Microsoft and Intel have gone public
with their decision to join the HD DVD
Supporters. Why this sudden change of
stance after months of neutrality in this
battle? How have they become from technology
providers for both groups, sustainers
of the HD DVD format?
The format of the next-generation of
DVDs has started a long battle (some three
years ago) between Toshiba and Sony, the
key supporters in the HD DVD Promotion
Group and Blu-ray Disc Association.
Leaving aside rivalries between the recent
HD DVD sustainers and some of the members
of the Blu-ray Disc Association, let us
see how the technical part influenced
this decision. The two giants have reportedly
decided to back up the variant that is
the most performant according to their
criteria, from the point of view of consumer
and industry requirements. And this is
what Stephen Balogh, director of optical
media standards and technologies at Intel
declared: "We wanted to choose the format
that has the highest probability of this
market taking off".
Let us briefly review the main reference
areas for performance analysis of optical
format for high definition cited by Microsoft
and Intel, and which are considered to
be best represented by what HD DVD delivers:
- Managed copy, a first for DVDs - the
consumer is allowed to make copies of
discs to a hard drive or home server.
- Support for hybrid discs - a single
disc can store both high-definition
and standard-definition versions of
a film, that can be read in both current
DVDs and future players.
- Low-cost, high-volume manufacturing.
- Superior disc storage capacity.
- Higher interactivity standards - enhanced
content, navigation and value-added
functionality for high-definition films.
Naturally, the ideal situation (for consumers'
best interest) would be unifying the two
formats. There were some brief talks on
this between Sony and Toshiba earlier
this year, but no outcome unfortunately.
Though the players for both formats will
not be issued until spring next year,
the rivalry between the two groups of
supporting companies sharpens. Now, HD
DVD sustainers have won a battle by getting
as allies the world's largest software
maker and the world's largest microchip
maker, but the war is far from being over.
Probably, as it normally should happen,
the winners of this "war" will be designated
in the end by the consumer. That is, may
the best disc win!
This article was posted on September
29, 2005
