New triple-hybrid HD disc

As Sony and Microsoft bicker about HD gaming formats, New Scientist writes that engineers working for AOL/Time-Warner are developing a disc that will play on Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, and regular DVD players. The key to the technology is the depths the various lasers work at: while Blu-Ray scans at 0.1 millimetres, HD-DVD scans at 0.6 mm. By manufacturing two layers with the top one being a two-way mirror, the engineers think they can produce a format that will work perfectly with any DVD system. For standard DVD, users would simply flip a disc to its opposite side. No timeline is offered for the arrival of the first hybrid movies. In theory, this technology might also allow game developers to release a single disc for the 360 and PS3.

by MacNN Staff