The Blu-ray Disc group, which aims to set the standard for next-generation DVDs, on Wednesday said it would not adopt a proposal from Hewlett-Packard Co. by the launch of the technology, leading the PC maker to say it may back a rival in the looming multibillion dollar war.

That would leave HP, the No. 2 PC maker, splitting support between the two leading technologies.

Long a supporter of Sony Corp.-led Blu-ray, HP in October said if two technologies it considered important to PC users were not included in Blu-ray's specifications, it would consider backing rival standard HD-DVD, championed by Toshiba Corp.

Read more about HP's situation in the HD DVD vs Blu-ray DVD format war at http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=internetNews&storyID=2005-11-17T015043Z_01_MCC706608_RTRIDST_0_OUKIN-UK-MEDIA-BLURAY-HP.XML.