Warner’s Hybrid DVDs

Apparently there wasn’t quite enough confusion over formats, resolutions and HD in general, so Warner Home Video has decided to sling another type of disc into the fray. Hybrid DVDs contain HD DVD content on one side and an old-school DVD format on the other. Great, now when you play it and only see standard-def content you won’t know whether your player is on the blink, HDCP is downscaling your picture or you’ve put the disk in upside down.

There doesn’t appear to be a clear explanation for Warner’s decision to trial this new disc type. eHomeupgrade observes that it could be useful for making digital backups of your movie, which is only currently possible for DVD formats not HD DVD. HD Beat points out the back and forwards compatibility, but I can’t see many people deliberately buying the hybrid version just in case they happen to get an HD DVD player later, especially as the disc costs a pretty hefty $39.99 (around £22).

The movie in question is called Rumour Has It which stars Jennifer Aniston and looks suitably dreadful. This is really just an experiment by Warner so we’ll have to see how it pans out before many Hybrid titles are made and there's definately no indication of whether they will ever make it to UK shores. If you are totally confident that HD DVD is going to survive the format war then they might be a good way of starting to future proof your collection. Of course, a much better idea would be to make a disc with HD DVD on one side and Blu-ray on the other... nah, it’ll never happen.