Warner Files To Patent Hybrid DVD Disc

TG Daily reports that Warner has filed Patent Application #0060179448, a technique for creating a HD and Blu-ray DVD on one side, and a normal DVD on the other side of the disc.

The most prevalent technical difference between Blu-ray and HD DVD is that the discs are read at a depth of 0.1 millimeters and 0.6 millimeters, respectively. The proposed disc would be manufactured such that an HD DVD player would be able to effectively skip over the Blu-ray disc level and read the data embedded 0.6 millimeters into the disc, but a BD player could still recognize the data on the 0.1 millimeter level.

via digg.

Comments

[noe638]

I really think now is the time to start making disks with a container on the outside that opens up only when it is inside the player. How many disks are ruined because of being exposed?

It seems foolish to build a brand new technology and have it retrofit to outdated impractical players that leave the media susceptible to damage.

[gir]

Do you really want cartridge media? It's so much bulkier.

I'd also argue that, all things considered, it more susceptible to damage. It's much heavier, so it (the cartridge itself) is more likely to break if you drop it, it's susceptible to jamming in your drive, and it complicates the drive mechanism which affects the drive's reliability.

About the only thing it does better is protect the disk from scratches, and besides children and the mail how much of a concern are scratches really? (and the mail doesn't really count - shipping cartridge media would be too expensive).

[type-cast]

"more susceptible to damage."

I think the ideal design would be the PSP's UMD games. They protect the disc, without a lot of bulk. This is what DVDs should have been years ago. It's absurd to sell fragile discs that are exposed to air and fingers.

http://www.gamerz-edge.com/psp/media/PSPics/images/UMD-front-white.jpg

"About the only thing it does better is protect the disk from scratches, and besides children and the mail how much of a concern are scratches really?"

Just being exposed to air can degrade media. Touching the edge of DVD causes condensation on the surface. It would be better to have a shell - like UMD or MiniDiscs. They are less likely to jam than floppy disks. And I have never had a floppy disk jam on me.