We have enough problems now with DVD-R; DVD-RW; DVD+R; DVD+RW; DVD-RAM;
DVD-Audio; DVD-VR; DVD+VR; DVD-3DAY SELF DESTRUCT. DVD-blue laser requires
all new software and all new set top players and all new discs. In-Phase
technologies, a subsiderary of Lucent, has a new disc that is 3D with
8 lasers (all different colors and 8 layers) the same size as todays discs
that contains 1000 full length movies and can upload and download one movie
in 3 seconds. This will be introduced in the next couple of years mainly to big company server people. Next thing will be the DVD-brown laser for butt-wiping.
(Just kidding of course).

James J. Kizak

The DVD industry is no stranger to significant infighting over formats, with
manufacturers supporting one of two rival standards, DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW.
And it appears that the standards battle will drag on for the foreseeable
future.

In the latest manoeuvre, Toshiba and NEC (Nasdaq: NIPNY) have announced
that they are planning to introduce a new format for next-generation DVDs
that will be incompatible with formats proposed by Sony (NYSE: SNE) and
others.

The next-generation format will compete with a standard called Blu-ray,
which is scheduled for release as early as next year. That standard is
supported by the Blu-ray Consortium, a group of industry heavyweights that
includes Sony, Philips (NYSE: PHG) , Hitachi, Samsung , Sharp and Thomson
Multimedia. Toshiba was one of the few leading electronics makers not to
join the consortium when it was organized earlier this year.

Greater Storage

The current DVD standard, which uses red light, holds only 4.7 gigabytes of
data. In comparison, the consortium's proposed Blu-ray standard will have
vastly greater storage capacity, thanks to blue light's shorter wavelength.
Blu-ray DVDs will be capable of storing a high-definition Hollywood movie on
a single side of a disc, and will have at least 23.3 gigabytes of storage.

Manufacturers will have to make a considerable investment to switch from red
to blue laser DVDs, but industry observers said they expect the discs'
greater storage capacity will make them a commercial success.

However, despite Blu-ray's benefits, it will feature protective cartridges
and other advances that may stymie compatibility with existing products and
create confusion among DVD consumers.

Toshiba's Format

In contrast, Toshiba's proposed new format will hold 15 to 20 gigabytes of
data. Although this is less storage than the Blu-ray consortium's format, a
Toshiba spokesperson said the company's format would have cost and
convenience advantages.

"From the manufacturer's side, with our format they can use many of the same
facilities they use to make existing DVDs, so costs are much lower," said
Toshiba spokesperson Midori Suzuki.

Suzuki added that Toshiba's new format is more compatible with the existing
red-laser format and will ease the transition from one format to another. It
also will allow the design of players and recorders that handle both
red-laser and blue-laser discs.

"From the consumer's side, when a new type of player comes out, they still
want to be able to watch the DVDs they already own," she noted.

According to Suzuki, Toshiba's new format has additional design
improvements, such as its use of semi-transparent materials to record two
layers of data on a single disc side, and advanced image compression
technology.

Hatfield-McCoy Redux

Suzuki said that in the future the Toshiba format and the consortium's
"would not necessarily be competing formats." She suggested that the Blu-ray
format may still become the industry standard, adding that Toshiba continues
to develop Blu-ray technology and may support it in the future.

Meanwhile, a Sony spokesperson said Sony's commitment to the Blu-ray format
is firm but declined to comment on whether Toshiba's proposal could derail
Blu-ray's acceptance as an industry standard.

But Toshiba's approach gives the company a significant advantage. As
Aberdeen Group research director Russ Craig told the E-Commerce Times: "The
Toshiba format is backward-compatible, unlike the industry consortium
format. So Toshiba-NEC have analysed the market requirement better.

"If they get theirs into the market first, it will be very interesting to
see what happens to the consortium. It's certainly going to be a battle
going forward."



End Article
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