Toshiba's board of directors will this week meet to put an end to the company's production of HD DVD machines, it has been claimed.

Sources cited by Japanese broadcaster NHK this weekend alleged that the consumer electronics giant will stop making HD DVD players and recorders at its Aomori Prefecture province plant.

They also said Toshiba's board has convened an extraordinary meeting to ratify the plan.

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Last week, rumours coming out of the US had Toshiba conceding defeat to the Sony-led Blu-ray Disc format within a matter of weeks. While Toshiba itself did not comment on the claims, the language used by its executives indicated the company might be willing to admit that HD DVD had lost the format war.

On Friday, US retail giant Wal-Mart confirmed what a company insider had already revealed: that it would begin offering only Blu-ray Disc products from June.

Even if Toshiba hasn't reached the point where it's ready to call it quits on HD DVD, there's no question the format is losing momentum. Last week, Best Buy and Netflix said they would go exclusively Blu-ray following strong sales of the the format, primarily thanks to Sony's PlayStation 3.

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