Press Release: Toshiba Develops Dual-Layer HD DVD-R Discs; 30GB
Dual-Layer HD DVD-R Discs Confirms Larger Capacity
Sept. 21, 2005--Toshiba Corporation today
reconfirmed the flexibility and expandability of the HD DVD format with the
announcement of a 30GB dual-layer HD DVD-R (recordable) disc that extends the
capacity for a write-once next generation DVD disc. The new disc was approved as
Version 1.9 at the September 14 meeting of the DVD Forum's Steering Committee
and its technical information will be made available as the Version 1.9
specifications. Toshiba targets completion of Version 2.0 of the specifications
book by the DVD Forum within this year, and aims to bring to market next spring
an HD DVD recorder that supports the new disc.
The DVD Forum approved a 15GB single-layer HD DVD-R
discs as Version 1.0 of a write-once HD DVD disc in February 2005. Toshiba
continued development toward the newly announced 30GB dual-layer HD DVD-R disc,
which uses a new organic dye jointly developed with a dye
manufacturer.
The dual-layer HD DVD-R disc is based on the same disc
structure as current DVD discs, HD DVD-ROM discs (read-only), and HD DVD-RW
discs (rewritable): back-to-back bonding of two 0.6 millimeter-thick substrates.
The new disc also shares key manufacturing processes with DVD-R: use of an
organic dye as the data storage medium; and a spin-coating process for
depositing the dye. As a result, disc manufacturers can minimize their
investment in disc production equipment for dual-layer HD DVD-R by using already
installed DVD-R manufacturing lines for mass production.
Toshiba and disc manufacturers will verify
compatibility of dual-layer HD DVD-R discs in round robin testing at the DVD
Forum, starting on October 17. Toshiba targets finalization of the specification
book by the DVD Forum within the year.
Note: Capacity of a disc is calculated with a basis of
1-gigabyte (GB) = 1-billion bytes
Posted: Wed - September 21, 2005 at 09:38 AM