Toshiba denies DVD deal as teams woo Hollywood
In a fresh bid to attract Hollywood's movie studios, Toshiba says that it has developed a triple-layer version of its high-definition DVD disc that holds up to 45 GB of data.
The disc, which would be read by an optical head featuring a GaN-based blue laser diode, could record 12 hours of high-definition movies.
Meanwhile, the Japanese company has denied rumors that it has already struck a deal with its rivals in the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) to market a hybrid format of next-generation DVD technology.
Press reports in Japan have suggested that just such a deal, which would use the BDA's disc structure and Toshiba's software, is in the pipeline, but Toshiba said: "At this point, nothing has been decided, and absolutely no decision has been made for unification on any basis."
However, Toshiba acknowledged that is has been involved in discussions about format unification.
Toshiba has also revealed a novel disc technology that will allow consumers to view standard DVD content using existing players, as well as high-definition content with next-generation technology.
This hybrid solution features two 0.6 mm-thick discs bonded back-to-back. One has a 30 GB dual-layer for HD DVD conent, while the second has a 8.5 GB dual-layer for standard DVD content.
"The new disc allows consumers to view DVD content on standard DVD players and, after purchasing an HD DVD player, to enjoy high-definition content from the same disc," said the company.
Meanwhile, Toshiba's BDA rival Matsushita Electric Industrial is to start operating a pilot production line for Blu-ray Disc (BD) replication in Torrance, CA, this month. Full pilot production of single-layer BD-ROM discs is slated to begin in December.
Matsushita, which is known more widely by its Panasonic brand name, is also opening a technology center in the heart of Hollywood at Universal City, in which it plans to demonstrate the creation of BD titles to studios and production houses.
"This pilot production line and authoring technology center [will] help the BD industry get off to a smooth start," said Matsushita executive Kazuhiro Tsuga.
