what the heck is 3x DVD-ROM

[dolphinius_rex]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about 3x DVD-ROM before the front page news? I don't know a single thing about it.

[Ian]

Has anyone heard ANYTHING about 3x DVD-ROM before the front page news? I don't know a single thing about it.

I had to look it up as well. From what I can gather, it was introduced at a DVD Forum Steering Committee meeting way back in June of 2005. This is the best explanation I've found:

http://www.dvdforum.org/hddvd-tech-intro-eng.htm

3X DVD-ROM Brings the higher data rate of HD DVD to the conventional format, enabling 135 minutes of HD content to be placed on a DVD-ROM, using AVC or VC-1 codecs.

Oh yeah.. it uses AACS too.

[pika2000]

Sounds like "SVCD-like" of the HD formats. If software companies like Nero can support this through their authoring programs, this will definitely be a hit for home users, at least until prices of HD-DVD burners/blanks go down.

Didn't blu-ray has a similar option too? I mean, HD-DVD/blu-ray/DVD, etc are just a medium. What matters is the file format/codec, etc. They can use CD if thay want to (Watch HD quality movie in just 20 CDs! ). Reminds me the days of installing programs/games from dozens of floppy disks.

[Ian]

According to Ars Technica, 3x DVD-ROM's are only 720p.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070219-8882.html

The transition to 3X will not come without sacrifices, however. In order to burn HD content to a 3X DVD-ROM disc, manufacturers will have to encode using VC-1 or AVC and lower their HD resolution from 1080p to 720p—something that may rub videophiles the wrong way.

[jsl]

Didn't blu-ray has a similar option too?

Yes, Warner wanted something similar for Blu-ray so there is BD9 too.

According to Ars Technica, 3x DVD-ROM's are only 720p.

http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070219-8882.html

I believe they're wrong. Or else DVDforum's own white paper is wrong: http://www.dvdforum.org/images/Forum_HD ... sal_24.pdf (page 2) Of course for 1080p on a DVD-9 disc it will have to be a short movie...

[Ian]

Of course for 1080p on a DVD-9 disc it will have to be a short movie...

I think you're right. According to that chart, it says you can get 2.6 hours of video at 1920x1080 resolution on a dual layer disc.

[Dartman]

I wonder if that was what LG tried to make a few years ago. It was posted to cd freaks or maybe AVS that they had a settop that could record one hour of hdtv to a dvd recordable disk.
I never really heard anything more about it and figured it got buried by the movie/etc industry. I've been hoping for a truly portable, affordable way to save my HDTV shows I like. So far the hd dvd and BD drives dont quite cut the affordable part.

[frank1]

The several-X format does already exist in double layer (DL)

It's produced in Australia . . .

http://www.xxxx.com.au

[Wesociety]

3X DVD-ROM is a joke. Say hello and goodbye.
I doubt we'll see this in any stores... ever.

Now as a recordable format, it might have some promise.
Recording home-made HD DVD high def video to a DVD9 sounds good to me!