James Fee
07-13-2004, 11:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116846,00.asp' target='_blank'>http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116846,00.asp</a><br /><br /></div>"<i>One day, you'll watch movies at home on 5-inch discs that make today's DVDs look like VHS. We know the basic technology that will make this happen: blue-light lasers that increase disc capacity, allowing one DVD to hold hours of HDTV-quality video. But what we don't know is which of the two blue-laser, HDTV-compatible formats will make it into your living room. The two competing formats are Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD. If you remember the VHS versus Betamax war of the early 1980s, be prepared--a similar format war may be starting again. And the war will be about more than just home video. Today's DVDs are a medium for computer software distribution, retail videos, and PC backups. So next-generation, blue-laser DVDs will have to do all these things as well. The first retail blue-laser units on the market--which are currently available only in Japan and cost thousands of dollars--are set-top video recorders.</i>"<br /><br />Frankly I don't really care about all these formats as long as they play in my player. I wonder if we'll see DVD players that support both multiple formats such as burners that support +/- R. Deep down the consumer doesn't care as long as they are getting content.