HD-DVD support was a last minute switch, Microsoft says

September 28, 2005

WARM3CH used our news submit to tell us some more late breaking news found on the Microsoft HD-DVD decision in this interview given by a Microsoft representative to Tom's Hardware: "Microsoft brings six reasons to back HD DVD rather than Blu-ray, including the interesting claim that Blu-ray, despite the claims for higher storage capacity, could only deliver 25GB while HD DVD could deliver 30GB disks."

"Until now, we viewed ourselves more as a technology provider for both groups," said Jordi Ribas, Microsoft's director of technology strategy for Windows Digital Media and a key developer of the VC-1 codec currently in use by both HD DVD and Blu-ray. He revealed that Microsoft and Intel had produced a list of what he called "key requirements for the success of next-generation DVD."

For several months, while those requirements were being circulated, both companies worked on developing key standards to be implemented by both formats. Ribas said he was directly involved with implementing the VC-1 codec, and also worked jointly with Disney to produce the iHD interactive layer considered by both camps, but eventually adopted only by HD DVD (Disney is a member of the Blu-ray Disc Association.) During that time, Intel and Microsoft both maintained their public neutrality. But very recently, from the two companies' perspective, things started unraveling unexpectedly for Blu-ray.

The claim mentioned in the article is valid only because the HD-DVD disc mentioned is dual layer and it is being compared to the single layer 25GB Blu-ray, not really a fair comparison as Blu-ray can obviously provide a dual layer as well and therefore a moot point. However, what about some of the other advantages?

Those interested can check out the entire interview over at Tom's Hardware Guide and possibly give us their take on
the decision from Microsoft.

Source: Tom's Hardware Guide