Print - Microsoft Technology Approved for Next-Generation DVD Standard

The DVD Forum steering committee recently approved the initial specification for High-Definition DVD (HD-DVD), a next-generation DVD standard. According to the specification, HD-DVD devices will have to support VC-9, the basis for Windows Media Video (WMV) 9, Microsoft's most recent video codec. HD-DVD will also support the MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) formats, according to the DVD Forum. The decision is a coup for the software giant, which is trying to establish its multimedia formats as industry standards.

HD-DVD isn't the only high-resolution, next-generation DVD format, however. A competing group will offer devices based on a technology called Blu-ray. But HD-DVD offers a number of advantages over Blu-ray, not the least of which is HD-DVD's backward-compatibility with today's DVDs. As a result, tomorrow's HD-DVD devices will play DVDs as well as HD-DVDs.

Thanks to VC-9's and WMV's compression capabilities, HD-DVDs will be able to play back more than 130 minutes of HD video encoded at 15Mbps. This capability played a major role in the inclusion of Microsoft's technology in the specification because at 23GB Blu-ray supports more capacity, and a second-generation 50GB Blu-ray standard is due soon.

Your Comments (required): To call HD-DVD "backwards compatible" is a little misleading. Sony has already created a laser capable of reading DVD and Blu-ray. I doubt all these manufacturers which back it if they had no intention of making drives capable of reading all current disc formats. In my opinion, Blu-ray has a sizable advantage over HD-DVD. Extensive industry backing among computer and consumer electronics companies (versus the two I know are backing HD-DVD) plus increased capacity make it the tech to watch.

I guess Microsoft isn't happy with dominating the operating system market, the office market, and having a significant amount of strength in almost every other market. Now they have to shove their crap into the DVD business. I know nobody in my family will never buy a movie encoded with WMV. And if there's no other choice, I'll pay the 3 bucks to rent it and rip it for myself into standard MPEG-4 or divx5, like I've been doing with every other DVD the past year.

1) I don't think the increased capacity is needed for HD-DVD. Remember, WMV is able to get lower bitrates than MPEG2 at the same quality. 2) Why should you care who makes the codec? If there's no quality loss what does it matter?

Your Comments (required):I do believe that the increased capacity is needed, if I recall the ATSC minimum bit rate for broadcast HD is 19Mbps, and JVC's HD recorders can record at 23Mbps. It is great that WMV can do HD on current DVD's but to comment that the quality is the same would be misleading. The higher the bitrate the greater picture quality the more capacity needed. Lets not settle for the bare minimum. 1080P HD is around the corner which will require additional capacity.

Our opinions don't matter in the least. Hollywood will decide who wins this format war. To X: HD-DVD (and Blu-ray) will have completely new encryption systems. I'd like to know how you plan to "rip" the new discs.

I think choosing denser compression over greater raw data capacity is short sighted. In the long run, we will need both.

Why does it matter who's is supporting what format...if it's good it's good....stop being a HATER!

Wow I guess just because its made from Microsoft it must be evil. Its not there fault they made a codec thats better then MPEG-4 or divix5 and I dont think it any of your business what markets they move into.

Just because Microsoft makes it doesn't mean it's bad. Just like Sony and the people developing Blu-ray, Microsoft spends LOTS of money researching and developing their technology. This tends to result in quality, although I guess we'll get to see in the next few years which of the two wins the race (or if they do sort of a DVD+- thing and everyone ends up supporting everything).

Quit bashing microsoft. They practically mde it possible for you to be on the internet right now, and are continuing to do so with this new technology, making the spread and decentralization of information much easier at a natural humanistic rate.

This is good news! Blaming Microsoft for being succcessful is getting old. Blame IBM for creating the "open system." Blame Apple for being greedy (controlling every aspect of their hardware and operating system which has led to their 3% market share). Blame the Japanese/Chinese for making cheap burners that keep getting better and faster. HD-DVD is here. Just lay back and enjoy it.

Use the Phillips DVD RW to record all your movies. I've converted VHS, Sat movies, and Rented DVD's to DVD's. You'll need a video stabilizer with Macrovision 1 and 2 guard. So whatever the format to be is, a stabilizer will be made to accomodate this protection, so make your own DVD. There will always be an economical way around producers high costs. Thanks you Microsoft growing interst in more and more technologies, the technologies will continue to improve.

Microsoft has the right and an obligation to develop new technologies to support their worlwide audience regardless of what we think of their busness practices. it did not become the software gaint it is by considering who it steps on in the perocess. i only hope microsoft remember that a monopoly is neither in their interest or in the public interest. HD-DVD is a step in the right direction

I would love to see them support AVI and the divx codecs too now that would be something to write about...

Well it is what im looking for and I have to say that the dvd standard is what Im looking for

well it's not microsoft dominates it all. just if would n't crash so much, or that bigbother know's averything that goes on my system, it would be more like if there where some priv, in or live's, what it all means is that everyone can now track everything that you or record thank's to M.S.

MS did not practically make it possible for any of us to be on the internet right now. They may have been there at practically the right time to get their business as large as it is now, but are by no means the end all, be all of the intelligece on earth as it relates to computers. From the beginning, now, or the future....

Blu-Ray is superior, so my money says that it ends up failing. how many times has the FAR inferior, transparently lesser system ended up with the crown? ...the answer is "a lot." Not always, of course, but just take a look at VHS versus BETA. or how about DTS versus Dolby. or Apple versus Microsoft. In general, the less expensive, lower quality one wins. I just hope that this time is an exception, because having the lower of the two win is just getting old, and it's shortsightedness is killing us.

As a retired transmission engineer I hope someone will realize that capacity not compression is the end game. While one can claim doing more with less is a good thing we are not saving gasoline in the game of transmission. Instead we are trying to get as much information (received bits) as possible for a given price. Then we can play the compression game and maximize its usefulness.