Posted Jan 05, 2007 at 07:25PM by Victor B. Listed in: Blu-Ray, News Tags: Microsoft, Sony, CES
Ó

The solution to the wars?When this new disc comes out, expect some very interesting reactions from the public. Warner Brothers seems to have completed their multi-standard DVD, and will be formally announcing it at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Vegas this coming Tuesday.

This disc, which they're calling Total HD, is basically a disc that can play both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD media. This could potentially lead to a ceasefire in the ongoing format wars between Microsoft and Sony, as Barry Meier, Chief Exec of Warner Brothers says that neither format was going to be obsolete any time soon.

While we won't know the specifics of the Total HD until it's announced at the CES, it's safe to say that our previous coverage of this new technology would probably approximate what Warner Brothers will explain in a few days.

Specifically, we can expect that this new disc places the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray information on different depths of the disc's surface, so the lasers in DVD players can read the format they support, or choose one or another if they can play both formats.


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28 Comments


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   by JoRaPi - 2007-01-05
 » But wouldn't this mean...

that the discs would then cost double the price?


   Re: Victor B. (QJ. NET Staff) - 2007-01-05
 » Not necessarily

It will probably cost more than blu or hd, but not twice the price. :) You're only paying for one disc after all, but they'll up the price to recoup the losses from implementing the techonology, which is probably pricey.
   by flying moose (Unregistered) - 2007-01-05
 » ,,,

stupid idea, great job at killing rivalry stuff like this stops technological advancement in this field....it's kinda like the ipod, the mp3 player could be alot better now if the ipod had a rival


   Re: datnizzle (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » ipods

Mps player would be better if people didn't just buy an Ipod because it's what everyone is talking about, it's just an overpriced mp3 player. It's like Tivo, why have it when you can get a box from your cable company for no money down and only 6 bucks a month.

technological advancement is stopped when stupid people overpay for a name.
   by Djnatas (Unregistered) - 2007-01-05
 » Not going to happen

WB first has to get permission fro Blueray and HD DVD manufactures, other words disc patents!

   by fritzilla - 2007-01-05
 » This could kill HD DVD

Ok, so Warner, one of the only supporters (granted a big one) of HD DVD comes out with a double disk.

Ok, now let's say all the rest of the studios say, "thanks, but we are sticking to Blu-ray for now."

Then Warner starts the double disc for their movies.

Now ever disc is a Blu-ray disc.

Now there is really no incentive for any studio to make HD DVD versions of their disc.

This will only work if EVERY studio uses it, thus saving HD DVD. We know Sony never will make HD DVD movies.

The only safe bet for HD DVD is every studio starts to make HD DVD, or uses these double discs. But if some sit on the fence then it's still just a long drawn out war.

fritzilla

   by joe (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » i think this WILL kill hd dvd

^^ very good points
also keep in mind sony isnt the only company to have a stake in blu ray disney and fox are both part owners so its more then likely sony/mgm/columbia, disney, fox will pretty much only back blu ray

in my opinion using the dual disk is sorta of WB's way of saying "hey can i join ur side?"


   Re: The Mallrat (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » Huh?

Warner have already released a lot on both hd-dvd AND blu-ray so who exactly are they asking if they can join?
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   by Target Render - 2007-01-06
 » No thanks

Blu-ray is already winning, so no crap please...


   Re: The Mallrat (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » How exactly???

How exactly is blu-ray winning when hd-dvd movies are outselling blu-ray movies by a lot?

   Re: Lurker (Unregistered) - 2007-01-08
 » ???

Blueray ourselling Hd-DVD. Get out of your hole.

Hd-DVD is outselling blueray 3to1, and some stores say 6 to 1. Players are half price,etc.

Blueray also had very pour quality in there first releases copmpared to HD-DVD. (Mpeg2 vs VC-1, there is no contest)

I hope that this disk doesnt see the light of day, becasue it will only hurt Hd-DVD.
   by Tom (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » remember how betamax release movie well after its failing state for few years.

which ever one became the next betamax can still release movies to hide the fact that they are failing while they rethink stretegy to bring it back, if one of them is indeed failing it will be hard for one of them to actually dissappear.

   by somebody (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » Makes u wonder

if they do come out with this would it also play DVD formats?????

   by sfdasdf (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » yeah

who cares about dual format discs when dual format players are comin' ? ? ? Either way, all this news pretty much craps on ps3 owners who are stuck with either lack of HD-DVD movies, or are stuck paying for pricier dual format discs.


   Re: Broken_Hero (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » PS3 owners will be alright...

They can buy any Total HD Disc and use it in the PS3 blu-ray Drive...So its actually a Very Good Thing..

Ofcourse,that is IF it Happens.. :)

   Re: datnizzle (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » sucks worst for xboys

Could you imagine if you bought an hd-dvd add-on and then this news comes out. You are in the same boat as PS3ers. Will you be happy about buying another add-on so you can play the dueldisks?
There is no point to this disk.

   Re: Mr. Common Sense (Unregistered) - 2007-01-09
 » this could save blu ray if anything

First off, I think buying the HD-DVD add on is retarded, as it should be cheaper. However if you do have one, you don't need to buy another add on to play dual format discs. That's just retarded thinking.
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   by datnizzle (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » no point

There is no point to this, unless you have a hd-dvd and a blu-ray player. This does not settle the war because it just puts both formats on one disk. That means you have to put the same crap on a disk twice. There is no upside to this disk. Unless you have both players you will be spending money on a new disk and not able to view half of it. Most people will only use one not both of these formats.

   by Kojinto (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » I think...

I think that all we want as consumes are just to watch HD movies right? (if not then shutup) well just wait a few years and see if which one has more movies, is the cheapest and is the best. If your biased at all then this method wont work for you.

   by NightShade15 (Unregistered) - 2007-01-06
 » I think

You all are being idiots to the fact that this disc is great. No matter if you are an xbot or a Sony Humper. This means all the entertainment is to the people. If HD-DVD dies, and this disc keeps going, then I STILL get my movies. I don't see how the release of this disc could kill HD-DVD or Blu-Ray. I just see more happy consumers, maybe less money going...somewhere...

   by jimowen800 (Unregistered) - 2007-01-07
 » Think about this:

What would happen if you put this duel-format disk into a duel format player?
Which format would it play?

Hmmmm....


   Re: masterblaster (Unregistered) - 2007-01-07
 » yo

It would Destroy the world, unfortunatly

   Re: skyler (Unregistered) - 2007-01-07
 » ...

time paradox
   by Skyler (Unregistered) - 2007-01-07
 » hmm

what i wana know is, blu ray holds more data than the HD dvd, so will this still be the case on this new disk? surelly if the blu ray 'side' of the disk has way more features and content, whos gona wana play the HD dvd 'side' or will they both contain the same information.


   Re: Who cares (Unregistered) - 2007-01-08
 » doesnt matter

Hd-DVD does alot more with less space than blueray. IF they both use the same encoding, you will see almost identical size.

   Re: rogerjoseph (Unregistered) - 2007-01-09
 » Whaaaaaat

Since when did you believe Blu Ray had more features.. you need to read up on this for that's far from true
   by PspMan (Unregistered) - 2007-01-07
 »  both system

if microsoft & sony came out with an atachment to play this disc, then wouldnt you be able to play xbox games on a ps3

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   by Kami (Unregistered) - 2007-01-13
 » Dunno who is winning

If you ask me blu-ray is winning because I see
Now on DVD and Blu-ray...
Not: Now on HD-DVD and DVD!
But that's just listening to comercials...lol

So as for the unbiased particle specimen research of these discs...:

Total HD Disc: like putting DVD and HD-DVD on the same disc
What I don't understand is how they solved the hardcoating problem between different discs... maybe the total HD discs will scratch more, be careful.

HD-DVD: Lower space, higher writing/reading times, (encoding can be changed), less protection(copyright)
Blu-ray: Higher space, Lower writing / reading times, (encoding sucked for a bit...those first poor movies...DVD quality...now a bit better), higher protection.

The difference is that Blu-ray writes on more of the disc, on which you have a protection layer on the DVD, so Blu-rays were capable of scratching easily, then some company invented hardcoating technology so that they wouldn't scratch very easily. as for backing up your hard drives on some blu-ray discs...not 'great' use untill you improve on reading and writing, but can you not improve that? Can you improve data storage? (Carry 2 HD-DVDs) Oh well, there's your review.



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