Difference Between HD DVD and Blu-Ray Discs Explained

by Yaroslav Lyssenko

[ 09/27/2005 | 06:49 PM ]

With the high-definition television and content coming to the mainstream world, capacities provided by contemporary optical discs, such as CDs and DVDs are far less than enough. There are two new standards of optical data storage that are coming to replace outdated technologies, unfortunately, in addition to increased storage abilities, they bring in problems with compatibility.

Blu-ray Disc (BD) and HD DVD have been designed by different groups of companies, with different specifications and features. This makes the two standards virtually incompatible with each other in spite of similar basic technology used – blue laser. The Tech Zone has summarized everything that is known about the two standards and compared them in an article.

“While the two ‘standards’ share blue laser technology – shorter wavelength and a more precise ability to focus the laser – there are enough differences to make it obvious to even the most casual Tech Watch reader to realize that a compromise solution will be difficult. More importantly it will be too complex and too expensive to simply take the route Sony took in 2004 of throwing all of the technologies into a single burner and let the consumer choose the write/read solution he or she wants to use. Because the construction of the media and writing layer for BD and HD DVD are completely different between the two the chance for a compromise solution - one where both sides save face - appears to be slim to none!” explains The Tech Zone.

Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD) is the name of a next-generation optical disc format jointly developed by thirteen leading consumer electronics and PC companies, such as Dell, Hitachi, HP, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson. The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition television (HDTV). Blu-ray makes it possible to record over 2 hours of HDTV, or more than 13 hours of SDTV on a 27GB disc. There are also plans for higher capacity discs that are expected to hold up to 54GB of data.

HD DVD is the next generation DVD format being standardized at the DVD Forum, which represents over 230 consumer electronics, information technology, and content companies worldwide. HD DVD can store up to 15GB of data on one layer. HD DVD players and HD DVD video software were originally expected to come to market in late 2005. The development of HD DVD is headed by NEC and Toshiba.

• The Tech Zone: DVD Insider Snapshot - Blu-Ray vs. HD DVD.