Theory on triple layer HD-DVD's

[Misly]

You know we likey our Blu-ray and HD DVD tech 'round here, but we heart hybrid capabilities even more. So today's announcement from Toshiba and Memory Tech of a triple-layer twin format HD DVD / DVD disc has certainly caught our attention. The new disc is capable of either a dual-layer 30GB HD DVD and single-layer 4.7GB configuration, or single-layer 15GB HD DVD and dual-layer 8.5GB DVD. The resulting disc can be manufactured on the same HD DVD production lines with little modification and conceivably play either HD or DVD films (without flipping the disc) when fed into a regular ol' DVD or new fangled HD DVD player. As our hi-def bros over at HD Beat rightly point out, the DVD TWIN standard is already in use by our Japanese overlords, albeit, in its lessor dual-layer format. The next step is for Tosh to present the new format to the DVD forum who, with any luck, will slap Toshiba up side the head and get 'em focused on the HD DVD / Blu-ray hybrid we're all waiting for.

Quote stolen from here

single-layer 15GB HD DVD and dual-layer 8.5GB DVD

Doesnt this mean that Microsoft could release larger (8.5GB+) games on HD-DVD packed in with another normal DVD for the rest of the game content for non HD-DVD Xbox 360's

eg.

Game 'X' is 15 GB in size.

Game 'X' has single-layer 15GB HD-DVD that contains the game data, playable on a HD-DVD Xbox 360 and dual-layer 8.5GB DVD on the one disk that is also playable on non HD-DVD Xbox 360's.

Because non HD-DVD Xbox 360's need another 6.5 GB to store the rest of the games data, Game 'X' is released with a second normal (not expensive) DVD with the rest of the game data.

Simple, does not add much to the production cost (second DVD = added production cost > 50cents) and more importantly, the purchased game will work in all Xbox 360's.

Take Halo 3 for an example.

Thanks to triple layer and the ability for all older dvd players to read the normal DVD layers on a HD-DVD disk, no game has to be HD-DVD only.

When everyone buys Halo 3, they all get the same package:

Triple layer HD-DVD

layer 1 = 4.2 GB Halo 3 game data: readable on all current Xbox360's
layer 2 = 4.2 GB halo 3 game data: readable on all current Xbox360's
layer 3 = 15 GB HD-DVD halo 3 game data: only readable on HD-DVD Xbox360

All halo 3 games comes packaged with 2nd normal DVD (very inexpensive for developers to include and its useless on its own so no loss of sales from reselling disk 2)

layer 1 = 4.2 GB Halo 3 game data: readable on all current Xbox360's
layer 2 = 4.2 GB halo 3 game data: readable on all current Xbox360's

total GB for one package of Halo 3:
15GB readable on HD-DVD Xbox360's
16.8GB readable on current Xbox360's

Early adopters will have to insert disk two, but they can still buy and play the same package HD-DVD Halo 3 game without missing out on any content, in their older Xbox360's

[Pat]

A good idea, but wouldnt that just halve sales? ie late adopters with the HD-DVD setup buy it, and palm off the DVD edition to someone with the old 360.

[Misly]

A good idea, but wouldnt that just halve sales? ie late adopters with the HD-DVD setup buy it, and palm off the DVD edition to someone with the old 360.

They would not be able to palm off the DVD editon to someone else because the game does not come packaged with a full seperate DVD edition. The first 8.5 GB of the games data is stored on two layers of the triple layered HD-DVD.

[Pat]

Ahh, so it is. Comprehension -1.

I suppose that could work.

[Misly]

Ahh, so it is. Comprehension -1.

Comprehension +1

My fault, post = all muddled. I couldn't get my thoughts out clearly! I will edit it and word it better.

This may be a way for microsoft to release Xbox360 games on HD-DVD without cutting out the early Xbox360 buyers.

[selfish]

this is all irrelevant anyway because you don't need lots of storage anyway, just ask lestat

[GameHED]

Well maybe after 5 years towards the death of the current gen when people are starting to see these huge uncompressed ps3 games with no loss in quality. (ie console equivalent to pc bloatware programs)

I want an elder scrolls game with every single word that is spoken in text to have gigs of voice acted lines so that each person sounds like a unique individual. Oh yeah and each would have thier own unique language and speak to you in that language so you hear them say stuff with thier unique tongue. If there is a lot of space available, developers will find new ways to fill up that space. (no matter how little effect it has to gameplay, so long as it adds atmosphere to thier massive world)