed to other devices in the home. It also allows studios to store high definition and standard versions of a movie on a disk.