08-21-2007, 09:59 PM
Quote:Another thing to note about the two formats, right now HD has the ability to hit 50 G of space on a single disk while Blueray is struggling to hit 25 G. If the drives get down in price, can achieve rewritable access, and someone produces these drives for computers, HD will get a major coupe. Overall, Blueray has some very steep technology hurdles to overcome that HD has already gotten over. If more information on these techonology hurdles comes to light, HD is going to start looking better and better over Blueray.
Where are you getting your information from? My sources are skiddish at best - being mostly internet blogs, etc - but what I've read doesn't line up with your statement. I'd definitely like to read up a bit more to get my facts straight:).
My understanding right now is that hypothetically HD-DVD has a single layer size of 15 gigs, a double of 30, and a quad of 60. Blu-Ray on the other hand starts at 25gigs, double 50, etc. Blue lasers allow smaller read zone, etc, allowing Blu Ray to fit more on a layer, blah blah blah. Technological shoulds aside, I'm unaware of the tangible capacities in production discs. Is blu-ray really failing to hit the 25 mark? How could HD-DVD be hitting 50, when technologically speaking it should be either 30 or 60?
Personally I'm surprised HD-DVD has failed to bury Blu-ray out of the gate. Since unit volume will be the definitive point in declaring a victor, the first to hit the magic price-point will win. Since tech savvy readers only make up a minority of buyers, ultimately it will be the droves of average American's buying players at Walmarts, K-marts and Best Buys that determine the winner. HD-DVD doesn't have to contend with making a blue laser cheaper to produce, and with almost certainty will hit that price point first.
Though with that said, the twist of irony is that the following generation will be exclusively blue lasers. Granted of course, we still store data on plastic discs that require a laser to be read. So politics of the corporate world aside, I'll be surprised if Blu-ray can manage to be a winner - expensive technology in hand.
Cheers,
Munk