HD DVD Gets Microsoft Backing

Windows Vista will natively support HD DVD, one of two competing standards for next-generation DVDs, while support for its competitor, Blu-ray, will be left to OEMs and hardware makers. Microsoft cited several technical reasons for its choice, including HD DVD’s allowance for limited copying, lower manufacturing costs, and superior backward compatibility. However, business considerations were probably a major consideration, as Blu-ray was created primarily by Sony, one of Microsoft’s main rivals in the home entertainment space. Regardless, the announcement increases the likelihood of a format war that could alienate consumers and stall adoption of both formats.

Format War Looms

Although neither technology is yet on the market, the competition between HD DVD (which was developed by Toshiba and NEC) and Blu-ray extends back several years. Both technologies use blue lasers to read data, letting the discs store at least three times the data of today’s DVDs (partly because of the shorter wavelength of blue light, which allows the laser to target a smaller spot on the disk than more common red lasers). This allows disks in either format to pack much more information on a disk. For instance, a full-length high-definition movie can appear on a single disk-impossible with today’s DVD standard.