Apple joins Blu-Ray Disc Association Board

Posted:
in Future Apple Hardware edited January 2014
Apple is on-board with Blu-ray now. Not really a surprise, but I imagine a huge blow to HD-DVD.



link



I put this in future hardware because I remember Blu-ray threads being in here. With the new shufflings, by all means move to the Insider if that's a the better fit.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 91
    cubistcubist Posts: 954member
    Great news!
  • Reply 2 of 91
    screedscreed Posts: 1,077member
    Well not too surprising what with Sony leading the pack, but...



    I wish they would have just sat back and let the rest of the industry sort it out. With H.264 in both standards, Apple could have won either way. (Actually they still could to a lesser extent).



    Anyway... I call for the first Blu-Ray drive in a Mac at MWSF '06.



    Screed ...beware the ides of Betamax...
  • Reply 3 of 91
    AppleInsiderAppleInsider Posts: 63,192administrator
    The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) today announced that Apple will become a member of the consortium?s Board of Directors. Apple has been a leader in driving consumer adoption of DVD authoring since January 2001, with the introduction of its SuperDrive, the industry?s first high-volume CD- and DVD-burning drive, and its iDVD and DVD Studio Pro software applications. Apple is also helping bring High Definition (HD) to market with a complete line of HD content creation tools for consumers and professionals alike including iMovie HD, Final Cut Express HD and Final Cut Pro HD editing software. Additionally, QuickTime 7, expected for release alongside Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger," will feature the MPEG developed H.264 Advanced Video Codec (AVC) which has been adopted for high definition DVDs. The BDA was created to broaden support for Blu-ray Disc?the next generation optical disc for storing High Definition movies, photos and other digital content. Blu-ray Discs will have five times larger capacity than today's DVDs, with a single-layer Blu-ray Disc holding up to 25 gigabytes of data and a double-layer Blu-ray Disc holding up to 50 gigabytes of data. Current DVDs hold 4.7 gigabytes on single-layer discs and 8.5 gigabytes on dual-layer discs.
  • Reply 4 of 91
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    I think blue ray is almost out of it. HD-DVD is an easier identity to name a High Definition DVD for consumers to begin with, and there is a 75% vs. 25% of DVD player makers going with HD so far. Sony has influence, and partners that can help it appear as a 50/50 split in the end, but this is going to be a battle just to keep it going IMO. (It's beta2)

    I thought it would have been a better idea to merge the better features of both technologies into one with this whole HD, and large capacity DVD push, but now it's their game.
  • Reply 5 of 91
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Computer hardware support will have very little inital impact on Blu-Ray or HD-DVD.



    Content is paramount and whoever comes the market with the best and bountiful titles at the best pricing will assume the lead. HD-DVD has already announced the pending availability of 89 titles. Blu-Ray group hasn't answered yet.



    The advantages seem to be



    Blu-Ray- 25GB Single Layer 50GB Dual layer. 72Mbps 2x BD recording.



    HD-DVD- Presumed lower pressing costs. Name. 20GB HD-DVD recording Single Layer, 32GB recordable Dual Layer.



    I have no doubt that eventually we'll have the option to support both units. The whole jumping on board is for show.
  • Reply 6 of 91
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Merge threads please.
  • Reply 7 of 91
    screedscreed Posts: 1,077member
    Reference: Howstuffworks.com



    Screed
  • Reply 8 of 91
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by sCreeD

    Reference: Howstuffworks.com



    Screed




    Great link. Blue Ray is the superior format, but HD-DVD has a lot of support, because they can continue to use existing technology to create HD-DVD's



    Quote:

    Ultimately, which format prevails will have a lot to do with its backers. HD-DVD has the DVD Forum behind it: a consortium of 230 consumer-electronics and entertainment companies, as well as movie studios New Line, Paramount, Universal and Warner Bros. Plus, Microsoft plans to support HD-DVD with its next Windows operating system, code-named Longhorn. Blu-ray has more than 10 of the top electronics companies behind it, plus the support of Columbia TriStar, Disney and MGM studios. Also, it has been rumored that the new PlayStation 3 game system will support Blu-ray.



    It's the 230 consumer-electronics and entertainment companies that bug me. I would obviously prefer Blue ray even though it is more expensive to create,, and the discs will be a bit more expensive. But again. Less expensive has it's advantages. That little read actually changed my mind a bit, and I hope there is a market for both now, and there will be players that can play both formats. Because that would be the optimum situation IMO.
  • Reply 9 of 91
    In the end, the same thing that happened with the whole DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM will happen again.



    Manufacturers will just start making players capable of playing both formats when it becomes affordable and the format will become irrelevant.
  • Reply 10 of 91
    There's a pretty big list of Heavy Hitters behind Blu-Ray:

    Its Board of Directors consists of Apple; Dell Inc.; Hewlett Packard Company; Hitachi, Ltd.; LG Electronics Inc.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Panasonic (Matsushita Electric); Pioneer Corporation; Royal Philips Electronics; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corporation; Sony Corporation; TDK Corporation; Thomson; Twentieth Century Fox; and Walt Disney Pictures and Television



    Microsoft, ATI, and NVidia are also supporting Blu-Ray.



    That's very powerful group.



    I do wish they could have come out with a single standard. I guess it's like DVD-/+ all over again.
  • Reply 11 of 91
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Yeah that's a big list but none of those companies can offer me the content.



    HD-DVD has



    New Line Cinema

    Warner Brothers

    Paramount

    Universal



    Wow that's a lot of potential movies. Enough to keep the format alive and well for some time.



    Frankly the only thing I see Dell, HP, Apple and other resellers benefitting Blu-Ray is for backup solutions and that market will be rather limited.
  • Reply 12 of 91
    screedscreed Posts: 1,077member
    "none" is a little strong. If Sony Corp. is in that means Sony Pictures. Fox is there and Walt Disney. And since Apple is now on the board that means Steve has blessed it and therefore Pixar is guaranteed to be a content provider.



    So that's not none.



    But the providers you listed is indeed a lot.



    Screed
  • Reply 13 of 91
    Hmmm but PlayStation 3 and possibly X-box 2 will use Blu-ray... that's a lot of content too. I think they will both be fairly popular among consumers.
  • Reply 14 of 91
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by monkeyastronaut

    Hmmm but PlayStation 3 and possibly X-box 2 will use Blu-ray... that's a lot of content too. I think they will both be fairly popular among consumers.



    Microsoft has thrown its initial weight behind HD-DVD. If the XBox2 comes out it's likely to utilize HD-DVD now.



    Longhorn to support HD-DVD



    Now THAT is a lot more powerful statement than Apple joining the BR BoD due to the immense sales of PCs.



    I plan on having both formats. Perhaps a PS3 for BD-ROM support and a HD-DVD player. I'm hoping there is nothing artificially limiting the possibility of a Universal player being made. That's the only win/win solution for us right now.
  • Reply 15 of 91
    nathan22tnathan22t Posts: 317member
    Yeah with Fox... Star Wars on BR would hit pretty hard.
  • Reply 16 of 91
    matsumatsu Posts: 6,558member
    Is HD-DVD a red-laser product?



    What are the physical characteristics of HD DVD vs. blue-ray disc ?
  • Reply 17 of 91
    onlookeronlooker Posts: 5,252member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Matsu

    Is HD-DVD a red-laser product?



    What are the physical characteristics of HD DVD vs. blue-ray disc ?




    That's a google question mats.
  • Reply 18 of 91
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Let's look at what we know to be coming late this year early 2006. I'll highlight the movies I think are very popular.



    Paramount HD-DVD



    New Titles

    The Manchurian Candidate

    Spongebob Squarepants

    Elizabethtown

    Coach Carter

    The Italian Job

    School of Rock

    Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow



    Catalog Titles

    Forrest Gump

    Braveheart

    Ghost

    Grease

    Mission Impossible 2

    Black Rain

    Save the Last Dance

    Sleepy Hollow

    U2: Rattle and Hum

    Vanilla Sky

    Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

    Star Trek: First Contact

    We Were Soldiers





    Universal HD-DVD



    New Titles

    The Bourne Supremacy

    The Chronicles of Riddick

    Van Helsing



    Catalog Titles

    Apollo 13

    U-571

    12 Monkeys

    Dune

    The Thing

    End of Days

    Backdraft

    Waterworld

    The Bone Collector

    Spy Game

    Pitch Black

    Conan the Barbarian

    Dante's Peak



    Warner Bros/HBO/New Line HD-DVD



    New & Catalog Titles

    Above the Law

    Alexander

    Angels in America (HBO)

    Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (New Line)

    Batman Begins

    Blade (New Line)

    Catwoman

    Contact

    Constantine

    Charley and the Chocolate Factory

    Dark City (New Line)

    The Dukes of Hazzard

    Eraser

    Executive Decision

    Final Destination (New Line)

    Friday (New Line)

    From the Earth to the Moon (HBO)

    The FugitiveGothika

    Hard to Kill

    Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

    Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

    Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban


    House of Wax (2005)

    The Last Samurai

    The Mask (New Line)

    The Matrix

    The Matrix Reloaded

    The Matrix Revolutions


    Maverick

    Million Dollar Baby

    The Music Man

    Mystic River

    Next of Kin

    North by Northwest

    Ocean's Eleven

    Ocean's Twelve

    Passenger 57

    The Perfect Storm

    The Phantom of the Opera (2004)

    The Player (New Line)

    The Polar Express

    Red Planet

    Rush Hour (New Line)

    Se7en (New Line)

    Soldier

    The Sopranos (HBO)

    Spawn (New Line)

    Swordfish

    Troy

    Under Siege

    U.S. Marshals

    Wild Wild West
  • Reply 19 of 91
    snoopysnoopy Posts: 1,901member
    Here is a rather long analysis of HD, which includes the optical media. This author rates the HD-DVD format at only 15 GB, which may just be enough for a feature length movie, but not much else. If true, Sony's Blu-Ray appears to have a big advantage. HD-DVD must go to dual layer to compete with Blu-Ray's capacity. It also mentions Columbia and MGM as studios that will go with Blu-Ray. I hope I'm remembering these details correctly.



    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/03...hdtv_analysis/



    I also read, somewhere else, that the only advantage of HD-DVD is that optical disks can be produced on the same manufacturing equipment as conventional DVDs. Blu-Ray requires investment in new equipment. If Sony and others want Blu-Ray to take off, they need to build new, high capacity plants to produce their disks ASAP. Both formats use a blue laser and require purchase of a new optical disk player to view HD movies. However, the new players will also take existing DVDs. I guess they will have both red and blue lasers.



    I don't think we can compare Blu-Ray to Beta tapes. Sony was by itself on that one, and only Sony made VCRs for the Beta format. It looks like Sony learned a lesson and has now solid backers for Blu-Ray. It will not be a proprietary format.
  • Reply 20 of 91
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    FYI, lots of info here:

    http://www.blu-ray.com/faq/



    Blu-ray Discs are called BD's:



    BD-ROM - read-only format for software, games and movie distribution.

    BD-R - recordable format for HDTV recording and PC data storage.

    BD-RE - rewritable format for HDTV recording and PC data storage.




    Anyway, if HD-DVD turns out to ALSO be important, it's easy for Apple to support that option too. BTO if it's that popular, or via 3rd-party drives if it's a niche.



    I'm glad Apple went with the higher-capacity format--these things are for data, not just movies.



    I hope Apple doesn't use the term "BluperDrive" though.
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