Warner engineers develop multilayer dual optical disk
by Poonam Wadhwani - September 20, 2006 - 0 comments
To resolve a high-definition DVD format battle that has divided Hollywood and bewildered consumers, three Warner Brother's engineers have invented a disk that would play two competing high-definition DVD formats including Sony Corp.’s Blu-Ray and Toshiba-supported HD-DVD.
The invented disc called "multilayer dual optical disk" has one layer of data in the standard CD or DVD format, a second layer able to play Blu-Ray and the other HD-DVD and would be capable of being adapted to any of 22 different configurations.
Telling about its working, inventors informed that the disc stores the information at different depths depending on the technology. Blu-ray discs store information only 0.1 millimetre from the surface while HD-DVD discs store it at 0.6 millimetres. By using reflective films, the creators say their disc would enable the lasers to read the top layer and "see through" to the lower one if required. Additional information also could be stored on the other side of the disc.
The patent application, which was filed by three Warner Bros. employees, Wayne Smith, Alan Bell and Lewis Ostrover, two of whom are engineers for the company, has put forth by representative of the studio against the notion that either format would ever win the high-definition format war.
The application depicted, “"A general problem with multiple formats of discs is that disc manufacturers must make various types of discs of each type in order to satisfy consumer demand for the content on those discs. A consumer that owns a standard DVD disc player can only play DVDs with a standard format. A consumer with a Blu ray recorder can only play Blu-ray format recordable discs. And a consumer with an HD-DVD disc player can only play HD-DVD discs or standard format DVDs, but not Blu-ray format discs.”
It continued, “From the standpoint of a manufacturer it is disadvantageous to have to manufacture and distribute three different types of disc formats to satisfy consumer demand for one product - such as a motion picture. Moreover, multiple formats of DVD discs create retail and consumer confusion as to which format(s) to acquire or buy.”
That means, with the recently invented disc, consumers can now pick which one they want without having to invest shedloads in hardware that might not survive second generation DVD war. It also depicts that the studios do not have to pick one technology over another and can provide the content in both.
Rival formats Blu-Ray and HD-DVD both works using a blue-indigo laser beam but are not compatible with each other. To beat this problem, the inventors say once a hybrid disc player is able to determine the assembly of the disc; it can adjust the lenses as necessary to guide the red or blue-indigo laser beam to point to the appropriate depth.
But the manufacturers and the consumers will have to wait for some time as the application, which was recently discovered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database, has been not granted so far, and may not be granted for some time even if it's put on "fast-track" status.
Meanwhile, Warner engineers may face an obstacle from Toshiba, which appears to be all set to actually develop a three-layer hybrid disc in a joint venture with Memory-Tech, however, it would only for HD DVD and standard DVD content.
Warner engineers develop multilayer dual optical disk - The Money Times
now that sounds super...but I wouldnt be suprised that the new machine would cost MUCH more than a blu-ray player or HD-DVD player because both are combined into one machine.
