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Blu-Ray DVDs Hit 100 GB

Posted by Zonk on from the that's-a-lot-of-movie dept.

Xesdeeni writes "According to The Register and MacWorld, TDK has unveiled a Blu-Ray DVD with four layers that will hold a whopping 100 GB of data. This is shortly after the previously reported HD-DVD announced three-layer HD-DVD that would hold a "mere" 45 GB. Unfortunately, this is also on the heels of the news that the HD DVD unification talks have stalled."

2 of 349 comments (clear)

  1. Not stalled, they are meeting again by The-Bus · · Score: 4, Informative
    Sony, Toshiba presidents to meet on new DVD format

    5/18/05

    TOKYO (Reuters) - The presidents of Japanese electronics giants Sony , Toshiba and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. will meet to try to break a stalemate in talks over a unified format for next-generation DVD technology, a source close to the matter said on Tuesday. Sony and Toshiba, leading rival camps, have waged a three-year battle to have their new technology standards adopted by the industry. The winner will have pole position in the multi-billion-dollar markets for DVD players, PC drives and optical discs.

    The high-level talks offer new hope for negotiations that appeared to have reached an impasse. A senior Toshiba official was quoted by the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on Monday as saying one format based on Sony technology would be "extremely difficult." Both sides still believe one standard is the best scenario, knowing that a prolonged format battle like the one between VHS and Betamax two decades ago would likely discourage consumers from shifting to advanced discs and stifle the industry's growth.

    (continued)


    They know they need to collude if they want to maximize profits. Not having a standard is going to hurt everybody.
    --

    Small potatoes make the steak look bigger.

  2. Re:Multiple Standards by soupdevil · · Score: 5, Informative

    A stereo mix gives you just two channels into which you have to place all of your content. Generally bass content is placed fairly equally into both channels, and bass takes up a large percentage of the energy an average speaker can produce. So it's quite difficult to carve out a unique space on the virtual stage for each instrument, balancing frequency, amplitude, depth, etc., for all the instruments and allow each of them to be heard without overwhelming either of the speakers.
    Surround, especially with a separate subwoofer, gives you a much larger virtual stage, which allows you to make creative choices with your instrument placement, and rather than having to squeeze them into what's left of a stereo speaker's capacity.