AfterDawn: News

Microsoft comes up with a "HD-DVD" format

Artisan Home Entertainment will be releasing two special edition movies -- "Shadows of Motown" and "Terminator 2: Judgement Day". What makes these releases worth mentioning is the fact that both movies include an extra DVD-ROM disc -- a disc that can only be played on PC using Microsoft' Media Player 9.

This would all be just fine unless Microsoft had named the disc HD-DVD. The Microsoft Media Player 9 -based "HD-DVD" is not an HD-DVD format approved by the DVD Forum. Microsoft just think it's an appealing name. The video resolution is nowhere near HDTV-level.



Maybe this will speed up the real HD-DVD development somewhat.

Source:
the inquirer

Written by: Jari Ketola @ 1 May 2003 13:15

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• 4 comments

• seanbyrne

  I would expect the DVD Forum to use continue with an MPEG standard like they did for Video CD and DVD standards.
  
  For example, Video CD uses MPEG-1 Video with MPEG-1 layer 2 audio. Super Video CD uses MPEG-2 Video at a higher resolution.
  
  DVD uses MPEG-2 Video with either MPEG-1 layer 2 audio (rare), Dolby Digital (5.1) or DTS (5.1) audio.
  
  I would expect to see HD-DVD move on to MPEG-4 Video with MPEG-4 AAC, Dolby Digital or DTS audio due to today's hardware being more efficient and quicker than the original DVD players. I don't think there would be too many people happy with them using some closed propriety solution such as using Windows Media codecs. As MPEG-4 video is being widely used for internet streaming and as a home DVD-backup solution, this would be ideal for the next generation of HD-DVD due to its widespread popularity and proven quality.

  2.5.2003 03:40 #1

• Sefy

  Personaly I think they should sue Microsoft for trying to do a take over (as usuall) on something that doesn't belong to them, cause as we all know, once they get their claws on a properitery, they don't let go till it's theirs and that means crap quality for the rest of us.
  

  Best Regards,
  Sefy Levy,
  Certified Computer Technician.

  2.5.2003 13:11 #2

• sloth

  The question is - how are we going to be able to back up our HD-DVD's. The microsoft site seems to suggest a level of copy protection that can best be described as demonic. Imagine buying a DVD-HD and finding out that it has to be "activated" online and then can only be played on one machine...alla the windows XP activation process. Does anyone have a handle on this?

  23.5.2003 11:20 #3

• Sefy

  Just like people handled Windows XP activiation, how long did it take ? a month till they cracked it :-D
  
  Come on, that's the least of our worries, heck if anything, people should NOT buy it and show once and for all tha the customer is the one who is calling the shots!
  

  Best Regards,
  Sefy Levy,
  Certified Computer Technician.

  23.5.2003 13:19 #4