Toshiba Develops Recordable High Definition DVDs

[Clint DeBoer]

Japan's Toshiba Corp. said Wednesday that it has developed the technology to mass-produce recordable high-definition DVDs. The advance is the latest step in a heated global race to establish a world standard for the next-generation of optical disks, which are expected to offer sharper images than current DVDs. Toshiba said the new technology, developed jointly with Mitsubishi Kagaku Media Co. and Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories Inc., will enable the manufacture of single-recording HD-DVD disks with 15-gigabyte storage capacity. Disc manufacturers, currently producing recordable DVD disks, will only have to make minor modifications to be able to produce the new higher-definition kind, Toshiba said.

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[zoobcool]

This is just like the Betamax vs. VHS thing and both included Sony and for both Sony's is the better of the two. I really just would like it if Sony and Toshiba would just swallow their pride and compromise for the better. Each one has advantages and disadvantages so if they combine we could get just get straight on advantages. However, Sony does have the upperhand with the PS3 supporting Blu-Ray for its games. I just hope that the technology won't get too expensive.

[soniceuphoria]

Toshiba was the first company to offer a home use dvd player and will be the first to offer HD-DVD. I think that if they launch line of recordable and non-recordable discs before SONY that they will win this battle regardless of the blue ray integration in the new PS3. Happy Listening.
Greg

[b_panther_g]

Originally Posted by soniceuphoria

...regardless of the blue ray integration in the new PS3...

Funny you should mention that.

I've seen several people on several forums write about blu-ray being part of the PS3. Some how that's supposed to mean that HD-DVD is doomed...

I just don't see it. Toshiba is releasing HD-DVD drives and recorders for computers. I don't care how good it is, I just can't see the PS3 out selling HD-DVD ROM drives.

If Sony didn't release the PS3 with blu-ray – I think the battle would be VERY short. Even now I don't know that the PS3 w/ blu-ray is enough. Even if Toshiba doesn't sell many stand alone players – they stand to make a killing on the PC front.

Either way, I don't care who wins. I'm more concerned with the quality of the movies.

Just because video and music can potentially look and sound great, it doesn't mean that studios will give a crap. What's stopping them from just pushing out a steady stream of lousy DVDs? There should be a minimum acceptable standard or something.

Well these are just my thoughts. I hope that there will be a clear winner quickly and that the movie and music will be of the highest quality. And I hope for world peace, lots of money, and that Angelina Jolie will fall madly in lust w/ me for at least 1 month! Oh well, until then...

Enjoy,
Panther

[soniceuphoria]

I agree with you on all fronts. No matter how well the PS3 does on the market I believe that the computer market will drive the HD-DVD to the winners circle. When you look at the numbers, 8 out of 10 households own a computer, and 5 out of 10 households have a gaming console (even less with a Playstation). The industrial market alone will be a strong enough driving force behind HD-DVD to keep it afloat even if the consumer market struggles at first for the simple reason of cost effective file storage. Instead of 100 or so CD's to back up a computers files you will only need 3. The movie industry will either submit to the demands of the consumers (higher quality sound and video) or be left in the dust. In the end we will all be the winners of this "mines bigger" war with our high capacity storage discs and HD movies. Happy Listening.
Greg

Technology only gets better (and cheaper) with time.

[korgoth]

no way.. hd dvd will blow up first yes, but is it really anything special? this blank disc only holds 15 gigs. a dual layer can hold 10.

its really not that impressive. ps3 will push sooo many people towards blue ray.. anyone that has a ps3 is going to also have a computer.

the rivalry is not about pride its about money. they already tried to negotiate, but no one wanted to lose all the progress they already made.

and what is this comment about instead of needing 100 cd's to back up your computer you only need 3.. hd dvd isnt crap. if people dont use their dual layer burner now.. chances are they wont be interested in a hd burner either. so more likely the scenario is, i can back up my computer with 4 discs, but hd can do it in 3.

and blue ray can do it in 2.


whats makes you think br isnt going to have a disc drive? i think they already do. ps3 is just the platform that will introduce br, then the consumers will buy a br drive for their computer as well.

[Jedi2016]

Not only that, but many computer manufacturers are fully behind Blu-Ray. Dell, HP, etc.. their computers will start launching with Blu-Ray burners next year. When it comes to computer usage, HD-DVD has no advantage whatsoever.. it's all about space, and Blu-Ray has more.

The PS3 thing is a much bigger deal than many people seem to think. It's the Trojan Horse thing. In the form of a video game machine, Sony will flood the market with millions of Blu-Ray players. And they're going to make damn sure that every Tom, ****, and Harry knows it. HD-DVD may have the early start, but this time next year, it'll be the Blu-Ray movies that are flying off the shelves while the HD-DVD movies collect dust. And when people start asking why such-and-such a movie isn't on Blu-Ray, why they should have to spend many hundreds of dollars on an HD-DVD player when they already have a Blu-Ray player at home (in Little Johnny's PS3), the studios will start listening. While companies like Sony-owned Columbia and MGM will probably never release anything on HD-DVD, the other companies like Warner Bros and New Line will start releasing on both formats. And HD-DVD will simply fade away, forgotten. It'll take time, but it'll happen. That little PS3 may not mean much to some people, but that move could very well win this war for Blu-Ray.

[furrycute]

Blu-ray has almost 2x the storage capacity compared to HD-DVD.

I am already sick and tired of using so many DVD-Rs for backups, I would much prefer the higher capacity Blu-ray discs.

But one thing though, I would hate to see those ridiculous copy protection schemes they are cooking. I would like to copy a movie or music disc once in a while for personal backups. If either format has any form of nonduplicable copy protection, I am ditching that format in no time.

[Spiffyfast]

Honestly I dont care which one wins as long as they figure it out soon so we can all start reaping the benefits of HD movies in either format, personally I dont want to play the waiting game and not buy movies in a certain format b/c I dont know which will last. There should only be one format at all, stupid corporations....

[mitch57]

I think everbody needs to take a few steps back and look at history. Why haven't SACD and DVD-A become a main stream format? Because the consumer, and by the consumer I mean the main stream average Joe Blow who owns a TV and a DVD player, could care less about the latest and greatest format.

Most consumers are casual viewers and listners. If they think highly compressed MP3s are good enough for them to enjoy music what makes anyone think that a new high resolution format which requires them to buy yet another new piece of gear is going to make them happy?

The way I see it, if we have another format war we will all lose. The consumer, Sony, and Toshiba. Currently I see it as a no win situation until Sony and Toshiba come to the table and agree on one standard format.

Just my 2 pennies worth.