ars technica - Remember all of the positioning about which next-generation optical format would hit the market first? Forget about it. It now appears that both formats will hit the market at the same time, because delays in the security specification that they both share have left everyone—device manufacturers, movie studios, and the leaders of the respective formats—in a holding pattern. The final specification of the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) has been delayed again, meaning that the final specifications needed to produce HD DVD and Blu-ray products still sits off in the undetermined future.
According to a report at Heise online, the members of the AACS licensing authority could not agree on a final specification last week. The hold up must infuriate HD DVD backers, because the last sticking point apparently only applies to the Blu-ray specific BD+ anti-piracy measure. BD+ is part of Blu-ray's "we have more protection than you" approach to appeasing the studios.
[via ars technica]
