SpongeBob 0 Posted January 9, 2005 Meet contender number one: Blu-ray. Sony is championing this format and has lined up the support of manufacturers including Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, TDK and Thomson, along with Disney and some Sony-owned movie studios like MGM and Columbia TriStar. A single-layer Blu-ray disc can hold 25 GB of data, which translates to over two hours of high-definition television (HDTV) or more than 13 hours of standard-definition TV or film. A dual-layer version (meaning both sides of the disc are used) holds 50 GB of data. Blu-ray is championed as the new option for HDTV content, and for data storage. A Blu-ray disc holds more information because it utilizes a blue-violet laser instead of the current red laser to read and write data. This type of laser has a finer beam, meaning it can write and access more information on a disc that is the same size as a current DVD. Blu-ray is a popular choice because its players and recorders can be made backward compatible, meaning they can play and write the older CD and DVD formats. A single-layer DVD currently holds 4.7 GB of information. Meet contender number two: HD-DVD. In this corner, Toshiba and NEC have lined up Sanyo Electric Co. and four major studios - Universal Studios, Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema. While it has less support from the electronics industry than Blu-ray, HD-DVD did receive the blessing of the DVD Forum, a broad industry consortium, as the next-generation format of choice for data and HDTV. (Blu-ray was not submitted for consideration.) HD-DVDs hold 15 GB of information on a single layer (this doubles when both sides are used), less than the Blu-ray. But this format is gaining steam because it can be manufactured using the same infrastructure that makes our current DVDs. (Blu-ray requires a new manufacturing process.) This format also utilizes blue laser technology and supports backward compatibility with our current CD and DVD formats. HD-DVDs are expected to be available next year. So, bottom line: The Blu-ray disc can hold much more data, and both formats will require consumers to purchase new players, which will be able to play your old DVDs and CDs no matter which format wins out. We're going to see HD-DVDs available in North America sooner because they will be cheaper and more profitable for companies to make and sell. But don't count Blu-ray out - it has some serious tech industry muscle behind it and its bigger storage capacity might help it win out in the end. I guess I want Blu-ray to come out on top, but its hard to say. Maybe both will be out on the market so we can choose. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ozanzac 0 Posted January 9, 2005 Reminds me of beta vs VHS video tapes. Both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD will probably come out onto the market for a while (if a compromise or takever bid isn't made). The less successful format will die, leaving the other with market dominance, and a few unlucky consumers with a sour taste for technological change. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralphwiggum 6 Posted January 9, 2005 Reminds me of beta vs VHS video tapes. yup. that's why Sony is really pushing every possible angle to make this go there way. They own several entertainment companies and the more titles they have more likely to get more market shares, to influence the sales of the technology. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EiZei 0 Posted January 9, 2005 Reminds me of beta vs VHS video tapes. yup. that's why Sony is really pushing every possible angle to make this go there way. They own several entertainment companies and the more titles they have more likely to get more market shares, to influence the sales of the technology. True, Sony learned quite a lesson when their betamax failed. The best format does not necessarily win. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
llauma 0 Posted January 9, 2005 True, Sony learned quite a lesson when their betamax failed. The best format does not necessarily win. Or maybe they haven't? They might be doing the same mistake now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tovarish 0 Posted January 9, 2005 Just buy a drive that supports both. When I went to buy a DVD burner I made sure it could use DVD+R's and DVD-R's, and I buy whatever media is cheapest at the moment. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
denoir 0 Posted January 9, 2005 The HD-DVD is physically very different, so I doubt that there will be combo drives. In the case of the DVD-R, DVD+R etc, the physical media is very similar and it's all based on the same writing principles. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tovarish 0 Posted January 9, 2005 From what I understand, they still use different lazer frequencies and material. I definitely wouldn't count a combo drive out, even if it was more expensive to produce than today's DVD combo drives. Anyways, Sony does not have a good record when it comes to media - Betamax, Memory Stick, and even DVD+R's (which aren't compatible with as many players as DVD-R's) so I'd prefer to stick to the DVD Forum sanctioned media. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EiZei 0 Posted January 9, 2005 One must wonder though, why average consumers would be willing to replace some of their AV equipment again? DVD offered clear benefits compared to VHS tapes; no rewinding, better navigation, less deterioration, extra content, smaller size and hell lot better image and audio quality. The only thing that blu-ray/HD-DVD can offer compared to DVD is only better image and audio quality and that requires at least a expensive HD-TV set. Or am I just missing something here as usual? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tovarish 0 Posted January 9, 2005 One must wonder though, why average consumers would be willing to replace some of their AV equipment again? DVD offered clear benefits compared to VHS tapes; no rewinding, better navigation, less deterioration, extra content, smaller size and hell lot better image and audio quality. The only thing that blu-ray/HD-DVD can offer compared to DVD is only better image and audio quality and that requires at least a expensive HD-TV set. Or am I just missing something here as usual? If anything I'd get it for my computer, but for now regular DVD-5's work fine for backups and photo storage and such. Just remember Bill Gates once said no one would need more than 640kb of RAM. DVD players are anything but expensive these days - I have one that was $50, and one that came free with the purchase of a bed. I'm sure that after HD-DVD or Blu_Ray are out a couple of years, the same will happen with their players. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Homefry 0 Posted January 10, 2005 50GB per disk would be simply amazing.... but either way I see myself waiting a while before making a purchase. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
