Where Things Stand

For two years, DVD supporters have condemned the split in the next-generation of DVD, demanding one unified format. Finally, in April, it seemed like the two sides listened. Talks began between the two sides to unify the format. For a while, it seemed like that might just happen, but it all fell apart in May with both sides saying the format war is on.

Structure of dual layer Blu-Ray disc
Image courtesy of the Blu-ray Disc Association.

No one was happy about this, and each side is back to firing shots at the other. Toshiba recently announced a triple-layer, 45 GB HD-DVD disc, which puts it within firing distance of Blu-ray's 50 GB, dual layer disc. However, TDK in turn said it has a four-layer disc, with capacity for 100 GB of storage, in the labs.

Don't get too excited about these multilayer discs. As it is, regular DVD does a mixed job in handling layer changes. Can you imagine the pauses and hesitations for a four-layer disc?

Also, adding layers isn't a 100% gain, as illustrated by DualDisc, the hybrid CD/DVD disc format, which doesn't offer full capacity. A recent article in Mediaware magazine pointed out that the CD portion of a DualDisc can only hold around 60 minutes of music instead of the usual 74.

As it stands, Hollywood is about evenly split. Warner Bros., and regrettably its subsidiary New Line Cinema, are exclusive to HD-DVD. Universal Studios and Paramount Pictures are with HD-DVD but in non-exclusive agreements.

Walt Disney Co., Sony Pictures and MGM are signed to Blu-ray, Sony exclusively, Disney non-exclusively. 20th Century Fox is on the Blu-Ray Association board, but hasn't publicly committed to the format. Still, it's logical to conclude that it will.

Now that E3 is over and Nintendo, Microsoft and Sony have announced their new consoles, we know that only PlayStation will support the next generation of DVD. Xbox 360 and Nintendo Revolution will only support standard DVD. On the gaming side, Electronic Arts and Vivendi are in the Blu-ray camp, since the PlayStation 3 will support Blu-ray. This should make for some interesting board meetings, as Vivendi and Universal are under the same roof.

So far, HD-DVD has put more cards on the table. At the 2005 CES, it announced 89 titles for HD-DVD's launch. Does that number strike you as a little odd? That's because there were supposed to be 90, a nice round number. Here's a scoop for you: number 90 was supposed to be "Titanic." It was on the list until days before the announcement, when Paramount removed it.

The reason is because Paramount owns domestic rights to the film, but 20th Century Fox has international rights, and Fox is assumed to be a Blu-ray supporter. So does this mean two separate discs have to be made? Many movies are in this boat (no pun intended). Fox's "Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World" was a joint production between Fox, Universal and Miramax. How would you like to sort that mess out?

So it's very frustrating that the two sides couldn't work out their differences. Consumers certainly don't want a format war - they never do - and now there will be legal hoops to jump through to release titles with multiple studio ownership. This could mean delaying the biggest titles.

With the studios having chosen sides, it looks like retail will be in the kingmaker's position. Best Buy, the chain that threw its full support behind DVD while Circuit City was blowing a fortune on that white elephant Divx, is in the catbird seat. If the retail giant chooses one format over the other, it's game over. (Personally, I think they should reject both and tell both sides "come talk to us when you have one format.")

There will be more news shortly. The Blu-ray Association has an upcoming summit in June, and the Video Software Dealer's Association show in late July would make an ideal launching ground for both formats. Expect a very hot summer in the area of video standards.

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