Microsoft to Use DVDs & HTPCs for High Definition ...

[James Morrow]

Following recent improvements in the performance of WM9 with high definition 1920 by 1080 pixels, 24 frames per second (1080p24) at low bitrates (below 10Mbps) - see the H.264/WM9? posting for details - Microsoft (you may have heard of them) are now pushing to have HD content agreed as a DVD standard, and for it to be released on a large scale at 8Mbps on standard DVDs within months, using DVD9/DVD18. An 8.5GB DVD9 would support around two hours of 8Mbps HD Video and compressed DD/DTS audio, whilst a 17GB DVD18 would support nearly four hours. A standard DVD player can't support the required data-rate, but modern PCs with multi-speed drives can, so expect a push for "high-definition compatible" home theatre PCs.

Apart from seriously denting the rationale for typical consumers behind next generation discs such as Blu-ray and HD-DVD, whilst 8Mbps WM9 appears to work very well with man-made objects, natural objects such as trees look artificial, colour gradients are obviously stepped, there’s a “cogging” effect on trees and similar as the camera moves through the scene – a bit like insufficiently accurate sub-pixel processing, etc.. We need 24Mbps high definition demos using modern codecs soon if the mass-market isn't going to be waylaid by limited quality 8Mbps HD on DVDs. :shock:

Of course, using 8Mbps WM9 or similar on BD as an extended play mode (around ten hours of HD recording on a 50GB disc), with 16, 24 and 32Mbps available too, would be a different matter. Also, MPeg4 will have a hard time on its hands if WM9 becomes established on PCs as the de facto standard codec for high definition. Then again, it does do an exceptionally good job at 8Mbps - but there's room for improvement - which higher rates such as 24Mbps would hopefully allow. If Microsoft would demonstrate at 24Mbps as well we could see what should be available on BD, possibly further strengthening Microsoft's case, of course, but the main objective would be to avoid developing a high definition market at 8Mbps on DVD shortly followed by higher quality 24Mbps (or whatever) on BD. :?