Sony, Toshiba Mull Unified Format to Avoid DVD War

[varmit]

http://www.reuters.com/audi/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=8250540

"TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Sony Corp. and Toshiba Corp. are in talks to develop a common standard for next-generation DVDs and end a fierce battle over formats that has been threatening to stifle the industry's growth.

Sony and Toshiba, heading rival groups, have waged a three-year battle to have their new technology standards adopted by the industry and gain pole position in the multi-billion dollar markets for DVD players, PC drives and optical disks.

While a final deal is still far from certain, both camps are well aware that a drawn-out fight would likely confuse consumers and hinder the industry's development, just like the famous spat between the VHS and Betamax video tape formats two decades ago."

Toshiba, for its part, has suggested using the HD DVD disc structure and employing Sony's multi-layer data-recording technology, the paper said.

 

[AtHomeBoy_2000]

http://www.reuters.com/audi/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=8250540

How would "using the HD DVD disc structure and employing Sony's multi-layer data-recording technology" effect the amount of data present on a high def DVD? The reason i am a believe in BlueRay is because it can hold more data, but I understand that HD-DVD would be a cheaper and easier transition.

 

[AtHomeBoy_2000]

I should also note that this needs to be hammered out ASAP!
There are a lot of products that woul dhave to be replaced if BlueRay and HD-DVD stuff started to get released then they unifed the formats and made the equipment useless. The story mentions the Playstation 3, but we must also remember that Apple wants to include high def burners into their new line of PowerMacs, so they wont want to release the line until there is a desision made.