Im not sure if this has been noted yet so excuse me if it has but this is kinda big news. I was reading this link http://www.tgdaily.com/content/view/34207/118/ which is initially about microsoft and HDi then later on in the article there was this blurb.

quote
""in an unrelated announcement, MPEG LA today said that a group of 16 HD DVD patent holders today met in an effort to work toward a joint HD DVD license. Instead of having to negotiate separate licenses, the group wants to create a general license that will be providing “fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory access to essential patents.” The initial group consists of LG Electronics, Microsoft, Mitsubishi Electric, NEC, Samsung, Sanyo, Sonic Solutions, TDK, Thomson, Toshiba, JVC and Warner Bros.""

It seems the multiple differant patent holders for the HD-DVD format are taking the mutiple patents and moving them into one license in order to get the listed manufacturers on board. This will help stabilize pricing on the format so companies instead of paying multiple companies for differant patents its one lump some to a group much like what DVD had. So I'd assume if this completes soon then the manufacturers listed probably will start production on HD-DVD players, most notable of the companies is Samsung who recently had to deal with the Fantastic Four 4 fiasco on blu ray with their players.