HD DVD Players and the "Backwards Playback" Feature

Now the situation has changed with advanced DVD technologies. You now have exclusive HD DVDs which offer you superior video and audio output. They also differ from the traditional DVDs in the sense that they are able to store more data on their surfaces. They are all set to revolutionize the home theater market.

Almost all major studios in Hollywood like Universal, MGM and Warner, to name only a few, have announced new titles on this high capacity HD DVD. The HD DVD format is being pioneered by Toshiba and NEC, who are credited with inventing the advanced optical disc technology. The new format enables storage of large amount of data, up to 15 GB on a single layered disc and 30 GB on a double layered disc. The format uses the now often heard term, blue laser. The inventors of this format claim that it will cost substantially less than its closest rival, Blu-ray discs.

The high definition DVD player manufacturers are also bracing for the onslaught of this new type of DVD, by offering players which have backward compatibility, which enables you to still play your good old DVDs apart from the latest HD DVDs. Some models from Toshiba have already hit the market. These models are capable of playing both traditional as well as HD DVDs.

The Current Scenario

The principal rival to the advanced optical disc format is the Blu-ray format. Blu-ray discs are being aggressively promoted by leading consumer electronic giants like Sony, Samsung, Philips, Sharp, and Hp to mention a few. These Blu-ray discs, like the advanced optical discs, are capable of storing a large amount of data. In fact they can store more than what the advanced optical discs can store. A single layered Blu-ray disc can store up to 25 GB of data, while a double layered disc can store 50 GB. They also offer excellent video quality with unmatched audio output. This technology also uses the blue-violet laser technology, just like the HD DVD technology being promoted by Toshiba and NEC.

A major advantage with Blu-ray format lies in the fact that the entire technology is