Windows Vista: Will there really be native HD-DVD support?
Today, the Redmond software giant has undoubtedly informed us that the latest generation optical solution from DVD-Forum will enjoy built-in support in the upcoming operating system.
Yesterday, we read the news on several foreign sites: yet Microsoft is not preparing to provide native support for the HD-DVD standard under Windows Vista. Then one of Microsoft’s senior executives, Chris Lanier, looked into the matter because, to the best of his knowledge, the news is not true. Here is a statement from Amir Majidimehr, head of the Windows Digital Media Division:
"Microsoft is working hard to bring native support for HD-DVD playback in Vista. We created a team specifically for this task, whose main activities are: development together with hardware manufacturers, optimizing the necessary software environment, and ensuring perfect cooperation with mandatory copy protection. Finally, as we confirm from time to time, this type of support will not apply to the Blu-ray standard. We will be able to play Blu-ray discs in a similar way to DVD movies under Windows XP."
