Toshiba press release for hybrid single side DVD HD-DVD disc
Posted on 11/09/06 21:35 by Dan Bell                             
Toshiba press release for hybrid single side DVD HD-DVD disc

Memory-Tech and Toshiba Announce Latest Advance in Single-sided, Three- layer TWIN Format Disc for DVD and HD DVD

11 September, 2006

New disc supports high capacities of both standard DVD and HD DVD on a single disc

Memory-Tech Corporation
Toshiba Corporation

Tokyo--Memory-Tech Corporation and Toshiba Corporation today announced the latest advance in DVD disc technology: a jointly developed, single-sided, three-layer ROM disc supporting high capacity storage and playback of both DVD and HD DVD formats.

The newly announced disc is the latest addition to the DVD TWIN format, discs that support both DVD and HD DVD content and that are fully compatible with both formats. The new disc boosts capacity and expands versatility with a three-layer structure offering support for two HD DVD layers and one DVD layer or two DVD layers and one HD DVD layer. Memory-Tech and Toshiba will propose the new disc to the HD DVD Forum, the industry body that defines DVD standards.

In a two-layer HD DVD configuration, the new TWIN disc has a 30GB HD DVD capacity, plus 4.7GB of standard DVD capacity. Configured to maximize standard DVD content, the disc can support 8.5GB on two layers, plus 15GB of HD DVD content on the third layer. DVD content can be played back on a standard DVD player, while HD DVD players can play back both formats.

Memory-Tech and Toshiba together proposed the DVD/HD DVD TWIN to the DVD Forum in 2004, as a transitional format able to support both standard DVD and HD DVD content. The single-sided, dual-layer TWIN disc was adopted as part of the HD DVD specifications, and has found wide application since HD DVD players and PC drives were launched in the Japanese and North American markets in March this year. One advantage is its ability to support both standard definition and high definition versions of a movie, allowing users to play it back now on present DVD players, and to enjoy the high definition version once they upgrade to an HD DVD player.

The only drawback with the first generation TWIN disc was its limited capacity: support for 15GB of HD DVD content and 4.7GB of DVD content. The new 3-layer disc meets demand from movie studios and software companies in North America and Japan for a capacity boost, and offers double the maximum capacity for each format.
 
The new disc also maintains two defining features of the HD DVD format: a low cost and highly efficient manufacturing process. Memory-Tech has developed a new disc manufacturing procedure that adds an additional process to form the third layer, but does so on the same disc replication machines that can be used for DVD and HD DVD mass production.

Major content companies have welcomed the new format.

"We have been releasing TWIN Format titles since April," said Mr Hideki Oyagi, General Manager, Visual Entertainment Department, PONY CANYON INC. "We are getting very positive feedback from the market, and our TWIN Format titles are selling better than anticipated. The new 3-layer TWIN Format will allows us to develop even more products and I am sure it will accelerate acceptance of the HD DVD format in the market. We welcome the fact that the new format will be accepted as part of HD DVD family format in the near future"
 
"We offer our congratulations on the announcement of the new 3-layer TWIN Format," said Mr Kazuo Sakai, Program Vice President, Digital Entertainment Partner Program, Microsoft Corporation." We hoping the new format finds wide acceptance and supports content development, and promotes consumer adoption of HD DVD."

Memory-Tech and Toshiba will propose the new format to DVD Forum and develop reliable disc manufacturing process together. Memory-Tech and Toshiba will introduce the new format to content providers and develop new business opportunities together with studio partners.
 

Source: Toshiba

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By Crabbyappleton, Mon 11 Sep 2006 21:40
CrabbyappletonI'm not sure yet, but this could spell trouble for Blu-ray if these things end up working on an Xbox360 drive and/or exsiting players thru a firmware upgrade. Depends on what the costs of the discs are I guess too. Certainly an interesting development.
[edited by Crabbyappleton on 11.09.2006 21:40]
By Dr. Who, Mon 11 Sep 2006 21:56
Dr. WhoI agree with you there as I said the same in the other news submit.supergrin
By applegodel8, Tue 12 Sep 2006 00:29
applegodel8I'm more on the blu ray camp only due to storage size, however this could be bad news for blu ray! if they can make this work, i dont think blu ray will win. how ever if DVD must win, i wish they would use the scratch proof discs! DVD scratch so much easier then CD and it p...s me off!
[edited by Quema34 on 12.09.2006 05:28]
By FidelC, Tue 12 Sep 2006 00:47
FidelCDVD Forum will never approve such discs if they are not 100% backward compatible with existing equipment. As most older DVD players are not flashable this leaves only one option, to have DVD layers placed on the standard distance from the lens pickup and configure HD-DVD players to ignore DVD layers via firmware updates, which are possible on all HD models. Now This article is good. And another nail is set into the blu coffin. supergrin
By Dolphinius_Rex, Tue 12 Sep 2006 04:34
Dolphinius_RexI don't think this will work really. It will increase the manufacturing costs of the movies significantly, and people will not want to pay those extra costs. Furthermore it will require a number of movie studios to support it in order for it to become a viable option for movie releases, and I just don't see that happening. On the bright side, at least it doesn't sound like it will be a double SIDED disc, but a triple layer disc.
By Shadowman69, Tue 12 Sep 2006 09:15
The way this kind of Hybrid discs will work is quite obvious. Before you got 2 layers on a single side. These kind of discs is already available and in use. The first layer is the DVD one and "old player" (really all DVD players) are able to see only the single layer as a standard DVD-5. No compatible problems... Now you have three layers ON A SINGLE SIDE that will surely be: the first always DVD the second could be DVD (and you got a normal DVD-9 with a 1 layer HD DVD) or HD DVD (and you got a normal DVD-5 with a 2 layer HD DVD). This can be done because the specs of a HD DVD are already compatible with three layers so actual and future HD DVD players have no big problems (maybe a firmware update) to focus on a third layer. I think that the one or the two DVD layers must be in the first places to be compatible with all the current DVD players that still will simply not see the HD DVD layers. A final word for the costs: these 3 layers disc will be cheap for mass industrial production as for all the current HD DVD products. THIS IS A KILLER APP IF IT WILL BE USED WISELY BY THE MOVIE STUDIOS...
[edited by Shadowman69 on 12.09.2006 09:20]
By HerculesBeast, Tue 12 Sep 2006 13:22
Why isn't anyone talking about using all 3 layers for HD giving 3x15 = 45GB. Then what advantage would Blu-ray have? (more support?)
By neo1918, Tue 12 Sep 2006 20:15
That's the catch. The studios have to support it. While I think this is a great way for HD-DVD to kill off Blue Ray, we all know that the studios want you to buy the DVD version now, and then buy the HD version later. (And then buy the Platinum HD version, then the Superbit Platinum HD version, etc.)
By Shadowman69, Wed 13 Sep 2006 08:50
3 layers HD DVD are part of the HD DVD specs but for now they are not commercially distributed. With 2 layers HD DVD you have enough space for actual HD Video and 2 or 3 layers HD DVD-R simply are going to cost too much (similar to DB-R 50GB). It's not in the vision of the HD DVD to go out with overpriced unneeded stuff. 3 layers HD DVD (not recordable, just for movies or data!) hybrid discs make sense so they are going to be distributed soon.
[edited by Shadowman69 on 13.09.2006 08:50]
By Electrox3d, Wed 13 Sep 2006 19:38
Electrox3d@ HerculesBeast: because thats maxing out HD-DVD, when blu-ray has now pushed the boundaries to 33.3GB per layer, to make a 6 layer 200GB disc. HDDVD is already becoming outdated
[edited by Electrox3d on 13.09.2006 19:39]

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