Your Blu-Ray Player Can't Handle the New BDXL Standard

released a new high-capacity standard of the increasingly popular format. The standard, called BDXL, will double the capacity of currently available discs. Single-write discs will be capable of holding 128GB, and rewritable BDXL discs will hold up to 100GB. Don't get too excited about picking these up anytime soon at the local Best Buy. The BDXL standard is currently being aimed at professionals in the medical imaging and broadcast media fields; basically, anyone in need of large volumes of reliable backup. A consumer version should be available later, but sadly you'll need new equipment to use BDXL discs.

The new discs work by combining four recordable layers on one disc. The current discs are, at most, dual layer. As a consequence, more powerful lasers are needed to read and write to the discs. This revision of the Blu-ray format is in stark contrast to other advancements, which have promised to be compatible with existing hardware via a firmware update. just over a year ago, Pioneer showed off a 400GB read-only disc they claimed would work with current hardware. When the 3D Blu-ray spec was finalized late last year, it was designed to be backwards compatible, and many players would be capable of playing back the 3D content with a firmware upgrade. It hasn't all been smooth sailing, though. Some early BD players find themselves left out of newer features like BD Live. Though, the new hardware requirements shouldn't come as too much of a shock. When DVD was king of the hill, the dual layer DVD reduced many consumer DVD burners to obsolescence. Some players even had trouble with these discs.

assuming they don't screw it up). Perhaps this technology won't find its home until a higher than HD video standard hits the scene. With consumers just now shelling out the cash for expensive Blu-ray players, many may not feel ready to replace them so soon. Will there be two different Blu-ray standards on the market as consumers are pushed to buy BDXL players?