For the last several years, several corporate conglomerates have been meeting to attempt to hammer out a compromise on the next generation of optical disk technologies. There have been two main camps: Sony and Phillips, who created a technology called Blu-Ray, and Toshiba and Hitachi, who created a technology called HD-DVD. Both technologies basically do similar jobs, it allows for high definition movies to be recorded to disk. But there are underlying differences in how the two formats work. A few months ago, the two camps broke off talks, and now both formats will be launched into the consumer marketplace. Back in the 1980s, this war was raged with video tapes; the two formats being BetaMax and VHS (which eventually won the war). So what are the differences in the formats and what can we expect to see from the two camps?

HD-DVD, the technology being created by Toshiba and Hitachi, uses a slightly different but not terribly expensive new blue laser recording technology, so manufacturing companies will not have to spend as much to upgrade their equipment to create the new discs. HD-DVD is also the format that has already been launched into the marketplace. The maximum theoretical size that the format will support is 60 Gigabytes(GB). This is roughly just greater than ten times the size of current DVDs. The initial HD-DVD discs will hold 15GB of information for single-layered discs, while dual-layered discs will hold 30GB. The first wave of HD-DVD players and discs are already hitting stores now at a price around $500.00 with movies ranging from $25 to $30. The list of MPAA members supporting HD-DVD is as follows: Buena Vista Entertainment, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Universal Studios and Warner Bros. For those concerned with game console investments, the Xbox360 will have a HD-DVD add-on peripheral in the future, but will not support games with that format.

Blu-Ray, the technology created by Sony and Phillips, also uses a very similar new blue laser recording technology. The difference between the two formats is that if you imagine grooves on a record or CD, Blu-Ray makes the grooves far closer together. More grooves etched by the recorder means more information can be stored on the same size disc. The maximum theoretical size for Blu-Ray format is 200GB. That is roughly forty times the size of current DVDs, and over three times the storage capacity of HD-DVD. The initial first generation of discs that are single-layered will hold 25GB with dual-layered discs holding 50GB. Blu-Ray also supports Read/Write (RW) functions, so eventually consumers can use them just like DVD-RW drives. The discs will be coated by a special blue plastic that will make them very durable; but the new burning technology, however, means that manufacturers will have to spend more money to upgrade their equipment. Blu-Ray will also have the slower launch out of the gate, with the first mainstream consumer product launching in November; the Playstation 3. No set price has been given on the PS3 as of press deadline, but the reader will be $900.00 and movies are expected to be in the $25 to $30 range according to many analysts. The list of MPAA members supporting Blu-Ray is comprised of: 20th Century Fox, Buena Vista Entertainment, Electronic Arts, MGM Studios, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Walt Disney Studios, Vivendi Universal and Warner Bros.

Many companies, like Warner Bros., are straddling the fence rather than pick a side. Which side will win? That will be determined by our spending-dollar votes. Whichever side you pick, it should be a very interesting ride for the next few years!

Learn more about this author, Mark Bohdanyk.
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