Memory-Tech is to start mass production next year of read-only discs
that can contain data stored in both DVD and HD-DVDs
(high-definition/high-density DVDs) layers, a company executive said
Wednesday.
The new discs could help Hollywood studios and other content providers
in their anticipated transition to the new HD-DVD format. HD-DVD is being
developed to replace DVD for high-definition content.
The discs contain two layers, an upper DVD layer with a capacity of
4.7GB and a lower HD-DVD layer with a15GB capacity.
Mass production will start in October or November next year, which is
about the same time as the company plans to produce read-only HD-DVDs.
The company has six lines that can each produce up to 700,000 of these
kinds of discs per month.
The discs will help popularise the HD-DVD format for consumers and
encourage them to purchase HD-DVD players, according to Memory-Tech and
Toshiba, which jointly-developed the high-capacity technology.
Last month, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros Pictures
and New Line Cinema all said that they would release titles on the HD-DVD
format. Universal pledged it would have content available during the
end-of-year holiday season in 2005.
Memory-Tech has already produced prototypes of the new type of discs and
tested them in about 200 DVD players, including DVD recorders and PC
drives. But it will take up to six months for the specifications for the
discs to be completed.
Memory-Tech and Toshiba are to meet the DVD Forum, the group in charge
of the DVD and HD-DVD specifications, before the end of the year to start
discussions on getting the new disc's specifications settled. Because the
DVD specifications are well-known, and the final specifications for
HD-DVD are to be completed by the end of February 2005, finalising the
new specification should not be difficult.
Toshiba, together with NEC and Sanyo, which are also backing the HD-DVD
specification, all plan to have hardware on shelves at about the same
time at the end of next year. These products include a sub-$1,000 HD-DVD
player by Toshiba and hard drives for PCs coming from NEC.
that can contain data stored in both DVD and HD-DVDs
(high-definition/high-density DVDs) layers, a company executive said
Wednesday.
The new discs could help Hollywood studios and other content providers
in their anticipated transition to the new HD-DVD format. HD-DVD is being
developed to replace DVD for high-definition content.
The discs contain two layers, an upper DVD layer with a capacity of
4.7GB and a lower HD-DVD layer with a15GB capacity.
Mass production will start in October or November next year, which is
about the same time as the company plans to produce read-only HD-DVDs.
The company has six lines that can each produce up to 700,000 of these
kinds of discs per month.
The discs will help popularise the HD-DVD format for consumers and
encourage them to purchase HD-DVD players, according to Memory-Tech and
Toshiba, which jointly-developed the high-capacity technology.
Last month, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros Pictures
and New Line Cinema all said that they would release titles on the HD-DVD
format. Universal pledged it would have content available during the
end-of-year holiday season in 2005.
Memory-Tech has already produced prototypes of the new type of discs and
tested them in about 200 DVD players, including DVD recorders and PC
drives. But it will take up to six months for the specifications for the
discs to be completed.
Memory-Tech and Toshiba are to meet the DVD Forum, the group in charge
of the DVD and HD-DVD specifications, before the end of the year to start
discussions on getting the new disc's specifications settled. Because the
DVD specifications are well-known, and the final specifications for
HD-DVD are to be completed by the end of February 2005, finalising the
new specification should not be difficult.
Toshiba, together with NEC and Sanyo, which are also backing the HD-DVD
specification, all plan to have hardware on shelves at about the same
time at the end of next year. These products include a sub-$1,000 HD-DVD
player by Toshiba and hard drives for PCs coming from NEC.
