Why microsoft chosed HD-DVD over Blue-ray

Microsoft Discusses Xbox 360 HD-DVD Support Microsoft Discusses Xbox 360 HD-DVD Support The most recent podcast recorded by Microsoft's Xbox Live Director of Programming Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb has dealt with Microsoft's decision to support the HD-DVD next-gen disc format, for which an Xbox 360 add-on drive is due out soon, ahead of Sony's Blu-Ray. Talking as part of the podcast interview, Amir Majidimehr, whose group at Microsoft oversees audio/video compression technologies, as well as high-definition optical formats, noted that initially the company was "quite active" with regards to the development of both of the HD-DVD and Blu-ray formats. He also commented that the company worked with both organizations in order to get Microsoft's video compression technology VC1 adopted within both formats.

He stated of this move: "That really enabled those technologies to have better picture quality, but also be more compatible with PC and internet standards that use VC1 and Windows Media." However, Majidimehr noted Microsoft began to get more and more concerned about Blu-ray as time went on, specifically concerning the "viability of being able to manufacture" the Blu-ray disc itself. According to him, Blu-ray moves the recording surface very close to the top layer of the disc, protected by just a very thin coating, and that this makes maintaining "high reliability" of discs during the actual manufacturing process much more difficult. This factor, according to Majidimehr, is the key difference between the two formats, as HD-DVD, like traditional DVD, protects its data between two layers of protective plastic - above and below - thus making manufacturing of the discs much more reliable. Another reason Majidimehr explained for Microsoft's decision to embrace HD-DVD to the exclusion of Blu-ray was the latter's excessive copy protection. While both formats share a single form of copy protection called AACS (a consortium of which both Sony and Microsoft are founders), Blu-ray adds another layer of protection on the fly called BD+. "Now it's optional and not every disc will use it, " conceded Majidimehr, "but from an implementation point of view we were facing a situation where we had to implement two forms of copy protection. And frankly from our point of view - and that of many other content providers and other companies - AACS is sufficient."

Regarding the fact that video game consumers and players are being "pulled into" and "used" in this format war, he noted: "If you look back, there was a moment in time where Sony made a decision to sort of bundle their two assets here that they want to see succeed, which is Blu-ray and PS3. PS3 obviously has its own momentum... but Blu-ray was not having good success." It was because of this that Majidimehr noted that he feels Sony decided to bundle Blu-ray within the upcoming PlayStation 3 platform in order to ensure a user base for both platforms, something a number of analysts have also remarked upon

Microsoft Discusses Xbox 360 HD-DVD Support Microsoft Discusses Xbox 360 HD-DVD Support The most recent podcast recorded by Microsoft's Xbox Live Director of Programming Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb has dealt with Microsoft's decision to support the HD-DVD next-gen disc format, for which an Xbox 360 add-on drive is due out soon, ahead of Sony's Blu-Ray. Talking as part of the podcast interview, Amir Majidimehr, whose group at Microsoft oversees audio/video compression technologies, as well as high-definition optical formats, noted that initially the company was "quite active" with regards to the development of both of the HD-DVD and Blu-ray formats.

He also commented that the company worked with both organizations in order to get Microsoft's video compression technology VC1 adopted within both formats. He stated of this move: "That really enabled those technologies to have better picture quality, but also be more compatible with PC and internet standards that use VC1 and Windows Media." However, Majidimehr noted Microsoft began to get more and more concerned about Blu-ray as time went on, specifically concerning the "viability of being able to manufacture" the Blu-ray disc itself.

According to him, Blu-ray moves the recording surface very close to the top layer of the disc, protected by just a very thin coating, and that this makes maintaining "high reliability" of discs during the actual manufacturing process much more difficult. This factor, according to Majidimehr, is the key difference between the two formats, as HD-DVD, like traditional DVD, protects its data between two layers of protective plastic - above and below - thus making manufacturing of the discs much more reliable. Another reason Majidimehr explained for Microsoft's decision to embrace HD-DVD to the exclusion of Blu-ray was the latter's excessive copy protection. While both formats share a single form of copy protection called AACS (a consortium of which both Sony and Microsoft are founders), Blu-ray adds another layer of protection on the fly called BD+.

"Now it's optional and not every disc will use it, " conceded Majidimehr, "but from an implementation point of view we were facing a situation where we had to implement two forms of copy protection. And frankly from our point of view - and that of many other content providers and other companies - AACS is sufficient." Regarding the fact that video game consumers and players are being "pulled into" and "used" in this format war, he noted: "If you look back, there was a moment in time where Sony made a decision to sort of bundle their two assets here that they want to see succeed, which is Blu-ray and PS3. PS3 obviously has its own momentum... but Blu-ray was not having good success."

It was because of this that Majidimehr noted that he feels Sony decided to bundle Blu-ray within the upcoming PlayStation 3 platform in order to ensure a user base for both platforms, something a number of analysts have also remarked upon. ravinshield

Jesus christ man!! Next time paragraphs. Anything more than 3 words is tooo much for some people... :shock:

Every possible valid argument that you may or may not have made is immediately null and void due to the word 'chosed' in your title. Clown.CrazyIvanIV

lmao thread winner right there

The real reason why Microsoft supported HDDVD was to cause a drawn out format war. Microsoft is heavily into digital downloads, but the technology needs time to develop. That technology would get delayed if Microsoft was unable to push a format war and bluray won. Microsoft makes an equal amount of money with either format (they both use the ms proprietary codec), so all it stands to gain from supporting one format over the other is to draw out the war for its own benefit.osirisomeomi

oooh, nice point o.o

The real reason why Microsoft supported HDDVD was to cause a drawn out format war. Microsoft is heavily into digital downloads, but the technology needs time to develop. That technology would get delayed if Microsoft was unable to push a format war and bluray won. Microsoft makes an equal amount of money with either format (they both use the ms proprietary codec), so all it stands to gain from supporting one format over the other is to draw out the war for its own benefit.osirisomeomi

If you look into the recent events surrounding Paramounts decision to switch ot HD-DVD exclusively, you'll find more implications that this is exactly what Microsoft wants to do.

Personally, however, i don't think the digital age of downloadable mediawill be with us as soonas Ms thinks. Itunes hasn't stopped people buying Cds, because people like to have something physical to show for their money. I sure as hell wouldn't want my entire music collection solely on any console or media player, because if it broke that would be the whole lot wiped. Copy protection is also making it more difficult to backup downloadable content these days anyway.

No Just no... MS choose HD-DVD because they wanted to get rid of the PS3...

DVD > HD-DVD + Blu-Ray, and will for some time.

You could make the same arguements as to why Toshiba and Sony didn't come together and create a joint format from their two pieces as they had done with DVD. Sony didn't want to compromise this time, and its hurting the industry from a general adoption standpoint.

HD-DVD is slightly more versatile and cheaper to produce, anyway these companies are now certainly looking into intergrating HVD (Holographic Versatile Discs) into futuregaming hardware, as HVD isa strongermeans of data medium boasting of over 1TB of memory capacity.nickaura

HD-DVD is slightly more versatile and cheaper to produce, anyway these companies are now certainly looking into intergrating HVD (Holographic Versatile Discs) into futuregaming hardware, as HVD isa strongermeans of data medium boasting of over 1TB of memory capacity.nickaura

No consumer company at present is looking at HVD due to expense and slow data transfer rates. HVD is primarily an enterprise server backup medium.

In reality Microsoft chose DVD9, cause HD-DVD as an add on was just an excuse, they are truly not accepting a next gen data format. If they had truly latched on to HD-DVD then all their games would use the discs and you would not need to buy an add-on just to watch the movies. Bothhigh def discshave the same production values, the only difference is the price of producing the players, Blu Ray is more expensive in that respect. But the fact that you can buy Blu Ray burners leaves HD-DVD in the dust, because consumers want to be able to create their own movies and put them on a disc, especially with the new HD camcorders you can buy now, DVD's just wont fit the data of a film shot in 1080p at full HD resolution. So the consumers with the cash will buy Blu Ray drives for their computers.

[QUOTE="nickaura"]HD-DVD is slightly more versatile and cheaper to produce, anyway these companies are now certainly looking into intergrating HVD (Holographic Versatile Discs) into futuregaming hardware, as HVD isa strongermeans of data medium boasting of over 1TB of memory capacity.ramey70

No consumer company at present is looking at HVD due to expense and slow data transfer rates. HVD is primarily an enterprise server backup medium.

Is this an old report? I find it funny because the guy says that the copy protection on HD-DVD is more than sufficient. Guess which of the two HD formats has already been cracked, here's a clue, it's not Blu Ray. Also the whole scratchability thing, it's a good thing TDK developed Durabis that completely makes that point null and void. I've seen videos of a guy attack a disk with a brillo pad and it still played. LordXelNaga

ALL HD-DVD and BD disc on the market have been compromised....