Comments on: netflix and blu-ray http://wonkabar.org/archives/397 linux, databases, cartoons and cornflakes Wed, 20 Aug 2008 20:11:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Greg http://wonkabar.org/archives/397#comment-36280 Greg Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:08:09 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/archives/397#comment-36280 The whole new format thing is just a ploy by well-marketed companies run by very rich old men who make a lot of money of of those who are dumb enough to pay $15 for a movie you will never actually watch more than once, then pay another $15 to never watch it in High Def. Come on folks, save your money by not paying for a $.03 colorful piece of plastic, and give it to someone who needs $15 for food instead of a new DVD to sit on your shelf collecting dust. The whole new format thing is just a ploy by well-marketed companies run by very rich old men who make a lot of money of of those who are dumb enough to pay $15 for a movie you will never actually watch more than once, then pay another $15 to never watch it in High Def. Come on folks, save your money by not paying for a $.03 colorful piece of plastic, and give it to someone who needs $15 for food instead of a new DVD to sit on your shelf collecting dust.

]]> By: melindamarie http://wonkabar.org/archives/397#comment-35781 melindamarie Tue, 12 Feb 2008 18:00:57 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/archives/397#comment-35781 Whatever you say Steve...I'll believe it! I'm going to start the "Stevie Dibb groupie.") Whatever you say Steve…I’ll believe it! I’m going to start the “Stevie Dibb groupie.”)

]]> By: Daniel Drake http://wonkabar.org/archives/397#comment-35693 Daniel Drake Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:25:42 +0000 http://wonkabar.org/archives/397#comment-35693 It's not just a matter of firmware to be able to play both. HD-DVD is effectively just DVD with a blue laser (higher wavelength). The lens is almost the same. Blu-ray also switches from red to blue laser, but also has a lens with a different numerical aperture (leads to a smaller focused laser spot on the disc, which means higher capacity). The lens difference means that the laser head has to be closer to the disc. So not only do you need the firmware to cope, you also need a special lens for blu-ray, and you also need to modify the mechanics to move the lens closer to the disc. It’s not just a matter of firmware to be able to play both.

HD-DVD is effectively just DVD with a blue laser (higher wavelength). The lens is almost the same.

Blu-ray also switches from red to blue laser, but also has a lens with a different numerical aperture (leads to a smaller focused laser spot on the disc, which means higher capacity). The lens difference means that the laser head has to be closer to the disc.

So not only do you need the firmware to cope, you also need a special lens for blu-ray, and you also need to modify the mechanics to move the lens closer to the disc.

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