Toshiba Develops 3-Layer DVD and HD-DVD

morpheus83 writes, "Toshiba, in collaboration with disk manufacturer Memory Tech Japan, has successfully combined a HD-DVD and DVD to a single 3-layer, twin-format disk. The resulting disk conforms to DVD standards so it can be played on DVD players, and also on HD-DVD players after upgrading the firmware. The disk can have either Single Layer DVD (4.7GB) + Dual Layer HD DVD (30GB); or Dual Layer DVD (8.5GB) + Single Layer HD DVD (15GB). There will not be a long wait as the new disk can be produced on the existing HD-DVD mass production line with minor process additions."

Comments

What is that whoosing sound that I hear

[also-rr]

Amazing, who would have though that both Sony Stock and Sony Executives would accelarate at the same rate on their way down.

Re:What is that whoosing sound that I hear

[Anonymous Coward]

Hey, they couldn't have known about this. They were too busy blowing Ray at the time.

Amazing!

[Rendo]

Say for example you're married like I am. You could use the DVD format for kids videos, pictures etc etc and install a DVD only drive on your wife's machine. Your machine however could have a HD-DVD drive and the HD-DVD side could be your porn, and she'd never know. This, by far, will save many marriages that are destroyed by porn.

CD-RW/1/2/3-layer HD-DVD/DVD-R +/-RW

[tverbeek]

Oh, no, consumers won't find this confusing at all.

Re:CD-RW/1/2/3-layer HD-DVD/DVD-R +/-RW

[also-rr]

Maybe they can take a leaf out of the USB camp's book and call them Video Disc High Definition and Video Disk Full Definition.

So...burning twice?

[beckerist]

Does this mean that to burn a movie that will be compatible on both systems, I would have to burn it twice? I certainly hope there is some software out there to do this, but then again...would that mean that it supports upconverting a DVD AND downconverts an HD-DVD, depending on the format of the original media?

Ohhh wait, it's DRM'd...never mind!

Counterpoint

[Dobeln]

My guess is that Sony will still win this one, thanks to the Umpteen PS3-installed BluRay players that will eventually fill the market.* Unless HD-DVD players become really cheap really fast, I can't see them matching the installed base that will rumble into place as soon as Sony get their act together.

* This does not imply that I believe the PS3 will crush the XBox360 - Microsoft will probably gain marketshare this generation. But Sony will still sell a bucketload of PS3:s, giving them the edge in the HD wars.

Re:Counterpoint

[Rix]

I can't see them matching the installed base that will rumble into place as soon as Sony get their act together.

I don't think there's any danger of that happening.

Re:Didn't help SACD

[John Miles]

SACD is a streming bit format. each bit signals either an up or down step on the waveform, rather than having sampled bytes indicating a complete level. This is why you can't really start an SACD song in the middle of the song.

I think I'll go back to bed now, on the grounds that the day can only get weirder after reading something like that.

you have that backwards

[User 956]

Your machine however could have a HD-DVD drive and the HD-DVD side could be your porn, and she'd never know. This, by far, will save many marriages that are destroyed by porn.

Far more importantly, it will save all the porn that is destroyed by marriage.

Buying advice

[briancnorton]

Now Do I need a CD-R/DVD+/-RW-DL/HDDVD-SL or a CD-R/DVD+/-RW-SL/HDDVD-DL?