DailyTech has reported that Warner engineers have come up with the idea of a DVD/HD DVD/Blu-ray Hybrid Disc and have filed a patent for the media. The design would feature a Blu-Ray layer on top of a HD-DVD layer with the DVD layer on the other side of the disc. The lasers used by the Blu-Ray/HD-DVD formats allow this system to work.

This does seem like a reasonable idea; although, I am sure most of you would prefer Ricoh's Hybrid Drive as these Hybrid Discs would cost more than the basic ones -- which are more expensive than DVDs and CDs in the first place.

However, if this Hybrid Media can store multiple Blu-Ray, HD-DVD, and, less importantly, DVD layers then it could become a rather useful storage media -- especially if Hybrid Drives come out. Image Burning 100GB on the Blu-Ray layer and 50GB on the HD-DVD layer. This would create a viable storage media to fill in a void which will soon be filled by Holographic Discs.

I still don't like either Blu-Ray or HD-DVD as I am still not swayed by the HD revolution. Here in Britain very few people are purchasing HD sets due to the immense cost compared with LCD screens and other television sets. In addition, HD-TV relies on large screen sizes to be effective; in other words, the difference is unnoticeable on small screens. Whilst across the pond most are looking at 40 plus inch Televisions for the living room; most in Britain are satisfied with a 28 inch wide-screen, and the majority of sets are between 14 and 21 inches. Here the need, and the demand, of such a technology is limited -- until the prices are truly competitive with Standard Definition sets. Thus, I can see HD-DVD and Blu-Ray having a hard time grasping the UK market.