Invention: Triple-standard DVD - BD + HD-DVD + DVD on one disc!

[akrako1]

Wow, this could help save the next-gen DVD's from becoming a dismal failure... No mention on multiple layers for the BD or HD-DVD layers though...


http://www.newscientisttech.com/article/dn10102-invention-triplestandard-dvd.html

Invention: Triple-standard DVD

The electronics industry is in a fine mess, with two blue-laser disc standards (Blu-ray and HD-DVD) competing to succeed ordinary red-laser DVDs.

On 26 September, Warner will be the first studio to release a movie, Lake House, on all three disc standards simultaneously.

Meanwhile, however, two top Warner engineers, Alan Bell and Lewis Ostrover, have been working on a cheaper and more elegant solution.

Blu-ray uses a 405-nanometre wavelength laser to read data from tracks 0.1-millimetres-deep on the top surface of a disc. HD-DVD, on the other hand, uses the same wavelength to read recordings at a depth of 0.6 mm.

Warner’s plan is to create a disc with a Blu-ray top layer that works like a two-way mirror. This should reflect just enough blue light for a Blu-ray player to read it okay. But it should also let enough light through for HD-DVD players to ignore the Blu-ray recording and find a second HD-DVD layer beneath.

An ordinary DVD recording could be put on the other side, so that conventional DVD players can read the disc as well.

Although the triple-standard disc will cost more to make, it should still be cheaper than pressing three, and shops should be pleased not to have their shelves overloaded with so many different discs.

[kicko]

great then when you upgrade you wont have to buy new disc's