This year’s Consumer Electronics Show has been filled with a number of highlights. However, the battle for High Definition DVD recording may just be taking center-stage.s
The gist of the spirited disparity has to do with deciding upon and endorsing a particular type of DVD storage that will increase disk capacity exponentially, a necessary amount if consumers want High Definition-quality recordings. The formats fighting to become the industry standard are Blu-Ray and HD-DVD recording.
In what is shaping up to be another VHS versus Beta type of battle, many electronic conglomerates are taking opposing sides, ensuring the subject will be highly competitive and perhaps heated; effectively becoming what the BBCNews calls A Format War’.
The science behind these writing technologies resides in the color of the laser being used to burn information to DVD discs. By using a blue-colored laser, discs can hold up 10 times the amount of data, as opposed to the red lasers, which is what the current format employs. The two formats in question are Blu-Ray, capable of storing up to 50 gigabytes, and HD-DVD, which has a capacity of 30 gigs.
What makes this “battle” so competitive is the respective backers of each format. The Blu-Ray side is championed by Sony and includes such notables like Hewlett-Packard and Panasonic. Supporting the HD-DVD format are Toshiba, Sanyo, and NEC. Adding spice to the fight is the entertainment industry, which has decided to choose sides as well.
On the Blu-Ray side, studios like Disney, MGM, and Buena Vista have voiced their support. While some of the HD-DVD supporters are Paramount, Warner Brothers, and Universal.
However, the Blu-Ray group may have pulled off a minor coup, long before either technology will be a standard home fixture. Two major players in the video game industry, EA Games and Vivendi Universal, have announced support for the Blu-Ray format, giving the particular style of burning data a leg up in the fight for being the standard. Sony also announced the next generation of their Playstation gaming consoles will support Blu-Ray technology.
Since the gaming industry is so financially lucrative, this only helps solidify Blu-Ray’s quest to become the high capacity storage standard.
Backers of each technology each have recorders coming out at the end of the year. Toshiba will release a HD-DVD recorder, costing around $1000, while Panasonic will be introducing a Blu-Ray recorder with an estimated price tag of $2700.
The question is, unlike its Betamax predecessor, will the Sony-backed format survive the fight this time?
Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for Murdok. Visit Murdok for the latest search news.
