General

Blu-ray vs. HD DVD

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Blu-ray:

  • Format developed by Apple, Dell, Disney, Sony, HP, Hitachi, LG Electronics, Matsushita, Mitsubishi, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK, 20th Century Fox, and more
  • Single-layer discs can hold ~25GB
  • Dual-layer discs can hold ~50GB
  • Spec includes support for multi-layer discs
  • Flavors include BD-ROM, BD-R, and BD-RE (rewritable)
  • 1x speed is defined as 36Mbps
  • Discs are NOT backwards compatible with today's DVD players
  • Higher-cost hardware compared to HD DVD
  • It's not Blue-ray, it's Blu-ray (for trademark purposes)

HD DVD:

  • HD DVD has been standardized by the DVD Forum (international association of 200+ companies)
  • Single-layer discs can hold ~15GB
  • Dual-layer discs can hold ~32GB (under development)
  • Discs will play in all currently-deployed DVD players
  • Single-layer discs hold
  • Spec includes “managed copy” function, making DRM licencees happy
  • Backed by Microsoft, which will release an Xbox 360 HD DVD kit in 2006
  • 20GB, HD resolution: over 5.5 hours
  • Sports a single-lens optical head (for more compact devices)

This is gonna be another pissing match, and consumers are going to lose. Actually, if consumers are forced to choose between HD DVD and Blu-Ray, I have no doubt that HD DVD will be the victor. Why? Price and compatibility! The stakes are far higher than they were with the VHS vs. Beta wars of the '80s, though. The ultimate winner may very well be the manufacturer who comes up with a unified player at an affordable level. I don't ever want to check my discs for a stupid compatibility logo – and neither do your parents.
My friend Geoff says: “Well, you're not entirely right or wrong. While HD-DVD will not play in current players there is a proposed release for HD-DVD where one side is HD and the other SD (sort of like the Dual Disc DVD / CD). Also Blu-Ray 50gb Dual Layer should be considered 'Under Development.' While Blu-Ray is backed by the companies listed, it was more developed by Sony. No one should be faulted for getting the details wrong on these two formats as neither camps have been very good at getting the information out there on exactly what the REALITY of their format is.”