Toshiba Announces Dual Layer HD-DVD Transitional Disc

[Audioholics]

<P><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2>This week Toshiba Corp. and Memory-Tech Corp.&nbsp;said they have co-developed a dual layer DVD that can play on both existing machines and the upcoming high-definition (HD-DVD) players. The intended goal is for a smooth transition as people gradually acquire the new HD players and upgrade to HDTVs. The new disc has a dula layer surface - one&nbsp;containing the standard 4.7GB DVD layer and the other being a 15GB HD-DVD layer. They claim that current DVD stamping technology can be used to make the new dual-layer discs and the cost will be identical to current dual-layer DVD production. This is good news for the consumer as backwards compatibility is important in ensuring this transition is quickly embraced by consumers.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>[Read the AP Article]</FONT></P>

 

[howie85]

What do you think if they can make the upconversion machines good and looks like cheap someone like me with over 300 titles on dvd continue on with the same format. Or is this a way for the marketing to add another format that will oblsolete others and eventually force all new purchases . Also the price point of the regular dvd is pretty good about what it would cost to go listen so someone's baby crying in a theater over your movie..LOL I guess i will have to see how good the "HD" dvd will look compared to one the is converted to hd via the software available? Whats next another different connection only for this format so we have DVI HDMI and whatever else they dream up all not compatable and proprietary? Perhaps the new upconversion machines will steal the fire of the new format and it will be another VHS vs BETA thing. With all the extras the get on one DVD now what is the need for all the new format? Additional space? Currently i have dvds that have the movie in both formats w/s and pan scan plus 5.1 in DD or DTS all on the same disc with interactive menus. Guess im done now. Thanks for the vent.
Curt

 

[Duffinator]

I guess i will have to see how good the "HD" dvd will look compared to one the is converted to hd via the software available? Perhaps the new upconversion machines will steal the fire of the new format and it will be another VHS vs BETA thing.

Doubtful. With the promise of 1080P it will look spectacular, of course you will need a TV capable of displaying 1080P, which are now available with more coming online next year . Even 1080i will be an improvement over the current 480P. Regardless how 480P material is scaled it's still 480P.

With all the extras the get on one DVD now what is the need for all the new format? Additional space? Currently i have dvds that have the movie in both formats w/s and pan scan plus 5.1 in DD or DTS all on the same disc with interactive menus. Guess im done now. Thanks for the vent. Curt

See above.

 

[howie85]

Like i said i guess ill have to see how they look. My rant may not sound like it but I am all for the idea of better resolution i am just skeptical of what they will allow the pesants to have given the studio's guarded nature of their product. Although at this point source material origionally recorded in HD is pretty limited so I suppose there will have to be some upconversion at some point either in your house on your player or at their studio before they record it to disc? Im hoping for the best but expecting to get hosed somehow, like i mentioned before yet another connection only compatible with the "new" format and all the hardware associated with it to be able to view it?
Curt
Off i go to spend some more dough!!

 

[Duffinator]

Yep, the HD DVD vs. Blu-Ray DVD is going to be a mess and we will be the ones footing the bill!

 

[Jedi2016]

There's one big downside to this "dual-format" disc that it's creators have conveniently forgotten to mention:

The disc is only one DVD layer and one HD-DVD layer. How long has it been since movies were encoded on only one layer?

While it's an interesting concept, both the DVD film and HD-DVD film will have double the compression than a normal dual-layer disc would hold. In other words, both versions would be inferior to the normal dual-layer DVDs and HD-DVDs.

I was under the impression that Blu-Ray had already done this, creating dual-format discs? And I think they have the advantage in that their format supports more than two layers.. so you could have a dual-layer DVD and a dual-layer BD movie on the same disc. Along with the film's soundtrack on a CD layer.

Maybe I'm getting it confused with the BD/CD hybrid.. like today's DualDisc format, but on one side, with BD and CD. But if they can do CD, surely can do DVD as well.

 

[REWJR]

Toshiba's triple layer HD-DVD player

It's over ...

http://www.toshiba.co.jp/about/press/2005_05/pr1002.htm

 

[LDanix]

I was under the impression that Blu-Ray had already done this, creating dual-format discs? And I think they have the advantage in that their format supports more than two layers.. so you could have a dual-layer DVD and a dual-layer BD movie on the same disc. Along with the film's soundtrack on a CD layer.

Maybe I'm getting it confused with the BD/CD hybrid.. like today's DualDisc format, but on one side, with BD and CD. But if they can do CD, surely can do DVD as well.

If I'm thinking right, most (or maybe just some) SACDs have a CD layer on the same side as the SACD layer. Sony already has the technology, if they wanted, they could easily add it to the DVD/BD hybrid. But I don't think that they will for the simple reason that seperate sound tracks make extra money. Why give this to the consumer when they're clearly willing to pay for it? <thinking> Although, this could be another advantage to add to BD's list.