Tech Titans Prepare to Battle Over Next DVD Format

securitas writes "The New York Times Technology has an excellent feature by Ken Belson about the coming battle over the next-generation DVD format that consumer electronics and technology giants are already preparing for. The article covers the (high-definition) HD DVD group, led by Toshiba and NEC, and the Blu-ray Group, led by Sony and Matsushita (Panasonic/JVC). Mass production is expected to begin in 2005, but both sides are expected to show prototypes and aggresively pursue partners at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week. Add to the mix a nine-company Chinese faction that says it will develop its own DVD format because - fearing their technology could be used by Chinese rivals - the Japanese manufacturers haven't shared much information, even within the DVD Forum. Finally, Disney, Microsoft, IBM and Intel have yet to weigh in. The worst thing that could happen would be another Betamax/VHS-type war. In that case, 'Everyone is a loser, particularly Hollywood studios, the retailer community and, most importantly, the consumer,' says Warren N. Lieberfarb, developer of the original DVD format."

Comments

FWIW

[bschmitt]

For those unfamiliar with the techs, the spec set forth by Toshiba/Nec is backward compatible with the now current tech. The blu-ray is not backwards compatible.

I would like see the next-gen players be able to play both disks, I have ALOT! I also happen to favor Toshiba they make one of the better players out there for picture/sound.

Re:FWIW

[GizmoToy]

If you had read the article you would have seen that the Blu-Ray format IS backwards compatible. NEC's solution combines the red and blue lasers into one lens assembly, while the Blu-Ray system uses two separate laser assemblies. Both will be capable of playing current-generation DVDs and CDs.

Re:Most importantly?

[ldspartan]

Believe it or not, you can draw attention to something by mentioning it first _or_ last. Language can be subtle that way.

what ever happened to FMD?

[gabe]

I'd heard about Fluorescent Multilayer Discs years ago, but what's happened to them since? They were supposed to hold almost 20 times as much data as a 4.7GB DVD. So, where are they?

Not that I really want a new format or anything. I just think FMDs are cool. DVDs are a-ok for me, and I just bought a DVD burner (which supports all the damned various formats), so why are they making something new, again. Can we just have some media technology that lasts for more than 10 years?

Re:what ever happened to FMD?

[Salamander]

The company (Constellation 3D) working on it finally failed several months ago. The problem didn't seem to be with the basic technology, which actually did work (so I wouldn't really call it vaporware), but with issues such as manufacturing the lens assemblies and the disks themselves for reasonable cost. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the idea reappears after materials and manufacturing technologies have advanced a bit to make real-world products feasible. Or perhaps the manufacturing problems were truly intractable. It's really hard to tell, but I wouldn't write the whole idea off just yet. We may yet see LEP/OLED or iridescence displays too; it's just the nature of bleeding-edge technology that you have to try a couple of times before you know whether the second- and third-order problems are solvable.

DVD Demystified

[Anonymous Coward]

DVD Demystified is an interesting website with a very informative book behind it. It contains a history of the original DVD wars 1994 - 1997 and explains how the format only came about as a result of unprecedented cooperation between the big ten companies.

Will we see that kind of cooperation again? Probably not. There's too much incentive to play dirty, after the massive success of DVD.

FWIW the book also contains far, far more tech background on the DVD format, MPEG-4, visual theory, etc. than anybody except Slashdotters will ever want to absorb.