 | |
 Data side of an HD DVD | |
| Media type | High-density optical disc |
|---|---|
| Encoding | VC-1, H.264, and MPEG-2 |
| Capacity | 15 GB (single layer) 30 GB (dual layer) |
| Read mechanism | 405 nm laser: 1× @ 36 Mbit/s & 2× @ 72 Mbit/s |
| Write mechanism | 405 nm laser: 1× @ 36 Mbit/s & 2× @ 72 Mbit/s |
| Developed by | |
| Usage | Data storage, 1080p high-definition video |
| Extended from | DVD, DVD-Video |
| Extended to | Blu-ray Disc |
| Released | March 31, 2006 |
| Discontinued | March 28, 2008 (1 year, 11 months and 28 days) |
| Optical discs |
|---|
 |
HD DVD (short for High Density Digital Versatile Disc)[1] is an obsolete high-density optical disc format for storing data and playback of high-definition video.[2][3][4][5][6] Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format, but lost to Blu-ray, supported by Sony and others.
HD DVD employed a blue laser with a shorter wavelength (with the exception of the 3× DVD and HD REC variants), and it stored about 3.2 times as much data per layer as its predecessor (maximum capacity: 15 GB per layer compared to 4.7 GB per layer on a DVD). The format was commercially released in 2006 and fought a protracted format war with rival Blu-ray. On February 19, 2008, Toshiba abandoned the format,[7] announcing it would no longer manufacture HD DVD players and drives.[2] The HD DVD Promotion Group was dissolved on March 28, 2008.[8]
The HD DVD physical disc specifications (but not the codecs) were used as the basis for the China Blue High-definition Disc (CBHD) formerly called CH-DVD.
Besides recordable and rewritable variants, a HD DVD-RAM variant was proposed as the successor to the DVD-RAM and specifications for it were developed,[9] but the format never reached the market.
- ^ HD-DVD (High Density Digital Versatile Disk) – blue laser optical disk. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
- ^ a b Moses, Asher (February 20, 2008). "No refunds for HD DVD early adopters". The Age. Melbourne. Retrieved February 24, 2008.
- ^ Alternative Uses for your soon to be obsolete HD-DVD Player Archived September 20, 2019, at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- ^ Format Wars Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- ^ HD DVD owners 'anger' over obsolete players Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- ^ Top 10 Things to Do with your now Defunct HD-DVD Player Retrieved September 18, 2019.
- ^ "Toshiba drops HD DVD". The Guardian. February 19, 2008. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
- ^ and the HD DVD Promotion Group officially dissolves in a high-res burst of tears (Engadget, March 28, 2008)
- ^ DVD FLLC - DVD Format Book (As of September 30, 2007)