A different opinion on the launch of Blu-Ray (1 Viewer)

[Rob_Walton]

I'm almost certain you're correct (although there seems to have been enough space for WB to put a lossless audio track on this BD if they'd wanted to) especially if you look at the advertising currently produced for DVDs. Almost everytime featurettes and commentaries are mentioned, while DD 5.1 or DTS is an after-thought.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

There are some differences between the HD DVD specs and Redbook CD, though. Redbook is well-established, with many manufacturers and a huge installed base. HD DVD is still in its infancy, with Toshiba thus far making the only players, and all of those using the same firmware. At this stage of the game, specs for HD DVD certainly could be changed, especially if they're something that can be accomplished with firmware upgrades to existing equipment, without too much trouble. Whether that will happen or no, who knows? A year down the line it would probably be impossible; you'd have the same problem as there is in changing Redbook now.

 

[Cees Alons]

Again, it's very premature to speculate about this update, but it wouldn't be totally impossible at all. Even after a year.
It's an addition to the type of official HD DVD discs. Not a total change of the existing format.

(1) It wouldn't render any existing player defect (downward compatibility of the new specs). They all would go on playing all existing HD DVDs, just not the new 45Gb ones (marked clearly that way).

(2) IF it would be possible to upgrade the firmware, people could either choose not to do that at all (and not be able to play the 45Gb discs), or to upgrade their firmware through an internet connection, or order an upgrade disc from their manufacturer. The new 45Gb discs (and not each and every movie would need such a one, just certain releases) could perhaps even have an upgrade disc enclosed, or else have the upgrade on the top layer of the disc (accessible through the menu).


It's not totally impossible, it's not totally unthinkable. Those specs can be changed without too much disadvantage for owners of the players (if they weren't changed, their players couldn't play more dense discs either).

We can talk about it, if we so wish.


Cees

 

[russdog]

One big difference: Beta and VHS required different, incompatible media. With these two, I expect we'll soon see players that can cope with either format. That's what I'm waiting for anyway...