HDi Interactive Format

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HDi (formerly iHD^{[citation needed]}) is a format developed by Microsoft and Toshiba for providing interactive menus and "special features" such as additional bonus/extras content and games for HD DVD (one of the high-definition video formats). The HDi runtime engine is responsible for responding to user navigation input (remote buttons) as well as events set to occur during playback of a movie, controling all actions and interactive properties during the playback of a movie. HDi is an open specification, which has been developed with input and support from Hollywood movie studios, especially Disney. Microsoft has made available a free download to let users author and debug HDi content on computers running Windows XP or newer operating-system from Microsoft.

[edit] Technology

HDi scripting programming language allows interactivity to be authored into a script data format using XML and ECMAScript (standardized JavaScript) as the scripts get interpreted by the HDi runtime engine. In contrast, the competing Blu-ray high-definition video disc format uses BD-J for authoring interactive features and menus.

The HDi model includes an XML subset for content format of images, buttons, video objects; cascading style sheets (CSS) for layout, color, font types; and SMIL for timing and synchronization as well as ECMA scripts for programmability.

Examples of interactivity available inside HD DVD content include the Universal Studios "U-Control"^[1] and the Warner Bros. bookmarks features.

HDi allows menus to be displayed during video playback, like persistent user-defined bookmarks, picture-in-picture (for cast commentaries/interviews, behind the scenes footage, etc.), storyboards and production photos, GPS^[1], calculators (example; body-count, car-insurance/damage, etc.), technical statistics, and network access to download new features, trailers and extras using standard HD DVD set-top players.

HDi is not limited to being used on optical media. It can even be used on media delivered or streamed over the Internet or any other network.