Picture Perfect

Hi-Definition Competition

by Paul Lima

If you’re anything like me, you remember when television images were black and white, with three channels to choose from. You might find today’s 500-plus-channel universe a bit overwhelming, especially when you flip through the channels and can’t find anything worth watching.

You probably also remember the introduction of video tape and the great format wars — Beta versus VHS. For some reason, Beta, the superior format, went the way of the dodo. Now, VHS has all but joined it. These days, if there is nothing on TV, you can turn to your DVD collection or rent one, be it a new release or a classic movie.

DVD (digital versatile disc or digital video disc), used for playback of movies, is an optical disc storage medium that is similar in appearance to compact discs (CDs). However, the days of the DVD, as we know it, may also be numbered due to developments in high definition (HD). However, before you settle in to watch an HD movie, you will again have to choose between competing HD formats.

High-definition DVD (HD DVD) is a generic term for recording high-definition video on a DVD. The two most prominent HD technologies are Blu-ray Disc (BD) and Advanced Optical Disc (AOD). Both offer resolutions of up to five times greater than standard DVDs.

Blu-ray

BD gets its name from the blue-violet laser technology used to read the discs. The format was developed jointly by Sony, Samsung, Sharp, Thomson, Hitachi, Matsushita, Pioneer and Philips, Mistubishi and LG Electronics. A single-layer Blu-ray disc can store 25 gigabytes (GB), over five times the size of a single layer DVD (4.7 GB). A dual layer Blu-ray disc can store 50 GB, almost six times the size of a dual layer DVD (8.5 GB). If you invest in Blue-ray discs, you will need a BD player — or a PlayStation 3, which also functions as a Blu-ray player. Most BD players will play your old DVDs, so you won’t need a separate player for your existing collection while you’re stocking up on BDs.

AOD

AOD, developed jointly by Toshiba and NEC, holds less data than BD. The companies insist that AOD’s 15-GB capacity is more than adequate for HDTV software applications and stress backwards compatibility. In other words, if you invest in AOD movies, you will be able to play them on your DVD player. But if you want true HD, you will have to invest in a new AOD player, which will also play your DVDs. AOD has inherited the generic name, HD, but both AOD and Blu-ray are high definition formats.

Other HD and the Future

As if BD and AOD were not enough, there is the Chinese HDTV application, EVD (Enhanced Versatile Disc), which uses a different form of compression to shoehorn 120 minutes of HD movie footage onto a single disc. But it won’t end there. Other high-capacity HD discs are under development.

Some pundits say all disc players might become redundant, as cable and satellite companies deliver HD movies on demand and the Internet enables consumers to download movies and television shows, then play them on PCs and HD TVs. However, others point to the popularity of in-home theatres with surround sound and say that it will be quite some time before HD delivered by other means will supplant HD discs.

For more information on Blu-ray and to see a list of movies available in the BD format, visit www.blu-ray.com. For more information on AOD and a movie list in the AOD format, visit www.thelookandsoundofperfect.com.

HD Q & A

Q. Will I notice improved video quality if I invest in a high-definition player? A. Most definitely. Images will be so much sharper when you play an HD disc on an HD player connected to an HD TV that Hollywood is starting to change the way it applies makeup because makeup lines are sometimes noticeable on HD movies. If your sound system is set up for it, you will also hear greatly improved sound quality. In addition, you will notice improved visual quality of your DVDs, but they will be nowhere near as sharp as your HD discs.

Q. Which format is better overall? A. Ah, that’s a tricky one. Define “better”! Picture and sound quality is almost identical between formats. Blu-ray has features that not all BD players support, so if you are leaning towards Blu-ray, you might want to hold off for a while. But then, not all AOD (generically known as HD) players support all HD features either. Blu-ray discs have greater capacity than HD discs; HD discs and players cost a bit less. Many HD DVD players have features like picture-in-picture, which let you watch the movie and view a second video stream with director's commentary or behind-the-scenes looks at how action sequences were made. However, Blu-ray is catching up.

Q. Which format will win? A. That’s even trickier. I’m not a betting man, but (promise not to come back and bite me if I’m wrong?) here’s what I’d bet. Blu-ray has more companies behind it and has more titles out. It’s somewhat more expensive but, to those who want to get high definition sooner rather than later, price isn’t a huge issue. If the early adopters lean towards Blu-ray, even more titles will become available. Titles or content will drive overall consumer demand. So, I’d pick Blu-ray, but only by a nose. And who knows what the future holds for high-definition?

The devices

There are a number of BD and AOD devices on the market today. Prices vary by a couple of hundred dollars. The more you pay for a player, the more features you’ll get. For instance, you might be able to load multiple discs in your machine. Or play more DVD and CD formats (such as movie DVDs and computer DVDs that are loaded with MPEG movie files, MP3 music files and JPEG image files). And more high-quality sound options will be available. Some players can be connected to home computer networks and play compatible files that are on the network – no disc required.

Here are a few of the HD players on the market:

• Sony BDP-S500 Blu-ray High-Definition Disc Player: Approximate retail: $699.99
• Samsung BD-P1400/X Blu-ray High-Definition Disc Player: Approximate retail: $499.99. Parental controls can be used to keep children from being exposed to undesirable material.
• Sharp BD-HP20U AQUOS Blu-ray Disc Player: Approximate retail: $499.99.
• Toshiba HD-A3 HD DVD Player: Approximate retail: $299.99.
• Toshiba HD-A35 HD DVD Player: Approximate retail: $499.99.
• Sony 98004 PlayStation 3, 80GB Limited Edition with MotorStorm Pack: Approximate retail: $499.99. You get the game MotorStorm, a network cable and a Blu-ray drive that plays Blu-ray movies, PS2 and PlayStation games as well as DVDs and CDs.
• LG GGC-H20LI 16x Internal Blu-ray Drive: Approximate retail: $299.99. This HD disc drive can be added to your PC.

For more information on individual high-definition players, visit the websites of manufacturers or visit www.bestbuy.com.

Paul Lima has been a professional writer and writing instructor for over 25 years. Since 1988, he has run his own communications business and often writes clearly about the latest technology.