DVD Forum Steering Committee Results

[Ian]

Some of the highlights the meeting on the 22nd:

http://www.dvdforum.org/27scmtg-resolution.htm

5 Concept of Dual Layer DVD-R
6 Specifications for Dual Layer DVD-R Version 2.9
7 Optional Specifications for 16x-speed DVD-R Revision 6.0
8 Optional Specifications for 12x-speed DVD-R Revision 5.0
9 Optional Specifications for 6x-speed DVD-RW Revision 3.0
10 DVD Specifications for High Density Rewritable Disc Physical Specification Ver. 1.0
11 DVD Specifications for High Density Rewritable Disc
Optional Specifications (1x speed) Rev. 1.0
12 DVD Specifications for High Density Recordable Disc Physical Specification Ver. 0.9
13 DVD Specifications for High Density Recordable Disc
Optional Specifications (1x speed) Rev. 0.9

Still no word on the speed of Dual Layer DVD-R

[dolphinius_rex]

Hrm, nothing surprising here...

Good to know things are official now though!

[Wesociety]

HD DVD and HD DVD-ROM logos approved.

[dolphinius_rex]

HD DVD and HD DVD-ROM logos approved.

And such an original design too!

[Phoenix '97]

/me waits for High Speed to get tacked onto the side as with CD-RW

[Boba_Fett]

I don't understand it, wouldn't the big companies make more money if they decided on ONE freakin' next-gen standard? Haven't they learned ANYTHING at all from the DVD-R VS DVD+R wars? Dammit. I think Blu-Ray has the upper hand this time though...

[dolphinius_rex]

I don't understand it, wouldn't the big companies make more money if they decided on ONE freakin' next-gen standard? Haven't they learned ANYTHING at all from the DVD-R VS DVD+R wars? Dammit. I think Blu-Ray has the upper hand this time though...

Yup, Blu-Ray is kicking HDDVD's butt in every way I can think of!
Capacity, corporate support, hardware support, technical advancments!. I mean, Sony is working on a freaking 300GB Blu Ray disc right now.... *300GB* what the heck does HD-DVD have to compete against that?

The DVD-R vs. DVD+R war started out favouring DVD-R, and now the two formats are basically even (depending on where you live, in my area DVD-R still outsells DVD+R 100:1 at least!). But with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, I really doubt the competition will be this even. The only thing HD-DVD has is that it's "official".

I wonder what the current DVD pressing plants will upgrade to? With DVD+R and DVD-R, they both stemmed from a single type of pressed disc, a DVD. But now we have two different standards for pressed discs... so this could get interesting!

[Wesociety]

And such an original design too!

I agree... they need to fire that graphic designer! lol

[Geoffman]

The only thing HD-DVD has is that it's "official".

And support from Micro$oft in Longhorn from what I understand.

[Halc]

HD-DVD and Blu-Ray are two different things for two different purposes.

While pirates may want one standard to rule them all, it could well be that commercial needs dictate the existence of two.

First, it is well known that Blu-Ray is in several ways 'superior' from a consumer point of view.

However, as it is backed by all major computer makers, it is somewhat an insecure format for movie studios, unless they can rule complete control over it (which they can't).

Movie studios have learned they lesson with DVD and will not try to screw up the second generation MOVIE DVD (stress on the word MOVIE) format.

They want it to be secure. Away from computers. In the dvd set top box domain.

After all, they probably wouldn't be even announcing a new hd dvd format at this point, if the piracy of dvd movies hadn't gotten so much out of hand.

Now, movie studios can have their 'own' format with HDDVD and dictate all sorts of limitations to computer hardware makers who want to make drives using this standard.

So, I foresee in the near future, that computers will come equipped with the superior data capacity of Blu-Ray format drives, whereas HDDVD will be destined for set top box MOVIE dvd players.

Two formats, two purposes.

Of course, I'd like to see them converge as well, but I can't blame movie studios for at least attempting to slow down the inevitable piracy of next generation dvd movie release.

After all, one must remember that if the hd dvd movie releases are compromised and the quality is at the top range of what has been promised, it's basically an open avenue of pirate cinema market.

And I don't mean pirate dvd, but walk-inside-a-cinema-and-watch-a-digital-projection-of-a-ripped-hd-dvd type of piracy.

I'm sure Hollywood studios are afraid of that as well, as movies (the regular cinema) is a big moneymaker for them.

Then again, I could be all wrong. It has happened before.

Personally I'll be happy to ignore the hd-dvd format if Blu-Ray takes off, is reliable and cheap enough for general purpose use.

However, as with everything about the future, only time will tell..

regards,
halcyon