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HD DVD players are set to be released
this coming March with models from Toshiba priced in the
$500-800 range. Reportedly studios will also be releasing
almost 200 movies to the market by the end of this year
based on the new format. The catch is however these movies
will not exclusively be produced for the HD DVD format, and
are also going to be released for the Blu-ray format.
There are three types of HD DVD formats
planned:
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HD DVD-ROM for pre-recorded media such
as software, games and movies
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HD DVD-R (recordable) for HDTV recording
and PC data storage
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HD DVD-Rewritable (recordable) for HDTV
recording and PC data storage
The big advantage of HD DVD technology
is that it will not cost much money to adapt manufacturing
methods from current DVD procedures for these discs, as will
be necessary for Blu-ray manufacturing. This should keep the
cost of HD DVDs down for consumers as compared to BDs.
Capacities
HD DVD discs will have a standard 15GB
capacity on a single layer, which is noticeably smaller than
Blu-ray Discs, while dual-layer HD DVD discs will be
available with a 30GB capacity. Dual and triple layer discs
allowing larger capacities for read and write
functionalities are currently in development.
The Name
HD DVD stands for High-Definition DVD.
The initials of DVD originally stood for Digital Video Disc,
but the DVD Forum argued that they should actually stand for
Digital Versatile Disc, as can be used for many different
applications, thus more accurately describing its purpose.
As this dispute was never settled, DVD officially now stands
for nothing. As the DVD Forum only recognizes and supports
HD DVD, they state that HD DVD stands for High Definition
Digital Versatile Disc.
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