A small note, I comment about using "white papers", I should point out not all "white papers" are created equally. In the engineering and science community, white papers are considered to be "building blocks" of information. On the edge of the engineering and manufacturing -- between marketing and individuals seeking to build a name, people publish articles that they also call "white papers". These articles are using less technical and more PR that useful engineering information. They should be call "gray papers" but then who would read them. An example of good "gray papers" being called White papers is here at SMS site. But there more bad than good "gray papers" on the web.

A little googling seems to say that the triple layer format is more for data storage than it is for movie releases.

I would think it be safer for "movies" to avoid 3layer tech, for largest market appeal.

I think dual formats would be great for the consumers - but I'm not a HD-DVD fan.

I think HD-DVDs with a SD DVD side is a great consumer product, for letting non -HDplayers owners to start collecting HD movies.

I would not be surprise if in a couple of years( or tomorrow) to see where one would buy an entire director's top hits on one disk; with data links connecting multi movie scenes with common points, etc.....

I just heard about a $599 Samsung home theater BD player that, unlike Sony's players, also plays BD-R.

Anyone tried it? If this thing works, it would seem to be a contender for filmmakers who would like to use BD.

MIcrosoft isn't sitting on thier butts either apparently. Blockbuster had a deal on the XBox 360 HD DVD add-on a short time ago and now deals like this one are appearing:

Provantage (a really reputable vendor with whom I have ordered lots of things and have received them in one day with standard shipping) has over 600 HD DVD add-ons for for 154.27 plus around $11.20 for shipping bringing the delivered cost to $165.47.

There is a rebate form online for 5 free HD-DVDs and the Sku includes KingKong and Remote in the box.

To get your free DVDs faster file the rebate, wait 2 weeks and call the toll free number listed on the rebate form to ask for the status.

John

FINALLY found some kind of semi official link as to the blu ray spec upgrade:

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=8228

>>How about Microsoft and Toshiba on HD-DVD side? Is there any other CE company that makes HD-DVD player? Any other company that makes HDi programming or VC1 encoding?
<<

Don't count out VC1, it's very much part of both Silverlight and Home Server (formerly Media Server) from MS. I don't know how well Home Server will sell, but these technologies are very impressive.

The new beta of their expression media encoder I think has VC1 support included.

In theory you can sell your content to end users directly over the net and bypass the whole disk issue. (I said sell, not stream, but you with Silverlight you can have secure streaming too).
And before anyone talks about optical disks, Home Server has automated backup features built in. As to what will be up to the end user.

I couldn't care less which of these standards survive, if any.

But I just found out some odd details about BD:

1. The "BD exclusive" content is BD exclusive in the U.S. only. Outside the U.S. there is a free-for-all for that content, generally widely available on HD-DVD.

2. BD uses Region Coding, like DVDs, so that BD content bought in the U.S. can't be played in Europe/Asia/etc. and vice versa.

HD-DVD does not use Region coding, so discs can be used worldwide.

2. BD uses Region Coding, like DVDs, so that BD content bought in the U.S. can't be played in Europe/Asia/etc. and vice versa.

Interesting spin on the story...
HD DVD and BD both have region code option, just like DVD does. Whether the disc author uses region coding is entirely up to the author (or not). It's not a BD vs HD DVD thing, and ridiculous for either camp to tout it one way or another.

Can't comment on statement #1, as I don't understand the comment, and no source cited to clarify.

I just saw on dvdforum a list of more than a dozen U.S. BD exclusive movies that were available on HD DVD in Europe.

I didn't save the link, because it doesn't matter enough to me.

The other statement also came from there, nobody in that thread had seen region coding on an HD DVD disc available commercially (and these were people who had bought a lot of discs).

I don't think either side can win until they bring out a decent player for less than $200 with a bunch of discs included. That's how the DVD format was introduced in spite of so many naysayers (and the quality of commercial VHS tapes improving drastically).

Here's the link (found it via Google Desktop):

http://www.dvdforum.nu/forum/index.asp?action=shth&forum=25&thread=145702&page=1#m1579707

(sorry about the language, ask me if there is anything unclear, I think the relevant parts are obvious)