AfterDawn: News

A single sided, but dual layered DVD/HD-DVD hybrid

We've seen the two sided CD/DVD format, but this next generation hybrid is a bit more sophisticated. The regular DVD and High Definition data are stored on the same side, but to different layers. This means that the top side is still available for coating and printing. The point of all this is of course to ease the transition away from DVDs to the new format.

The discs contain two layers, an upper DVD layer with a capacity of 4.7GB and a lower HD-DVD layer with a15GB capacity, says Masato Otsuka, general manager of Memory-Tech's engineering department.

Mass production will start in October or November next year, which is about the same time as the company plans to produce read-only HD-DVDs. The company has six lines that can each produce up to 700,000 of these kinds of discs per month.

Source: PCWorld

Written by: Lasse Penttinen @ 8 Dec 2004 9:17

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• 3 comments

• daemonzx6

  interesting idea...
  but why do we need this format? are we going to have a regular version of a movie on the DVD layer and an HD version on the HDDVD layer? this is like the DVD-14s except DVD-20 and one sided. anybody else think this deserves the pointless media award?

  9.12.2004 13:58 #1

• rootboy

  Studios will not be quick to release movies in a format that is not in very many homes. If they released movies with standard and HD versions on one disc, then the millions of Americans who have JUST bought DVD players would be potential customers. Just think, if you bought 5 or 6 movies that also included HD versions, wouldn't you be more apt to consider buying a player that could give you the higher-quality content you already own?

  11.12.2004 21:30 #2

• daemonzx6

  HD versions of movies are playable on non HD equipment, but it will just be regular quality because it won't have the ability to display it in HD. I still think this media is pointless as anybody reading about this on AFTERDAWN has probably had a DVD player for a long time and wouldn't even know about this format or care very much unless they already have or want HD capable sets.

  11.12.2004 21:53 #3