Many of you are eagerly anticipating the arrival of HD packaged media. While HD media has been available for purchase in one form or another for many years (D-VHS/D-Theater and WMVHD), HD DVD promises to be the largest distribution to date within months of its release. This article will cover the basics of HD DVD audio and video, gives a brief overview of the two Toshiba models arriving in March, and concludes with a listing of HD DVD movies that will be available upon release (and soon thereafter).

Video Basics

For those of you reading this article who are already aware of what HD DVD is, you can skip to the next section. But for those who would like some clarification, read on. The basic disc structure is the same as DVD (size, layers, etc.), but the compression and laser technologies involved are completely different.

Traditional DVD's utilized a red laser for reading to and writing from the disc. HD DVD utilizes a new blue-violet laser. This new blue-violet laser has a 405nm wavelength vs. the red laser's 650nm. This shorter wavelength allows for much higher data density since the blue laser can write a much narrower data track. The net effect is that HD DVD can store more than 3 times the number of bits as traditional DVD's.

HD DVD also utilizes more advanced compression techniques than did traditional DVD. It can employ MPEG-4 AVC and VC-1 (aka Windows Media 9), whereas traditional DVD's were strictly MPEG-2. These compression advances allow for roughly twice the data storage as traditional DVD. For a direct comparison of these two specifications, see the table below:

Audio Basics

In addition to AC-3 (Dolby^® Digital) and MPEG codecs currently supported by traditional DVD, HD DVD has added Dolby^® Digital Plus (lossy) and DTS^® (lossy) as mandatory codecs. Support for 2-channel Linear PCM and 2-channel MLP (True HD) are also mandated. The HD DVD standard also allows for DTS^® HD (lossless) as an optional codec. with respect to the two currently available Toshiba units, the audio capabilities are equally as impressive as their video capabilities. Their press release says it best:

The mandatory audio formats for HD DVD include both lossy and lossless formats from Dolby Labs and DTS^® - including the newly developed Dolby^® Digital Plus and DTS-HD.

The lossless mandatory formats include Linear PCM and Dolby TrueHD (only 2 Channel support is mandatory). The TrueHD format is bit-for-bit identical to the high resolution studio masters and can support up to eight discrete full range channels of 24-bit/96k Hz audio. Another lossless format (specified as an optional format) is DTS-HD. This employs high sampling rates of up to 192kHz.

Both models feature built-in multi-channel decoders for Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD (2 channel), DTS and DTS-HD. The HD-XA1 employs the use of four high performance DSP engines to decode the multi-channel streams of the wide array of audio formats. These high performance processors will perform the required conversion process, as well as the extensive on-board Multi-Channel Signal Management including: User Selectable Crossovers, Delay Management and Channel Level Management.

Hardware Comparison

Slated for release next month are two HD DVD players, both from Toshiba: the HD-XA1 ($799.99) and the HD-A1 ($499.99). Both players are backward-compatibile, allowing playback of older CD and DVD formats. Both players also support copy-protected playback via HDCP at 720p and 1080i over HDMI, and will scale a traditional 480p DVD source to either 720p or 1080i to match your television's capabilities.

Toshiba HD-A1	Toshiba HD-XA1

The differences between the two players are arguably minimal, but that is subjective.

On the audio side, the XA1 has four high performance DSP engines which allow not only for audio conversion, but also improved audio signal management (user selectable crossovers, delay management, and channel level management). Of course, if you're using a separate receiver or audio component to do this processing, there's no advantage.

The XA1 also employs several construction advancements over its A1 counterpart. It includes a motorized door which conceals the disc drawer, function buttons and USB ports. The XA1 also includes three different interfaces and a motion-activated, backlit remote control. A double chassis construction is also employed by the XA1 to add stability and strength and minimize vibrations. And to finish it off, the HD-XA1 adds insulated stabilizing feet.

The remainder of the specifications for these two players are essentially the same, as outlined in the table that follows:

Other hardware planned for later this year are as follows:

Toshiba HD DVD Slim Drive	Toshiba Qosmio Notebook PC w/ HD DVD Drive
	(No Image Yet)
NEC HD DVD-ROM Drive	Microsoft HD DVD Drive for Xbox 360

Software

HD DVD discs employ menuing and advanced navigation via "iHD." This advanced interface allows for many new features unavailable in traditional DVD's. The most notable of which is the ability to navigate through the HD DVD and associated options as an "overlay" to the content, without interrupting your viewing.

You may have seen stories in the past few days about some of the interactive features not being available immediately at launch. I have not been able to confirm this, but I think I found the source of this in their latest press release:

Design specifications and dimensions are not final and subject to change. Firmware upgrade required for full interactive features.

And while they don't define "full interactive features", it should not be a big deal for most as this will likely be done directly via the ethernet port, similar to the latest TiVo's.

For content protection, HD DVD utilizes the Advanced Access Content System (AACS), which is a standard for content distribution and digital rights management. For media that is AACS-enabled, these players will be required to recognize an Image Constraint Token (ICT), inserted into the movie data, and scale the analog output (over component) down to 540p. This is still better than standard 480p DVD, but far from HD resolutions. As well as preventing illegal copying, AACS provides "Managed Copy", which essentially allows content transfer from the HD DVD to other device (like a home media server).

The decision to ICT-enable content is up to each studio, and each studio is likely to go their own way. From Video Business Online:

No studio would comment on whether it plans to take advantage of the Image Constraint option.

Within the AACS consortium, however, Warner Home Video was consistently the strongest proponent of the idea, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is not a member of AACS, but has argued against the idea in other forums.

AACS-member Disney, as well as non-members NBC Universal and Paramount, are likely to take advantage of the option, according to sources with knowledge of the studios' thinking.

Although Sony is a member of AACS, where it sometimes clashed with Warner on the issue, sources said it is still unclear whether Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will take advantage of the ICT option now that it is in place.

Titles

Below is a list of titles expected to be available this year, with the expected date listed for those that had it available. Also, Netflix has recently announced that they will be making these titles available in their library for rental as soon as they are available. Those films listed below as links are available for pre-order.

Where can you try it out?

1) New York, NY -- Feb 22, 2006, PC Richards -- NYC and Feb 21, Electronics Expo -- Paramus, NJ
2) Boston, MA -- March 1, 2006, Tweeter -- Newton MA
3) Chicago, IL -- March 1, 2006, ABT Electronics -- Glenview, IL
4) Washington, D.C. -- March 15, 2006, Myer Emco -- Fairfax, VA
5) Miami, FL -- Best Buy, Miami, FL
6) San Francisco, CA -- March 1, 2006, Fry's Electronics -- Sunnyvale, CA
7) Seattle, WA -- March 8, 2006, Fry's Electronics -- Renton, WA and March 7, Best Buy -- Bellevue, WA
8) Los Angeles, CA -- March 15, 2006, Fry's Electronics -- City of Industry, CA
9) Dallas, TX -- March 22, 2006, Fry's Electronics -- Plano, TX
10) Atlanta, GA -- March 8, 2006, Best Buy -- Atlanta, GA

References

• The HD DVD Promotion Group
• Toshiba Press Release
• Video Business Online article
• Toshiba Corporation

Posted by Shane Sturgeon, February 28, 2006 10:12 AM