Could blu-ray players be converted to play hd-dvds?

[ganthc]

This is probably a question Ruined can answer. But can blu-ray players be converted to play hd-dvds? I am curious because of discussions about the laser and the lenses used for reading the discs. Ruined has stated that the hd-dvd lens is the exact same as the dvd lens, which contributes to its low cost. He has stated that blu-ray needs either two lenses (one to read blu-ray and the other to read dvd), or an adjusting lens.

But if bd players are capable of reading dvds with a lens that is built for dvds or is at the same level as the dvd lens, what would prevent a firmware being issued that could just read hd-dvd content off of discs?

[Pirate]

They use similar diodes I think.

[rixrex]

Both use the blue-laser diodes developed by Shuji Nakamura, with lasers at 405nm. It is most likely feasable from an engineering standpoint, not as a home fix kit.

Software and file systems differ and would have to be dual capable.

Interestingly, red lasers are the better lasers in LD players for reading the LD analog composite video source material.

[Ruined]

Originally Posted by ganthc

This is probably a question Ruined can answer. But can blu-ray players be converted to play hd-dvds? I am curious because of discussions about the laser and the lenses used for reading the discs. Ruined has stated that the hd-dvd lens is the exact same as the dvd lens, which contributes to its low cost. He has stated that blu-ray needs either two lenses (one to read blu-ray and the other to read dvd), or an adjusting lens.

But if bd players are capable of reading dvds with a lens that is built for dvds or is at the same level as the dvd lens, what would prevent a firmware being issued that could just read hd-dvd content off of discs?

Ah, good question.

And the answer is that they could be if they were BD-Live compliant. Otherwise they would have problems with HDi content - the BD profiles 1.0 and 1.1 would choke on some of the more advanced HDi-enabled HD DVDs like Transformers and Knocked Up. Profile 1.1 could probably play some of the non-web content HD DVDs, but would still have problems with some of HD DVD's features (thinking my scenes). BD1.0 would have problems with most discs and probably couldn't support HDi at all (like LG's BH100).

HD DVD players could not be converted to BD players without significant hardware modification - including an additional lens and disc stabilization mechanisms.


But anyway ganthc, this is why the HD DVD camp has the "dual format" future outlook. There is virtually no hardware difference between a BD-Live and HD DVD player. Add a few components to a BD1.1 player and you can get HD DVD specs. It probably costs more in licensing fees to add HD DVD capability to a BD1.1 player than it does actual hardware cost.

[ganthc]

Originally Posted by Ruined

Ah, good question.

And the answer is that they could be if they were BD-Live compliant. Otherwise they would have problems with HDi content - the BD profiles 1.0 and 1.1 would choke on some of the more advanced HDi-enabled HD DVDs like Transformers and Knocked Up. Profile 1.1 could probably play some of the non-web content HD DVDs, but would still have problems with some of HD DVD's features (thinking my scenes). BD1.0 would have problems with most discs and probably couldn't support HDi at all (like LG's BH100).

But there aren't a ton of titles that have lots of hdi content, are there? I mean, the big titles have it, but not catalogs. Yeah, the bd1.0 players wouldn't because they currently lack the PiP functionality, etc. However, those players could conceivably still play the movie and movie only, right? I mean, similar to how they will be able to play 1.1 or 2.0 profile discs.

HD DVD players could not be converted to BD players without significant hardware modification - including an additional lens and disc stabilization mechanisms.

Yeah, this I knew because of the lenses you mentioned. Which is why I didn't even ask about hd-dvds becoming blu-ray players.

But anyway ganthc, this is why the HD DVD camp has the "dual format" future outlook. There is virtually no hardware difference between a BD-Live and HD DVD player. Add a few components to a BD1.1 player and you can get HD DVD specs. It probably costs more in licensing fees to add HD DVD capability to a BD1.1 player than it does actual hardware cost.

Yes, that's why I was asking about the possibility. I'm thinking about what would be done if hd-dvd won, and whether just by doing a firmware change that bd players could then start playing hd-dvds.