Blu-Ray and HD-DVD

A Completely New Movie Experience

Video: MPEG 2 format is currently used for DVD's and run with data rates of up to 9.8 MBit/s. However, this format is found lacking when it comes to the new HD discs as projected MPEG 2 files leave a trail of noise on a HD television. Picture sharpness suffers and intricate details become hardly visible. MPEG 4 AVC, also known as H.264 functions far better with data rates up to 54 MBit/s. Compared to MPEG 4 variations of DivX and Xvid so far, H.264 attains three times the quality. The main reason for this is because unlike its predecessors, it does not analyze video per frame square of 8 x 8 pixels but instead by blocks as big as 4 x 4 pixels. This translates into a more accurate projection. For the SMPTE-V-1 codec developed by Microsoft, it is supposedly just as good as the H.264 in respect to picture quality.

Audio: Blu-ray and HD-DVD hardly differ in this respect. Both have integrated qualitatively high grade audio codecs such as Dolby Digital Plus, TrueHD, DTS HD, and MLP(Meridian Lossless Packing). A slight advantage for HD-DVD is that contents are always encoded with Dolby and TrueHDCodec, on par with film studios using high grade audio equipment. Decoders for Dolby and TrueHD are integrated into all HD-DVD players so that new codecs remain downward compatible with older surround sound equipments. In this case, audio quality will be downgraded into normal DTS format. Blu-ray on the other hand writes only DTS contents.

So far, only TrueHD can offer real sound experience as this audio format works without any kind of compression. However, TrueHD files are too large even for Blu-ray or HD-DVD discs if entire contents are to be stored. Even though there are BD discs with TrueHD, they are available only for the main feature and probably in one language only. There is a chance this problem could be solved if film studios switched to dual layer BD's with 50 GB capacity. Whether TrueHD is compatible with smaller 15 GB Single Layer HD-DVD versions is yes to be seen.

New Additional Functions

No, Jack cannot die! The new data carriers not only offer a better experience of the original film but also additional features such as alternative film endings, scene menus, games and subtitles.

Blu-ray: These revisions are based on BD-J, a special Java variation. Interactive applications are now a reality thanks to an extensive programming interface integrated into every player. You can, for example, watch films in which you yourself can choose the storyline. Every movie can have a happy ending, if that's what you desire.

Besides that, its also possible to integrate mini games and additional information about the movie onto the disc as well. in addition to that, these side applications could be updated regularly if the player is connected to the internet.

One minor setback of this new technology is that the video menu lags slightly right after being inserted into the player, probably because it isn't optimized for Java programs. Accessing and making selections on the menu takes an agonizing 20-40 seconds. Manufacture are aware of this issue promises to deliver improved devices next time running. Expect newer generation players to contain a special Java chip that should play these extra features smoothly.

HD-DVD: Manufacturers utilize a combination of JavaScript, XML and SMIL( Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language) on the script language iHD which is jointly supported by Disney, Microsoft and other big players of the industry. This is comparable to its Blu-ray counterpart, BD-J in which both offers the same functions.

New Copy Protection

Tougher nut to crack. Any commercial movie content loaded into a BD / HD-DVD is secured by a wide range of DRM- protection with AACS (Advanced Access Content System) to ensure pirates and copycats cannot easily rip someone else's property. This method protects the disc with 128 bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) and up till April 2007, has not been breached yet. Unlike a DVD's CSS(Content Scrambling System) copy protection method protects only video data; AACS actually protects the complete content of the whole disc.

In the future, the "key" would no longer be integrated onto the medium, but instead the player will have to directly request it through the internet. It will only play the film after it has been authenticated by the websites.

Bottom Line

Still not up to mark. Expensive players, expensive televisions, and expensive media yet is not perfect from a technical point of view. Sad to say, stepping into HD world is not worth the time and money at present. Of course you get high resolution images, superb sound and extra features but you should wait till the little irks and quirks get ironed out. At least, till next generation of players, possibly around the mid of 2007.So,will it be possible?