Derek Flickinger has a great post about the Interactivity layers in HD-DVD and Blu-ray. Derek is a good friend of the site as he tips me off to some great articles.

I think his post sums up nicely that the battle is not about the physical disks but the software layer on top of that. Personally I am not bothers about the "extra features" I just want the movie in electronic format on my server to I can watch it on any of my Media Center systems but I would advice you to checkout Dereks article

Battle of the Interactivity Formats

HD DVD and Blu-ray use fundamentally different platforms for implementing interactivity.

HD DVD uses an XML-based solution called HDi, while Blu-ray uses a Java-based solution called BD-J.

HDi is an offshoot of an established Microsoft technology for which Microsoft has provided development tools and “interactivity training” since before HD DVD was born. Even Blu-ray backers have enjoyed the HDi technology for their Internet-related endeavors.

Now that newer features and online services are gelling in the Blu-ray camp, many of these HDi adopters are turning to BD-J for their new interactive, social, and community services. (See Sony’s demonstration of BD Live.)

Continue on CE Pro’s site

One thought on “HD DVD vs. Blu-ray: It’s the Interactivity, Stupid! – CE Pro”
  1. Nice callout and very valid commentary Ian…. U r RIGHT ON THE MONEY HERE as it is about software and proprietary rights. And bully to you re the fact that really matters is how to get content to your home storage and then distribute it through your home or replicate the state to multiple form factors/transcoding (e.g. take it on the road, over water, train tracks, or while flying thru the air!). People are getting into a war on this topic and it just reeks as much as a bad intelligence report about WMD’s in Iraq :). let’s stop the madness people! Download your content. Think of how it will save the environment and reduce oil consumption and other raw materials (most from African countries). I am not a tree hugger and am a bit xenophobic, but I will still make this argument as others may pick up on it. Think of all the eco waste from multi format DVD players that break, countless DVD’s that scratch and break and all the aluminum and other metals disposed of and leaching into water supply (LOL – these eco arguments are fun). People… Stop the DVD madness and arguments about format; you are puppets for some greedy corporations dirty deeds! Stop doing there bidding (Oh yeah and the eco and oil argument too!)

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