HD DVD facts for kids
HD DVD, also known as High-Definition DVD, was a special type of disc that could hold a lot more information than a regular DVD. Think of it like a super-sized digital storage space! It was designed to store really clear, high-quality videos, like the ones you see on big screens.
For a while, HD DVD was expected to replace the standard DVD. It was in a big competition with another similar disc called Blu-ray Disc. Both discs were made to store huge amounts of movies and games. However, in the end, most companies decided to support Blu-ray discs instead. Because of this, HD DVD is no longer used today.
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What Was HD DVD?
HD DVD was a digital optical disc format. This means it stored data that could be read by a laser, similar to how a CD or DVD works. The "HD" in its name stood for "High-Definition," showing its ability to store videos with much better picture quality than older DVDs.
How Did It Work?
HD DVD discs used a blue laser to read and write information. This blue laser had a shorter wavelength than the red laser used in regular DVDs. A shorter wavelength allowed the laser to focus on smaller spots on the disc. This meant more data could be packed onto the same size disc.
Why Was It Created?
As televisions got better and could show clearer pictures (like HDTVs), there was a need for discs that could store these high-quality videos. Regular DVDs simply couldn't hold enough information for the new, super-sharp movies. HD DVD was one of the solutions created to meet this demand.
The Format War
From about 2006 to 2008, HD DVD was in a big "format war" with Blu-ray Disc. Both technologies were trying to become the new standard for high-definition movies. Movie studios, electronics companies, and even game console makers had to choose which format to support.
Who Supported HD DVD?
Some major companies supported HD DVD. For example, Microsoft released an HD DVD player for their Xbox 360 game console. This player allowed Xbox 360 owners to watch HD DVD movies, but it couldn't play games. Other companies like Toshiba were also big supporters of the HD DVD format.
The End of HD DVD
The format war ended in 2008. Many major movie studios and retailers decided to only release movies on Blu-ray. This made it very difficult for HD DVD to continue. Eventually, Toshiba, the main company behind HD DVD, announced they would stop making HD DVD players and discs. This decision effectively ended the HD DVD format.
Explore More
Images for kids
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In November 2006, Microsoft released an HD DVD player for their Xbox 360 game console for $199. It came packaged with King Kong and could only play movies.
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Although HD DVD and Blu-ray used near-identical translucent keep cases for most pre-recorded releases, they were normally coloured red for the former and blue for the latter.
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Internal optical disc drive from LG playing both, HD DVD and Blu-ray disks
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See also
In Spanish: HD DVD para niños
