UMD = Hi-MD??

[mlcurly16]

I have a theory;

I think that Sony's UMDs are just re-packaged, re-made Hi-MiniDiscs. This might have been disscussed before, but I dunno. Heres what I got.

• The disc inside of the UMD is the same size as a disc inside of a Hi-MD.
• Hi-MDs hold 1GB, UMDs hold 1.8GB; not much of a difference :P
• Sony invented both (?)

In the end, I think the UMD is just a re-made, updated, re-formatted Hi-MD. Thank you very much.

[Video_freak]

Ya, pretty much...

[s1k0]

yup i agree with VF

[b8a]

Nope.

Saying they're the same is like saying that CD=DVD.
They look the same
They're the same size
Must be the same, right?

Un-uh. I don't know the Hi-MD specifications, but if it's still an MD (as the name implies), than the laser wavelength required to read the disc is different from UMD. The MD laser wavelength is pretty much the same as the CD laser wavelength, and the UMD laser wavelength is pretty much the same as the DVD laser wavelength.

The similar format (disc-in-cartridge) is a product of extensive market testing that Sony did in the late '80s when they were trying to develop a digital replacement to audio tapes. Their testing determined that the size/format of what ultimately became MD, was both the most appealing and practical design for their new format. I have to agree. MDs are quite sexy and very durable (I've never had one break on me). So, given this extensive testing, it's very understandable that Sony would just apply the same format to their new media. Unfortunately, they inexplicably dropped the slide from MDs though, so obviously their thinking went askew somewhere along the line.

I actually started a thread about whether the PSP could theoretically play MDs or not. Hardly no one really took the topic seriously, so I ended up looking up as much of the relevant information as I could. Currently, I think it's not natively possible due to the different laser wavelength specifications. Unfortunately, I still don't have an answer to whether or not it could be modded with a different laser head to enable dual MD/UMD reading, so if anyone actually knows the anser, I'd love to hear it.

[ACID]

b8a I agree 120% with you. You are defenetly right .

[muffinman]

you can agree more than 100% oO

Anyways i doubt they are the same.

[mlcurly16]

What I meant to say, is that the UMD is 'based' off of the Hi-MD. Looks like I was wrong there too

[Accordion]

well all moving part digital storage mediums are based on the same technology...

from vinyl to blu ray and beyond, its the same concept, just smaller

[Uruz 6]

Since everyone is thinking it I will say it:
What would happen if somebody burned a Hi-MD with a PSP-friendly software and put it in a umd case (like the cheap/useless demos that come with the PSPs)? I understand now that they're different but still they're based off the same "prototypes" so.. would the PSP read it?
Thank God we can still dream

[SSaxdude]

That's a good observation.
Don't forget that both are failed formats.