New CD and DVD Technology — Blu-Ray and HD-DVD
The compact disc has been around since 1978, developed by Phillips and Sony. The reason it was developed was to take over for the Laserdisc as the industry standard digital audio disc. Since its invention, we have seen many updates on the compact disc technology. The most recent being the CD-R and DVD discs. With the CD-R, you can now burn your own discs at home, and then modify those discs at a later date. DVD technology allows us to record video onto a disc, where we used to only be able to record audio and data. As time rolls by, and the disc industry advances, we are presented with new forms of these technologies. The two new contenders are Blu-Ray discs and HD-DVD, here’s a little information about each of these new disc types.
1. Blu-Ray
This type of disc, also known as Blu-Ray Disc, is the next generation of optical disc. It was developed by the Blu-Ray Disc Association, a group of consumer electronic/PC/media manufacturers, including: Apple, HP, Mitsubishi, Phillips, Sony, and others. The Blu-Ray disc type was mainly developed for recording, rewriting, and playing back high-definition (HD) video. It’s also perfect for storing large amounts of data, exceeding previous DVD-R disc storage capabilities. It can hold more than 5 times the amount of information that a traditional DVD can hold, up to 25GB single layer, and up to 50GB dual layer. One of the main differences of the Blu-Ray disc is the type of laser that the disc is read with. Normal DVDs are read with a red laser, the Blu-Ray discs are read with a blue-violet laser. The main benefit of this change is the wave length of the laser types. The traditional red laser has a wider focus, so the blue-violet laser can be focused more precisely allowing more tightly packed data. This equals more data in less space on the disc, this results in the additional storage space available on the new Blu-Ray discs. These new discs are backwards compatible with regular DVDs, which they are expected to replace in the near future.
2. HD-DVD
HD-DVD discs, High Definition Versatile Discs or High Definition Digital Video Discs, are very similar to the Blu-Ray discs. This disc type is being developed by a group of consumer electronics/PC companies, headed by Toshiba. They also use a blue-violet laser to read the contents of the disc, which results in an increase in storage capacity compared to normal DVD discs. The HD-DVD can store 15GB single layer and 30GB double layer, making their storage capacity 10GB per layer smaller than the Blu-Ray. But Toshiba has announced a triple layer disc that can hold 45GB of information, and the HD DVD discs can hold both HD DVD and regular DVD information on one disc.
Right now these two disc types are battling it out to become the next generation of DVD disc technology, conjuring up images of the battle between Betamax and VHS in the 80’s. I guess we’re all wondering who’s going to come out on top? In my honest opinion, I believe that Blu-Ray will become the new standard. Both disc types offer HD capability and large data storage capacity, so it’s kind of hard to say which is better. The Blu-Ray, with its greater maximum storage capacity and the fact that it’s being backed by more of the large consumer electronic/PC/media manufacturers, I believe will win the battle. But it’s all still up in the air, so only time will tell.
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The Jeffersons (Season 3) DVD Review
Nominated for 13 Emmys and 8 Golden Globes, The Jeffersons was a groundbreaking situation comedy that was not only utterly hilarious, but also explored the controversial social issues of its day. Premiering in mid-season 1975, the show was a spin-off of the #1 hit series All In The Family, where main characters George and Louise were the next-door neighbors of Archie and Edith Bunker. During its nine-season run, The Jeffersons spent all but its last season as a Top 25 Nielsen rated show. One of the first sitcoms to center exclusively around the lives of African-Americans, The Jeffersons most likely featured television’s first interracial married couple in Tom and Helen Willis. It was this fearless attempt to push the boundaries of the status quo that made the show one of the funniest of its time as well as a valuable resource for American race relations
The Jeffersons follows the lives of George (Sherman Hemsley) and Louise Jefferson (Isabel Sanford), a middle-aged African-American couple who own a string of successful dry cleaning stores. The windfall generated by their business paves the way for George and Louise to “move on up” into an exclusive Park Avenue apartment. The series is made by Hemsley’s portrayal of the stubborn and greedy, yet quite lovable, character of George whose sarcasm and antics are only equaled by the Jeffersons’ quick witted live-in maid Florence (Marla Gibbs). A supporting cast composed of omni-present neighbors Tom (Franklin Cover) and Helen Willis (Roxie Roker), the ever-polite Bentley (Paul Benedict), and a tip-grubbing doorman named Ralph (Ned Wertimer) provide for endless sources of irritation and annoyance for George. Throw in George’s mother (Zara Cully) and her constant insults of Louise, and The Jeffersons becomes one of the best-written humorous shows of its time
The Jeffersons (Season 3) DVD features a number of hilarious episodes including the season premiere “George and the President” in which George’s competition with his chief dry cleaning rival, Cunningham, really heats up. Cunningham launches a massive ad campaign to coincide with the nation’s bicentennial celebration, prompting George to dress up as Thomas Jefferson in order to lure in customers Other notable episodes from Season 3 include “The Retirement Party” in which George is prepared to sell out Jefferson Cleaners to a big corporate conglomerate until he reads the fine print and learns that many of his best workers will be fired, and “Jefferson Airplane” in which Louise urges her workaholic husband to take up a hobby, but he worries her when he decides to take up flying
Below is a list of episodes included on The Jeffersons (Season 3) DVD:
Episode 38 (George and the President) Air Date: 09-25-1976
Episode 39 (Louise Gets Her Way) Air Date: 10-02-1976
Episode 40 (Louise Suspects) Air Date: 10-09-1976
Episode 41 (The Lie Detector) Air Date: 10-16-1976
Episode 42 (George’s Diploma) Air Date: 10-23-1976
Episode 43 (The Retirement Party) Air Date: 10-30-1976
Episode 44 (Lionel’s Pad) Air Date: 11-10-1976
Episode 45 (Tom the Hero) Air Date: 11-17-1976
Episode 46 (Jenny’s Discovery) Air Date: 11-24-1976
Episode 47 (The Agreement) Air Date: 12-08-1976
Episode 48 (Florence in Love) Air Date: 12-15-1976
Episode 49 (The Christmas Wedding) Air Date: 12-22-1976
Episode 50 (Louise Forgets) Air Date: 01-05-1977
Episode 51 (Bentley’s Problem) Air Date: 01-12-1977
Episode 52 (Jefferson Airplane) Air Date: 01-17-1977
Episode 53 (George’s Guilt) Air Date: 01-24-1977
Episode 54 (A Case of Black and White) Air Date: 01-31-1977
Episode 55 (Louise vs. Jenny) Air Date: 02-07-1977
Episode 56 (The Marriage Counselors) Air Date: 02-21-1977
Episode 57 (Louise’s Friend) Air Date: 02-28-1977
Episode 58 (The Old Flame) Air Date: 03-07-1977
Episode 59 (Jenny’s Opportunity) Air Date: 03-21-1977
Episode 60 (George the Philanthropist) Air Date: 03-28-1977
Episode 61 (Louise’s Physical) Air Date: 04-11-1977
About the Author
Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of The Jeffersons (Season 3) DVD.
Little House On The Prairie (Season 6) DVD Review
Nominated for 17 Emmys, including one Golden Globe for Best TV Series – Drama, Little House On The Prairie is one of the most popular shows in television history. Based on the autobiographical series of “Little House” books written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, the show explores the inner-workings of a small town and family on the 19th Century American frontier. Director/Co-Executive Producer Michael Landon (of Bonanza and Highway to Heaven fame) also wrote one-third of the episodes (in addition to playing a lead role as the family’s father, Charles, when the actor originally cast for the part failed to show). Charles would go on to become one of the show’s most popular characters, and Little House On The Prairie would become an American favorite, boasting ten successful seasons to its credit
Little House On The Prairie follows the lives of the Ingalls family as they settle on the banks of Plum Creek in the township of Walnut Grove, Kansas during the 1870’s. A true pioneer family, the story is seen through the eyes of the Ingalls’ middle-daughter, Laura (Melissa Gilbert), who experiences all the normal growing pains and emotions of a young girl growing up on the prairie. Carpenter Charles Ingalls (Michael Landon) and his former school teacher wife, Caroline (Karen Grassle), head up a family of three that includes two additional daughters, Mary (Melissa Sue Anderson) and Carrie (Lindsay & Sidney Greenbush). The town also includes a loveable cast of supporting characters, such as Walnut Grove School teacher Eva Beadle (Charlotte Stewart), town doctor Hiram Baker (Kevin Hagen), pastor Robert Alden (Dabbs Greer), family friend Isaiah Edwards (Victor French), the wealthy Oleson family, and a host of other characters
The Little House On The Prairie (Season 6) DVD features a number of dramatic episodes including the season premiere “Back to School” in which Walnut Grove gets a new schoolteacher named Eliza Wilder. Laura falls in love with her brother Almanzo, but is devastated when Nellie invites him over for dinner. Desperate, Laura volunteers to cook the dinner, adding extra spices, and when Nellie takes credit for cooking the dinner, Almanzo ignores her from then on Other notable episodes from Season 6 include “The Preacher Takes a Wife” in which Mrs. Craig and Reverend Alden get married despite the protests of Mrs. Oleson, and “Sweet Sixteen” in which Laura and Almanzo strike up a romance when Almanzo drives her to a nearby town where she is temporarily teaching school
Below is a list of episodes included on the Little House On The Prairie (Season 6) DVD:
Episode 113 (Back to School: Part 1) Air Date: 09-17-1979
Episode 114 (Back to School: Part 2) Air Date: 09-24-1979
Episode 115 (The Family Tree) Air Date: 10-01-1979
Episode 116 (The Third Miracle) Air Date: 10-08-1979
Episode 117 (Annabelle) Air Date: 10-15-1979
Episode 118 (The Preacher Takes a Wife) Air Date: 10-22-1979
Episode 119 (The Halloween Dream) Air Date: 10-29-1979
Episode 120 (The Little House Years: Part 1) Air Date: 11-15-1979
Episode 121 (The Little House Years: Part 2) Air Date: 11-15-1979
Episode 122 (The Little House Years: Part 3) Air Date: 11-15-1979
Episode 123 (The Return of Mr. Edwards) Air Date: 11-05-1979
Episode 124 (The King is Dead) Air Date: 11-12-1979
Episode 125 (The Faith Healer) Air Date: 11-19-1979
Episode 126 (Author, Author) Air Date: 11-26-1979
Episode 127 (Crossed Connections) Air Date: 12-10-1979
Episode 128 (The Angry Heart) Air Date: 12-17-1979
Episode 129 (The Werewolf of Walnut Grove) Air Date: 01-07-1980
Episode 130 (What Ever Happened to the Class of ‘56?) Air Date: 01-14-1980
Episode 131 (Darkness is My Friend) Air Date: 01-21-1980
Episode 132 (Silent Promises) Air Date: 01-28-1980
Episode 133 (May We Make Them Proud) Air Date: 02-04-1980
Episode 134 (Wilder and Wilder) Air Date: 02-11-1980
Episode 135 (Second Spring) Air Date: 02-18-1980
Episode 136 (Sweet Sixteen) Air Date: 02-25-1980
Episode 137 (He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: Part 1) Air Date: 05-05-1980
Episode 138 (He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not: Part 2) Air Date: 05-12-1980
About the Author
Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Little House On The Prairie (Season 6) DVD.