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For those who haven't followed, but care at least a little bit, about the state of the next generation high definition media ... this is for you.
Format merger talks have officially ended. The result: there will be a format war. Toshiba refuses to use the Blu-ray hardware, citing that the 0.1mm depth before the first layer of data would require too much retooling and cause the media to cost too much money. Sony will not budge on moving to the DVD/HD-DVD standard 0.6 mm depth because 1) you cannot store nearly the amount of data when the layer starts so deep within the disc, and 2) the PS3 using Blu-ray hardware/disc technology is set in stone.
So now the format war is set to be upon us! In the Toshiba/HD-DVD arena we have the name. Everyone knows what a DVD is, so common logic would say that a HD-DVD would be better than everyone's beloved DVD format. Toshiba and the HD-DVD consortium is banking on name recognition and lower media/player prices to win the format war. Given Sony's track record in format wars ... Toshiba thinks they can pull it off. However ...
In the Blu-ray corner is 140 companies, including every major computer and technology company save Toshiba, NEC and Sanyo (of which on Toshiba actively makes PCs). Blu-ray has made thre HUGE blows against HD-DVD in the past month. Fox Home Entertainment, Lion's Gate Home Entertainment and Universal Music group have all pledged their sole loyalty to the Blu-ray format. On top of that, Blu-ray has two of the 3 largest electronics companies in the world behind it, Matsushita and Sony, plus most of the other major electronics companies - Philips, Samsung, LG, Pioneer, Hitachi, HP, Dell, Apple, Mitsubishi, Sharp, etc. - and media making masters TDK, Maxell, Fujifilm and everyone's favorite Taiyo Yuden. They also have studio backing from Fox, Lion's Gate, Disney, Universal, and Sony Pictures (duh).
Blu-ray is obviously planning on using their muscle and superior technology to win the format war. They will have to run a major advertising campaign to put their name in the lime-light, but that shouldn't be a problem with the size of marketing budgets behind them. Blu-ray is also banking on the PS3's popularity to get millions of blu-ray players in people's houses by the end of 2006.
On the technology front. HD-DVD announced that they have made a tripple layer HD-DVD disc that sports 45 GB of storage capacity, which is still 5 GB less than a two-layer BD (Blu-ray Disc). BDA (Blu-ray Disc Associateion) fired back two days later announcing that TDK has made a prototype 4-layer BD that sports 100 GB of storage capacity, which will be part of the BD 2x specifications.
HD-DVD then announced a hybrid DVD/HD-DVD disc technology, 1 x 4.5 GB DVD layer and 1 x 15 GB HD-DVD layer on a single side. BLu-ray fired back by announcing a triple layer hybrid disc with the full DVD-9 (8.5 GB on two layers) and a single 25 GB Blu-ray layer on a single side (one of the advantages of putting the first data layer at 0.1 mm). Rumors are circulating that both camps are scrambling to get a quad layer hybrid disc, or a dual-layer, dual-sided, disc out for launch. That would obviously boost moral in teh format and allow for better HD content and features. No official quad-layer hybrid discs have been announced.
Both groups plan on having players, media, and movies out for their respective formats by holiday season 2005, or early 2006. Initial player prices are expected to be $1000-$3000. Media is expected to be $30-$35, more for collector's editions. Most of the initial media will probably HD/DVD hybrids until there is a clear winner in the format war.
Recent indications show that many execs are picking sides and sticking to their guns. Most execs who had not picked a side before this year have been jumping on the Blu-ray bandwagon, citing a stronger alliance and better technology.
With all that being said ... let the wars begin!
Long live Blu-ray!
Jammrock
Format merger talks have officially ended. The result: there will be a format war. Toshiba refuses to use the Blu-ray hardware, citing that the 0.1mm depth before the first layer of data would require too much retooling and cause the media to cost too much money. Sony will not budge on moving to the DVD/HD-DVD standard 0.6 mm depth because 1) you cannot store nearly the amount of data when the layer starts so deep within the disc, and 2) the PS3 using Blu-ray hardware/disc technology is set in stone.
So now the format war is set to be upon us! In the Toshiba/HD-DVD arena we have the name. Everyone knows what a DVD is, so common logic would say that a HD-DVD would be better than everyone's beloved DVD format. Toshiba and the HD-DVD consortium is banking on name recognition and lower media/player prices to win the format war. Given Sony's track record in format wars ... Toshiba thinks they can pull it off. However ...
In the Blu-ray corner is 140 companies, including every major computer and technology company save Toshiba, NEC and Sanyo (of which on Toshiba actively makes PCs). Blu-ray has made thre HUGE blows against HD-DVD in the past month. Fox Home Entertainment, Lion's Gate Home Entertainment and Universal Music group have all pledged their sole loyalty to the Blu-ray format. On top of that, Blu-ray has two of the 3 largest electronics companies in the world behind it, Matsushita and Sony, plus most of the other major electronics companies - Philips, Samsung, LG, Pioneer, Hitachi, HP, Dell, Apple, Mitsubishi, Sharp, etc. - and media making masters TDK, Maxell, Fujifilm and everyone's favorite Taiyo Yuden. They also have studio backing from Fox, Lion's Gate, Disney, Universal, and Sony Pictures (duh).
Blu-ray is obviously planning on using their muscle and superior technology to win the format war. They will have to run a major advertising campaign to put their name in the lime-light, but that shouldn't be a problem with the size of marketing budgets behind them. Blu-ray is also banking on the PS3's popularity to get millions of blu-ray players in people's houses by the end of 2006.
On the technology front. HD-DVD announced that they have made a tripple layer HD-DVD disc that sports 45 GB of storage capacity, which is still 5 GB less than a two-layer BD (Blu-ray Disc). BDA (Blu-ray Disc Associateion) fired back two days later announcing that TDK has made a prototype 4-layer BD that sports 100 GB of storage capacity, which will be part of the BD 2x specifications.
HD-DVD then announced a hybrid DVD/HD-DVD disc technology, 1 x 4.5 GB DVD layer and 1 x 15 GB HD-DVD layer on a single side. BLu-ray fired back by announcing a triple layer hybrid disc with the full DVD-9 (8.5 GB on two layers) and a single 25 GB Blu-ray layer on a single side (one of the advantages of putting the first data layer at 0.1 mm). Rumors are circulating that both camps are scrambling to get a quad layer hybrid disc, or a dual-layer, dual-sided, disc out for launch. That would obviously boost moral in teh format and allow for better HD content and features. No official quad-layer hybrid discs have been announced.
Both groups plan on having players, media, and movies out for their respective formats by holiday season 2005, or early 2006. Initial player prices are expected to be $1000-$3000. Media is expected to be $30-$35, more for collector's editions. Most of the initial media will probably HD/DVD hybrids until there is a clear winner in the format war.
Recent indications show that many execs are picking sides and sticking to their guns. Most execs who had not picked a side before this year have been jumping on the Blu-ray bandwagon, citing a stronger alliance and better technology.
With all that being said ... let the wars begin!
Long live Blu-ray!
Jammrock
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