High Definition DVD

Vinnie_333 writes "Looks like the specs for HD-DVD are currently being discussed by Hollywood big wigs, with an optimistic product release date of Xmas of 2003. Unfortunately, they seem to be completely disregarding the higher storage capacity of the Blu-Ray disc standard, that will hold 6 times the amount of a DVD-9, for the current red laser format with a different compression algorithm. Come on, more storage is always a good thing. Not only will it give us the quality we deserve, it is likely to cut down on Hollywood's largest fear (piracy) by making the media ungodly HUGE."

Comments

Did we not read the article?

[xigxag]

Unfortunately, they seem to be completely disregarding the higher storage capacity of the Blu-Ray disc standard, that will hold 6 times the amount of a DVD-9, for the current red laser format with a different compression algorithm.

Yet Another Inaccurate Slashdot Summary. (YAISS). That's not what the article says at all. The implication is that the haven't "disregarded" Blu-Ray, but that one particular studio, Warner, has found it lacking because it would require a brand new manufacturing process and this would preclude a quick launch date which is needed to compete with Fox's D-VHS. One analyst specifically states that Blu-Ray is likely to be supported by Sony/Columbia-Tristar.

Anyway, one point the article fails to mention is that a highly-compressed HD format which takes up 9 GB is unlikely to be further compressible without a substantial loss of quality. Someone would essentially have to copy all nine gigabytes in order to maintain HD quality. But a 30 to 50 GB Blu-Ray movie, loosely compressed, would be the basis of a very high quality DivX type dub. (It's like the difference between trying to recompress your mp3's as Oggs or going back to the source CD for a higher quality compression.) Not to mention that if it's a MS controlled format they'll easily be able to restrict a Palladium OS from copying the disk. So for those reasons, Hollywood might prefer to release Warner's format to the Sony/Philips backed Blu-Ray.