Mark Whittard, general manager, Toshiba information systems division, used the launch of Toshiba ISD's Toshiba HD: Pure Intensity branding initiative to announce its intention to take back control of the AV  market sector and snag a top five spot.

To bolster the competitive positioning of HD DVD, Whittard raised what he described as Blu-ray disks' greater propensity for scratching and ‘disk rot' due to the thin protective film layer, and its sensitivity to movement.

Announcing HD DVD sales figures for the three months since Toshiba Australia took over local distribution of its audiovisual range, Whittard said HD DVD outsold Blu-ray by 55 per cent in the US and 73 per cent in Europe.

He said the gap in Australia between HD DVD and Blu-ray had widened in this time.

These figures do not include Blu-ray capable gaming consoles, with Toshiba arguing they are not purchased primarily for watching films.

Whittard pointed to features such as HD DVD's interactivity whereby in-movie pop-up menus, bookmarking and picture-in-picture functionality as key differentiators from Blu-ray.

He also held up HD DVD's lack of region coding and ability to utilise twin- and triple- layering, thereby reducing shelf-space barriers for retailers looking to offer HD and standard DVD formats concurrently.

According to Whittard, Toshiba's move to broaden its product portfolio within the AV space was about strengthening its brand: "integrating the AV business and expanding our product range has been a significant and exciting step for Toshiba," he said.

Toshiba also announced an HD DVD Consortium, similar to the initiative already launched by Blu-ray, whereby industry participants Microsoft, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros and Paramount have lent support to the HD DVD format.

Since its creation in April, the group has collaborated to produce educational materials and promotional campaigns to further understanding of the technology.