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HD Recorder Can Use Standard DVDs
Stonent1 writes "Early next month Panasonic is going to release a DVD recorder that can store HD content on standard DVDs. The new device is expected to be a boon for the backer of the Blu-ray format; Blu-ray uses discs several times more expensive than standard DVD media. While the DVD discs won't have the capacity of a Blu-ray disc, the content will be of similar visual quality. 'The company said it will start selling three models of new DVD recorders capable of recording full HD programs on conventional DVD discs on November 1. The high-end model with a 500-gigabyte hard disk drive is likely to sell for 130,000 yen, Matsushita said.'" Update: 10/02 16:18 GMT by Z : Rewritten to clarify.
Head to head Blu-ray vs. HD DVD comparison
2+2=5 for very large values of 2.
Note the required bit I just mentioned, on HD-DVD the AACS layer is optional but on Blu-Ray it is a standard requirement for all commercially-pressed discs. I remember reading about this some months back about some smaller indie studios only releasing on HD-DVD simply because they could forego paying license fees to the AACS people (fees that cut into limited profit margins) and just release their discs DRM-free. That's not an option on Blu-Ray.
If I read this correctly it will record on standard dvd media using the blue ray laser.
This may be possible, if the dyes used on standard media will respond to the blue laser.
It would enable the pit size to be smaller and fit more data. I would suspect that it would
also work with single layer media, but hold about half as much content. The disks might not
be playable on a standard blue ray machine (without a firmware update).
Kinda pricey, but if Panasonic can get the cost down this would be a big boost to the blue ray camp.
Note that it should be even easier for the hd-dvd guys to do the same thing.
I'm pretty sure that the 18hr bit mentioned in the article is for 50GB BluRay disks but the article didn't clarify that part.
It does mention a 1TB hard drive can store 381hr of video which would mean the bitrate is roughly 5.8Mbps.
1TB - 381hr ~ 5.8Mbps
4.5GB DVD - 1.8hr
8.5GB DVD DL - 3.4hr
25GB BluRay - 9.5hr
50GB BluRay - 19.0hr
The above doesn't account for filesystem overhead, which is probably why my numbers are off a bit.
Not so. H.264 can fit a typical movie on a dual-layer DVDR at 1080p24, and a couple at 720p24. But why even bother going dual-layer? Save your money, and use a single layer 4.7G DVDR and use 720p24 -- easily enough for a single movie. You need to spend more time playing with H.264, it is truly a wonder of technology.
Compare that to Blu-ray, which is a "wonder why" technology.
Liberty you never use is liberty you lose.
You flipped that over -- it should be 2.6 GB per hour, not 2.6 hours per GB.
So a dual-layer DVD will hold about 3 1/3 hours. If they're getting more than that, they must be doing something different (disclaimer: I didn't RTFA and have no idea what they're claiming).
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130000 yen = $1126.84 oh yes.. give me those mods!! haha!
I wrote my first program at the age of six, and I still can't work out how this website works.