The imminent format war between HD-DVD and Blu-ray disc is recognized universally as potentially destructive. Each side appreciates the disadvantages of a war, confusing and turning off consumers, risking a lukewarm reception similar to the one that greeted the two super-audio DVD formats. But neither side seems able to back down. Like the inexorable escalation of hostilities that became World War I, starting as an assassination and developing into a conflict of attrition that killed millions, the HD-DVD and Blu-ray camps seem poised for unavoidable and destructive combat in the marketplace.

But there have been recent changes in the corporate management of Sony. And the company that is famous for its not-invented-here approach to commerce and product development has held out an olive branch. Last Wednesday, Sony publicly announced that it was open to discussions to create a single standard for high definition discs. Yukinori Kawauchi, the general manager responsible for Blu-ray development in Sony's Video Group was quoted as saying, "From the point of view to provide the best service to the consumer one format is better than two. We're open to discussions."

This is highly tentative. There are no technical proposals. Formal discussions have not been reported. But vast fortunes are at stake and the corporate players are aware of the risks. There was a similar behind the scenes conflict prior to DVD's cautious seven-city rollout in 1997; only a late technological compromise prevented what could have been a bloody battle at the cash register. We got lucky. With one format and a consistent face, the DVD industry was born.

But as the high definition disc forces posture and negotiate, other technological developments are preparing to take advantage of the potential conflict. In my comparison piece examining the two formats, I asked a rhetorical question about how long it might take for an enterprising company to market a universal player compatible with both formats. Now comes word that Marshall Media Inc. has developed a new optical head product. It is reported to be able to read CDs, DVDs, HD-DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs, within a single pickup intended for a universal player.

Instead of mounting a multiplicity of lasers in a complex and expensive construct, Marshall Media is reported to be using a tuned laser capable of emitting multiple wavelengths. This simplification should make the device sufficiently inexpensive to make a universal player affordable.

If a format war can't be avoided, will the licensing bodies that oversee HD-DVD and Blu-ray allow any company to market a universal player? The plot thickens. As I discover more, I'll be sure to pass it along to you.

Two proposals seek to avert next-gen DVD format war

Rick Merritt
EE Times
(04/19/2005 6:00 AM EDT)

LAS VEGAS — The competing Blu-Ray and HD-DVD camps are quietly considering two proposals that could avert a format war and create a single next-generation DVD standard. A source close to the effort said a final decision may not be announced for as long as two months.

Both proposals currently on the table attempt to define an entirely new, hybrid format made up from elements of the Blu-Ray and HD-DVD systems. In addition, both proposals try to include additional capabilities that would give proponents of the existing camps reasons to move to the new format.

"The most important thing to understand here is no one really wants a format war," said the source who asked not to be named.

Executives on both sides realize that DVD video was hugely successful, in part, because it was a unified standard. In contrast, DVD audio has been one of the worst failures in the technology business because two competing standards came to market, the source added.

Indeed, a single DVD standard would be a huge win for consumers. If both standards come to market consumers would likely be faced with buying both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players if they wanted to play all the prerecorded movies that would become available.

No details about the two hybrid proposals were immediately available.

According to sources close to the DVD Forum and the Blu-ray Disc Association, the groups are on the verge of agreeing on a higher-level protocol and interactive layers as well as the physical formats of the incompatible standards.

Both unification proposals also try to address the fact that some of the big studios have conflicting requirements. Warner Brothers is said to want the lowest cost media, while The Walt Disney Co. is said to prefer the standard with the highest capacity.

The rivalry between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, the two competing high-definition DVD formats, has been sizzling, leaving the industry faced with a recap of the VHS-Betamax debacle. Now LG has come out with a truce proposal: A device that will play both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD discs. The player is expected in stores this fall. LG isn't the only company straddling the fence: Hewlett-Packard (Research) has said it will support both formats.