Just
recently, Warner
applied for a patent on a triple format disc which would feature dedicated layers for Blu-ray, HD DVD and standard DVD to allow the same disc to be played in both next generation DVD players as well as current DVD players. However, after some analysis on this, it looks like Warner's proposed format will fail before it even gets put to use.
First of
all, the new disc will need to be checked for compatibility with existing players. New equipment for production lines would need to be developed to press these discs and the requirement of pressing three different types of layers potentially means higher manufacturing costs in the process, never mind a more complicated disc pressing process. By the time the disc has been successfully developed, tested and production lines are ready, the next generation format war may show a clear winner, in which the less popular format would gradually be done away with.
Even if
the new disc reaches the market with no clear sign of a format winner, the triple format disc will only support one layer for each format. At present, the vast majority of content on DVDs uses both layers and all HD DVDs on the market currently use both layers. This means that in order to fit the content on the new triple format disc, the quality and/or extra features would need to be compromised in order to fit the content within a single layer for the given format.
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Examining the actual proposal reveals a more serious problem. The disc will include one DVD layer (4.5GB), one HD DVD layer (15 GB) and one Blu-Ray layer (25GB). Many current DVDs require two layer discs. Almost all current HD-DVD discs require two layers. While the larger Blu-Ray layer can support many films, the studios plan to take advantage of the double-layer Blu-Ray disks. This means that only a fraction of currently published films could easily use this disk format. In particular, restricting HD DVD to only one layer would represent a huge compromise, either in quality, features, or films that could use the format. Most news reports seem to have missed the critical point that there is not enough space for each of the three formats on this over-crowded disk. The full article can be |
With the upcoming HD DVD/DVD combo's expected to cost $5 more than the Blu-ray only versions, it is a fairly clear sign that a hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD/DVD disc would cost more than $5 extra to purchase, something that will put off some consumers. If consumers find out that these discs do not provide the quality of a disc for a specific format, not to mention the extra cost, this will most likely put even more consumers off.
In a way, this format would be like developing a new 'universal" fuel that works in both petrol and diesel cars such that consumers don't have to worry about putting the right fuel in. But with the drawbacks of this format revealed, it is starting to look like the equivalent to the new fuel costing more than either of the standard two and without the same performance of either also.
Source: TV Predications
