Total HD – Super Disc - An update on the battle between Blu-ray and HD-DVD

Alright, we’ve all been following the heated battle between the new Blu-ray and HD-DVD technologies. If you’d like a little refresher on what’s conspired so far, please refer to my article titled "New CD and DVD Technology – Blu-Ray and HD-DVD". This will run you through how each disc type functions, why they’re better than normal DVD media, and the differences between the two types. But I digress, this article is about the industry’s newest solution to the problem of having two new, very similar products, and how they plan on solving this conflict. The solution presented is in the form of an amalgamated DVD disc type named Total HD, which holds both Blu-ray and HD-DVD information.

Total HD – What is it?

The main difference between Blu-ray and HD-DVD is the distance of the data layer from the surface of the disc. Both disc types use a blue laser to read the disc’s contents. The Blu-ray discs’ is located 0.1mm from the disk’s surface, whereas the HD DVD data layer resides 0.6mm deep from the disk’s surface. The solution that the Total HD disc offers is a mirror-like top layer containing the Blu-ray information that a Blu-ray player can read. But the surface also allows light to reflect through to a second layer containing the HD-DVD information, so an HD-DVD player can read and play that information as well. They are also working on a double sided disc that contains standard DVD information on the reverse side, which would cover all 3 of the different formats. This super DVD would allow movie producers to offer their films in all formats on one disc. Consumers would be more apt to purchase a movie offered in all three formats instead of having to buy one disc in each format. This has been the main concern of all film production companies since the beginning of this format war. In the end, the only thing that matters is marketability.

What does this mean to the consumer?

It seems that it all really comes down to the DVD players that are offered to the consumer. LG Electronics has announced that it has a combo player in the works, and better yet, the device will premier very soon. As a consumer, this pretty much solves the problem. You’ll have HD-DVD, Blu-ray, and standard DVD all on one disc that you can play in one standard player. So, there will really be no problem on the consumer’s end as soon as the battle is over and standardized. Picture that now, crystal clear, hi-definition movies played off of a home DVD player. Soon enough it will all be in our grasp.

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