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Toshiba Develops 3-Layer DVD and HD-DVD

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the play-it-anywere dept.

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."

9 of 228 comments (clear)

  1. What is that whoosing sound that I hear by also-rr · · Score: 4, Funny

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

    --
    Think of the Children; Sleep with your Sister
    1. Re:What is that whoosing sound that I hear by ivan256 · · Score: 4, Informative

      There is already an existing technology to accomplish this with BluRay. In fact, there already existed a similar technology for HD-DVD, and this is just yet another way to do it. Both BluRay and HD-DVD have supported DVD compatable content on the same disc since 2004. (Sorry about the Reg link, but it was the first one I could find on google, and I'm too lazy to dig for a more reputable source. I know they are out there though.)

  2. Amazing! by Rendo · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

  3. Well done Toshiba by Kimos · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think we just figured out who's going to win in HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray...

  4. CD-RW/1/2/3-layer HD-DVD/DVD-R +/-RW by tverbeek · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    --
    http://alternatives.rzero.com/
  5. Re:Good news for Microsoft... by Milican · · Score: 4, Informative

    There is no HD-DVD player in a XBox 360...

    JOhn

    --
    Campaign for Liberty
  6. Now it's official by Overzeetop · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Since the entire net community has proven that 4.7GB DVDs are perfectly acceptable, this paves the way for barebones movies at 4.7GB plus the HD version on dual layer. They'll be marketed as "future proof" and they'll charge you an extra $5-10 for the privledge. And you'll happily pay it becuase you know if you buy the DVD version you'll probably want the HD version eventually, and the initial cost - resale of the DVD will probably be in the $5-10 range.

    Of course, if they really wanted HD-DVD to win, they'd _only_ produce the dual version. That way its a value added product, and you don't have to upgrade all the players in the house to get the most benefits. As you drop your DVD in favor of HD, your discs stay the same. Folks who are quality nuts will get an HD box pretty soon anyway, and the other 98% of the population will never know the difference of the lost 1-2GB of space.

    It is seriously brilliant. Marketing can still fumble th ball on this, but properly played this could be the difference in who wins the format war.

    --
    Is it just my observation, or are there way too many stupid people in the world?
  7. you have that backwards by User+956 · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    --
    The theory of relativity doesn't work right in Arkansas.
  8. Blu-ray camp showed this at IFA 2005 !!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    I can't believe it - is the Slashdot populated by demented anti-Sony fanbois?

    This "hybrid disc magic" might be considered high-tech and cutting-edge in the HD DVD world, but the exact same "features" was shown and demonstrated live back at last years IFA 2005 in Berlin in the Blu-ray Disc area ...

      http://www.blu-ray.com/ifa2005/

    Hybrid discs are actually part of the offcial BD-ROM spec and was one of the selling points last year when all HD DVD came up with was those lame "flippers" ...

    So don't buy into the Slashdot HD DVD hype, just accept the fact that everything you can do with HD DVD you can do better with BD. Storage capacity is 66% higher and the video interactivity is based on Sun's Java (just like the DVB standard).