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Java to Appear in Next-Gen DVD players
Ivan P. writes "Sun Microsystems's Java technology will be built into Blu-ray DVD players, executives said on Monday during Sun's JavaOne trade show, a development that advances the technology in the consumer electronics market for which Sun originally developed the software. 'Java will be used for control menus, interactive features, network services and games,' said Yasushi Nishimura, director of Panasonic's Research and Development Company of America. 'This means that all Blu-ray Disc player devices will be shipped equipped with Java.'" Next stop, annoying Flash intros.
Microsoft's codec is in the HD-DVD spec
The inclusion of Java could lead to nicer open source DVD authoring apps that would allow easier control over menu workings. And it's a lot nicer to have a standard language underneath rather than the cryptic menu building language of todays DVD's.
At the very least those games they always throw on kids DVD's might not be so awful to play if they do not have to be shoe-horned into a system never really designed for games.
"There is more worth loving than we have strength to love." - Brian Jay Stanley
Because Java is slow, takes a lot of processor cycles,
As shown by Linpack benchmarks run last year, Java can run at up to 95% of the speed of optimised C++.
and eats memory like there's no tomorrow.
Embedded Java systems can run in as little as a few hundred KB of memory.
This is going to seriously hinder blu-ray adaption.
Just as the use of Java on mobile phones has (not) hindered the production of Java games and applications for those phones?
A Java implementation means at least 30% more processor power and memory than otherwise needed.
Why not look at the real situation and not present a years-old outdated view of Java?
In Tivo's case, it actually is Java. The interface used to be very quick and snappy. Then they decided to push the Home Media Option out to all users
The problem with your reasoning is that the quick and snappy UI was also in Java.
a) Java was DESIGNED for embedded systems, first and foremost. That's why it is hardware-agnostic; because it allows the hardware makers to throw in whatever chips are cheap in bulk at the time, change on a whim, and still push out the same upgrade to everyone. Being cross-platform in the MacOS/Linux/Windows way was just sort of a side-effect. Think about how much this will benefit set-top manufacturers!!
b) Java isn't interpreted anymore... its just-in-time compiled and then executed as native code. A bit of a start-up pause while the classes compile, that's all.
Jeremy