DVD & Blu-ray on a single disc

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has invented a way to create a disc that plays DVD video on one side, and Blu-ray video on the other. It’s a two-fer that gives viewers a more versatile choice when it comes to buying their favorite movies.

The funny thing is, Universal attempted this exact same thing a while back when the company still supported the now-defunct HD-DVD format. So it’s not too surprising that they’d resurrect the idea now that they’ve thrown their weight behind Blu-ray.

These “flipper” discs, as they’re called, allow consumers to not have to choose between old-school and high-def, since you’ll get both on a single disc. The first release on the flipper format will be the three films in Matt Damon‘s Jason Bourne trilogy — The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, and The Bourne Ultimatum — all of which arrive January 19, 2010.

If the idea catches on, additional “flipper” discs for other films are a sure bet.