HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray: The great Battle optical disc
by: Phillip Kimpo Jr.
Gone are the days when all we had were compact discs, first for the music, and for storing data and movies. The DVD came next, boasting of what seemed then that tons of storage.
But as they say, times are changing rapidly, and this technology. Personal and business requirements for data storage - whether for music, movies, games or software - are beyond current capacities of optical discs.
Fortunately, two new players in the optical storage scene arrived - HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. The two share similarities, and at the same time competing against each other to become the new standard technology for the future. This match-up will ultimately determine the successor of DVD. While it may seem a boon for consumers to have two types of discs to choose from, the battle between the two disks can be disastrous for the industry.
HD-DVD
HD-DVD will be for High Density Digital Versatile Disc or HD Digital Video Disc. The look of the HD-DVD is well known - it is 120 mm in diameter, the same size as a CD and DVD. A single-sided HD-DVD can hold 15 GB of storage, while a double-sided can store 30 GB. A three-sided HD-DVD, courtesy of Toshiba tremendous opportunity, can contain 45 GB
HD-DVD uses iHD Interactive Format, which will allow interactive content to write for records.
Blu-Ray
Blu-Ray takes its name from the laser it uses - a 405 nm wavelength blue laser, which is also used by the HD-DVD. A single sided disc Blu-ray, which shares the same diameter with the HD-DVD, CD and DVD can hold 25 GB of storage, while a double-sided can store 50 GB
In consideration of the HD-DVD format interactive iHD, Blu-ray uses HDMV and software support Java to implement interactive menus.
Comparison
Factors going for HD-DVD:
The DVD Forum is its major industry daddy.The film, which counts among its ranks, Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, New Line Cinema and Paramount Pictures, supports format.The giants of the computer industry - Toshiba, NEC, Sanyo The DVD Forum, Microsoft and Intel - also support HD-DVD and HD-DVD format.All players are backwards compatible, which means they will always support DVDs.It former is cheaper and faster to produce the Blu-Ray.
Factors going for Blu-Ray:
Blu-Ray has the support of the largest global electronics companies - Sony, HP, Dell, Pioneer, Philips, Panasonic, Samsung, Apple, LG Electronics, Mitsubishi and Electric.There are also companies in the entertainment industry who maintain format - Electronic Arts, MGM, Walt Disney and 20th Century Fox.The PlayStation 3 will support Blu-ray discs.Blu-Ray have data transfer rates faster than-Ray discs have counterparts.Blu storage capacity greater than their counterparts.
As you can see, each party has its advantages and disadvantages. It's really too hard to call this stage as to who wins. But one thing is certain - the commercial industry disdains this battle of attrition, like any format war has the potential to divide the market into two submarkets incompatible, these smaller markets means that the format war is killing income.
Phillip Kimpo Jr. suggests http:opticalstorage.org for more information on optical discs, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. A member of the Association for Computing Machinery, the author is also with Isulong SEOPH.
About the author
Phillip Kimpo Jr. suggests http:opticalstorage.org for more information on optical discs, HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. A member of the Association for Computing Machinery, the author is also with Isulong SEOPH.