Seriously, Sony need to pull their heads out of their asses and stop with Blu-Ray. I personally think it's pretty freaking stupid to make a new disc format at all, but if we must, the backwards-compatible and cheaper HD DVD format would be soooooo much better. Sony is angering me more by the day. It doesn't help now that Apple has jumped on the badwagon of Blu-Ray support.
From Yahoo.com (News)
Apple Computer Backs Blu-Ray DVD Format
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TOKYO - Apple Computer Inc. is supporting the Blu-ray format for next-generation DVDs, giving it a boost over a rival format known as HD-DVD in the competition over setting a new standard for recording high-definition video and other digital information.
Both technologies promise more storage capacity and enhanced video quality over current DVDs, including the ability to record high-definition video. Both can be used to store movies, games, photos and other digital information.
Apple, which makes Macintosh (news - web sites) computers and iPod portable music players, will become a member of the board of directors of the Blu-ray Disc Association, the consortium that supports and promotes the Blu-ray format, it said in a statement.
Other members of the Blu-ray alliance include Japanese electronics makers Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news) (news - web sites). and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Dell Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. and The Walt Disney Co.
The rival HD-DVD format is backed by Japan's Toshiba Corp., NEC Corp. and others.
Backers of Blu-ray say it is superior because it has a higher storage capacity, while supporters of HD-DVD say it is more compatible with current DVD technology and is less costly to make.
The winner of the standards battle stands to gain from patent royalties.
Apple, based in Cupertino, Calif., recently introduced high-definition editing capability in its iMovie HD software.
Apple chief executive Steve Jobs (news - web sites) said consumers who are already creating their own high-definition content want to be able to record it on high-definition DVDs.
"Apple is pleased to join the Blu-ray Disc Association board as part of our efforts to drive consumer adoption of HD," Jobs said in a statement.
Nevermind the fact that Toshiba has recently come out with a disc format that can both be read on current machines and allow for HD-DVD capabilities on one two-layered disc.
New DVD Has Dual-Layered Surface
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TOKYO - Two Japanese companies said Tuesday they have developed a DVD that can play on both existing machines and the upcoming high-definition players, raising hopes for a smooth transition as more people dump old TV sets for better screens.
Toshiba Corp. and Memory-Tech Corp. said their disc has a dual-layered surface that can store both types of data on the same side.
For consumers, that would eliminate the potential headache of having to own two types of DVD players: Both will be able to read such discs, though only the newer equipment can take advantage of the higher-resolution technology.
The discs, which took six months to develop, will be able to hold 4.7 GB in the current format and 15 GB in high resolution, Memory-Tech spokesman Masato Otsuka said.
Making the discs won't cost any more than the companies now spend on producing current DVDs, Otsuka said.
The new DVDs rely on the HD-DVD format, which has the backing of the DVD Forum, an international association of electronics makers and movie studios. New DVD players using the format are expected to hit stores by late 2005.
Its competitor, Blu-Ray, is backed by Sony Corp., its Hollywood studio and News Corp.'s Fox Entertainment Group Inc. Blu-Ray has more storage space, but HD-DVD is expected to be cheaper to produce because its technology closely resembles current DVDs.
It's still unclear which will become the dominant technology.
Man, Sony makes me mad sometimes. Next thing you know they'll make their own electronic media format and their own tape format, and only support those. Oh, wait.....
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