Washington, D.C. (September 20, 2006)
--
Could this bring the HDTV DVD
format war to an end?
Three Warner Bros. employees have filed a patent application for a disc that would accommodate both Sony's Blu-ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD high-def formats.
The two formats are currently not compatible, meaning one disc won't play on the other's machine. The format dispute has led to poor sales of the new high-def DVDs and players.
However, the new dual disc could satisfy consumers who have been concerned that the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD battle is a repeat of the Beta-VHS fiasco of the 1980s.
According to Reuters, the patent says the new disc would have three layers -- one for Blu-ray; one for HD-DVD; and one for standard DVD.
"From the standpoint of a manufacturer, it is disadvantageous to have to manufacture and distribute three different types of disc formats to satisfy consumer demand for one product--such as a motion picture," the Warner Bros. employees said in the patent application. "Moreover, multiple formats of DVD discs create retail and consumer confusion as to which format(s) to acquire or buy."
There was no word on when the disc would be available.
Three Warner Bros. employees have filed a patent application for a disc that would accommodate both Sony's Blu-ray and Toshiba's HD-DVD high-def formats.
The two formats are currently not compatible, meaning one disc won't play on the other's machine. The format dispute has led to poor sales of the new high-def DVDs and players.
However, the new dual disc could satisfy consumers who have been concerned that the Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD battle is a repeat of the Beta-VHS fiasco of the 1980s.
According to Reuters, the patent says the new disc would have three layers -- one for Blu-ray; one for HD-DVD; and one for standard DVD.
"From the standpoint of a manufacturer, it is disadvantageous to have to manufacture and distribute three different types of disc formats to satisfy consumer demand for one product--such as a motion picture," the Warner Bros. employees said in the patent application. "Moreover, multiple formats of DVD discs create retail and consumer confusion as to which format(s) to acquire or buy."
There was no word on when the disc would be available.