NOT content with launching five different recordable DVD formats, the video industry has decided to confuse anyone waiting for the next generation of recording technology, too.
Next year, the first recordable DVD players using blue lasers will be launched. These will offer much higher storage capacity than today鈥檚 recorders.
But a decision last week means there will now be two varieties of blue laser disc in the shops. One runs on a player that plays back today鈥檚 DVDs, and the other does not.
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Today鈥檚 DVD players use red lasers that record onto a 4.7 gigabyte disc. In February, however, multinationals including Panasonic and Sony agreed a new blue laser-based DVD format, called Blu-Ray. This records 27 gigabytes 鈥� enough to store 13 hours of video. But Blu-Ray won鈥檛 play today鈥檚 ordinary DVDs, which need different optics.
And last week, Toshiba and NEC said they have developed a rival blue laser system, as yet without a catchy name, which will play your old DVDs and will store 20 gigabytes. The catch? It uses a different type of blue laser disc to Blu-Ray, so video shops will have to stock both types. Unless the rival groups can be brought to their senses beforehand. But don鈥檛 bet on it.
