G
GameAddict
Guest
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5364238.stm
Double disc might end hi-def war
Wall of screens at IFA show, AFP/Getty
Many people are buying big screens to show hi-def films
Inventors have come up with a design for a disc that can store copies
of films in rival high-definition formats.
A US patent has been filed for the discs that could hold both HD-DVD
and Blu-Ray versions of movies.
Currently movie makers and technology companies are dividing into camps
that back either one or the other of the two formats.
The creation of the discs could end the looming battle over the
different high-definition formats.
Format wars
The design of the disc patented in the US would have three layers. One
for a standard DVD version of a film and then one for each of the
competing formats.
The innovation is thought to be possible because the rival formats
store data on the discs at different depths.
Using reflective films should make it possible to store data for one
movie format in one layer but to see through that, if needed, to the
deeper layer which has the same movie in the rival format.
The engineers behind the idea reportedly work for the Warner Brothers
movie studio.
The idea could end the potential confusion that consumers face as
high-definition films in different formats start to go on sale.
Few movie studios are planning to release films in both high-definition
formats the majority are backing Blu-ray. Only three are backing
HD-DVD.
This week movie studio Universal announced it would not support the
Sony-backed Blu-Ray format.
In late September Warner Brothers will release the first movie in both
high-definition formats.
For consumers the issue is made more confusing because Microsoft and
Sony have backed different formats for their next generation games
consoles.
Industry analysts have predicted that the confusion could mean the
market for high-definition movies is stunted until one format becomes
dominant.
Double disc might end hi-def war
Wall of screens at IFA show, AFP/Getty
Many people are buying big screens to show hi-def films
Inventors have come up with a design for a disc that can store copies
of films in rival high-definition formats.
A US patent has been filed for the discs that could hold both HD-DVD
and Blu-Ray versions of movies.
Currently movie makers and technology companies are dividing into camps
that back either one or the other of the two formats.
The creation of the discs could end the looming battle over the
different high-definition formats.
Format wars
The design of the disc patented in the US would have three layers. One
for a standard DVD version of a film and then one for each of the
competing formats.
The innovation is thought to be possible because the rival formats
store data on the discs at different depths.
Using reflective films should make it possible to store data for one
movie format in one layer but to see through that, if needed, to the
deeper layer which has the same movie in the rival format.
The engineers behind the idea reportedly work for the Warner Brothers
movie studio.
The idea could end the potential confusion that consumers face as
high-definition films in different formats start to go on sale.
Few movie studios are planning to release films in both high-definition
formats the majority are backing Blu-ray. Only three are backing
HD-DVD.
This week movie studio Universal announced it would not support the
Sony-backed Blu-Ray format.
In late September Warner Brothers will release the first movie in both
high-definition formats.
For consumers the issue is made more confusing because Microsoft and
Sony have backed different formats for their next generation games
consoles.
Industry analysts have predicted that the confusion could mean the
market for high-definition movies is stunted until one format becomes
dominant.
