HD DVD vs Blu-ray - The High Definition War

The world of Televisions has changed drastically from its creation to the modern accessories such as remote controls and now into HD and Blu-ray. So what is the real difference between these two? Lets look more closely at HD DVD vs Blu-ray. HD stands for High Definition, so HD DVD is High Definition DVDs and Blu-ray is the use of Blue Rays reading the DVDs, utilising High Definition technology as well. So what is the real difference between the two?

Both HD DVD and Blu-ray use the same blue-violet laser and 405 nm wavelength. This is where the similarities end and the real differences begin. Blu-ray has more space on the disk than the HD DVD does. The pickup apertures are different as well - 0.85 for Blu-ray vs the HD DVD's 0.65. The HD DVD has a clear surface on the disk and this is where most of the scratches and fingerprints appear, the layer is 0.6 mm- thick on the HD DVD vs Blu-ray's smaller 0.1 mm.

The HD DVD is cheaper than the Blu-ray and the reason for the difference is the thinner film on the Blu-ray, which has to be protected by a special hard coat. The thinner layers allow the Blu-ray to hold more data.

Now that we know why one is more expensive than the other, how about we look at more technical terms of difference in the HD DVD vs Blu-ray battle.

The Blu-Ray size limits are ROM single layer: 23.3 / 25GB, and the HD DVD is 15GB, Blu-ray ROM dual layer: 46.6 / 50GB and HD DVD is 30GB, the Blu-ray Highest test was 100GB and the HD DVD was 45 GB, the Blu-ray Theoretical limit is 200GB and HD DVD is 60 GB. The Blu-ray has no comparisons when it comes to the RW single layer: 23.3 / 25 / 27GB and the RW dual layer: 46.6 / 50 / 54GB. The Codecs, however, are the same for both the Blu-ray and the HD DVD. Both use MPEG-2, Microsoft Video Codec 1, and H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC.

The security is somewhat different between the two with the Blu-ray having Mandatory HDCP encrypted output, ROM-Mark watermarking technology, BD+ dynamic crypto (physical layer), and Advanced Access Content System (AACS), while the HD DVD has Mandatory HDCP encrypted output (for HD), Volume identifier (physical layer), and Advanced Access Content System (AACS).

Even the Studios for movies and games have a few that are different, while others use both the Blu-ray and HD DVD. Both types can be found at Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. While only Blu-ray's can be found at 20th Century Fox, Electronic Arts, MGM Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Vivendi Universal Games.

Sony Corporation and Royal Philips Electronics founded the format on the Blu-ray, and Toshiba Corporation and Hitachi Corporation founded the format on HD DVD.

When it comes down to the heart of the HD DVD vs Blu-ray debate, Blu-rays cost more then HD DVD, but on the other hand they also hold more. The HD DVD players are generally cheaper than the other brands, such as the Microsoft X-box 360. However some of the more name brands are now offering the capacity to play both, since the two are incompatible this is very important. Many of the DVD players out now play HD DVD, but as you go shopping for your new player you will find the choice between the two incredible.

Some have said that the HD DVD vs Blu-ray high definition war, is similar to the VHS and Beta war, though who knows which one will come out the successor in the end.

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