Hybrid Blu-Ray / DVD Disc Announced
Great news for those who have both Blu-ray and DVDs in the house; Infinity Storage Media has released the first hybrid Blu-ray and DVD disc in Japan.
The new media has a total storage capacity of 33.5GB and is compatible with existing DVD and Blu-ray players. The biggest advantage of the new media is backward compatibility - you can play it on your DVD or Blu-ray player.
How does it work?
Based on JVC's 2004 Blu-ray/DVD combo disc technology, Infinity has layered one format on top of the other on the same side of the disc, making it possible for the lasers to penetrate to the desired depth and read the required information.
The Blu-ray makes up the top layer (25GB) with two more layers beneath that make up the DVD layers (8.5GB). Separated by a semi reflective film, the blue laser accesses the top layer and bounces off the DVD layers, while the red laser penetrate the various layers to get to the DVD information underneath.
The company claims that it has achieved compatibility with 99 percent of tests made on 64 Blu-ray and DVD players and conforms to the Blu-ray Disc specifications released by the Blu-ray Disc Association.
As we mentioned earlier, technically, this is not new. In 2004, JVC released a prototype [PDF], but ISM is the first company to take the disc to production, and hopefully to the masses. The only disadvantage? Currently it's only available in Japan, and no release date has been set for the United States.
via: CDRInf
Comments
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Great innovation - isn't it surprising that it took THIS long to develop it.
It seems fewer and fewer hardware innovations are coming from the US - wonder why?!
Posted by: AD Public Relations
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December 21, 2008 1:42 PM
A new Hybrib format can be released from now until forever. If studios don't print on them, and retailers don't create display cases and make room on the shelves, there's no point.
Stick to Blu-ray. If you are for some reason against going HD, stick to DVD. Don't fall for another marketing scheme. Big waste of money, especially in this economy.
Posted by: superdynamite | December 21, 2008 4:31 PM
Wow, sounds like a lot of fun!
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Posted by: Jiohn Monty | December 21, 2008 6:09 PM
I wonder how this will impact the general acceptance of the Blu-Ray format. DVD still remains the dominate media of choice for most folks. . .
Posted by: DVD Upconvert | December 21, 2008 6:30 PM
I don't think this will cause acceptance of Blu Ray. It's going to create $35 DVDs. People just won't buy them. We're use to $20 movies. I have a bluray player and have not bought a single bluray for it due to the hefty price tags on bluray. I'm not going to let the movie industry think that I will pay more than $20 for a new release.
Posted by: Jason | December 21, 2008 6:54 PM
That's lucky that it plays on DVD players ,if not we have to throw our DVD players out.
Posted by: venkat | December 21, 2008 8:21 PM
does this mean xbox 360 can now use bluray discs?
Posted by: abner | December 22, 2008 12:34 AM
This gotta effect XBOX 360 games, Is microsoft gonna go Hybird blu ray/dvd ?
Posted by: jon | December 22, 2008 3:08 AM
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so this disc will be able to play on DVD players. currently DVDs can play on Blu-rays but not vice versa.
Posted by: Cosmin Ghiu | December 22, 2008 4:39 AM
That's lucky that it plays on DVD players ,if not we have to throw our DVD players out..
Posted by: Steave | December 22, 2008 5:49 AM
Wow, sounds like a lot of fun!!
Posted by: smoker | December 22, 2008 7:07 AM
Excellent news. Makes it easier for me to make a backup copy of the movie onto my computer using the standard DVD layer, yet retain the high definition for my Blu-ray player. Wouldnt' have to rely on the "good only for a limited time" Digital Copy version.
Posted by: HermanTurnip | December 22, 2008 8:25 AM
Great technology, crazy how they can do that. Smart move on their part to help try to make blu-ray more mainstream. Even though DVD's work already on blu-ray, now people can buy these and eventually upgrade to a blu-ray player and not have to spend more money.
Posted by: Craig | December 22, 2008 8:33 AM
As regard to the Xbox360 being able to play blu-ray, this disk is simple a disk in which data can be put onto the DVD layers and read in a DVD or Blu ray player, or Data can be put onto the blu-ray layers and read by a blu-ray player but not a DVD player, so in a Blu-ray player it is 33.5 GB of storage and in a DVD player it has 8.5 GB. So to get true HD you will still defiantly need a Blu-Ray player.
Posted by: Andrew w | December 22, 2008 10:52 AM
They're certainly not going to be cheaper. HD-DVD had this feature available from early on, and some movies took advantage of it.
I'm totally in support of this, for the ability to futureproof movies for those who don't have Blu-ray yet, and as HermanTurnup says, it can be backed up and/or converted for portable formats.
Even so, it was not a feature consumers were looking for on HD-DVD. I'm not sure it's worth the effort.
Posted by: theMediaman | December 22, 2008 11:07 AM
Excellent news. Makes it easier for me to make a backup copy of the movie onto my computer using the standard DVD layer, yet retain the high definition for my Blu-ray player. Wouldnt' have to rely on the "good only for a limited time" Digital Copy version..
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Posted by: phelpzie | December 23, 2008 1:57 AM
Wow, sounds like a lot of fun!!!
Posted by: serena | December 23, 2008 5:57 AM
Wow, sounds like a lot of fun!!!
Posted by: madme | December 23, 2008 6:53 AM
BluRay sucks. Who cares what format you use, as long as you have a drive that can read it. I have a DVD+-RW drive that can burn DL discs; when I have enough money, I'll get another drive that can burn something more dense. I bought a DVD player the other day at my frickin' FOOD STORE for $20 because the last DVD player I had (and still have) is ancient and like, literally came out the week DVDs were released in the states (which was quite a few years after they were available in Europe) by Sony; it's so ancient that it can't read any personally burned discs, it could only play professional dvds. Now I have this 'Classic' dvd player that lets me play discs I myself burned, it also lets me play mpgs.
Posted by: Phil E. Drifter | December 23, 2008 9:32 AM