Toshiba will be releasing the very first HD-DVD player model, the HD-A1, in the US on April 18. The company is said to ship a meager 15,000 units to stores, with four or more titles available on launch day, with more following soon after. Million Dollar Baby, The Last Samurai and The Phantom of the Opera will be among the titles initially available from Warner; and Universal will release Doom and Apollo 13 in the new format as well. Most major retailers are expected to sell HD-DVDs between $20-$30, and rental outlets such as Nextflix and Blockbuster will soon be offering them as well. The player itself retails for about $499.

There are no comments for this article.