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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Cheaper and higher capacity, can't wait!


DigiTimes.com [Wednesday 1 May 2002]


In a move to skirt licensing fees charged by DVD technology owners, 19 Taiwanese DVD manufacturers are in talks with counterparts in China to create a new disc format called EVD (enhanced versatile disc), with discs and players using the format scheduled to hit the market in the third quarter, according to a head researcher at Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI).


An umbrella organization called the “Advanced Optical Storage Research Consortium†will be set up by DVD disc and player manufacturers on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to promote EVD, said Derray Huang, deputy general director of the Opto-electronics and Systems Laboratories (OES) at ITRI. Specifications of EVD are being studied and will be finalized in the coming two months, Huang said.


Though Chinese DVD makers and researchers are developing an alternative standard called AVD (advanced versatile disc), they have agreed that EVD will be the sole future optical storage standard to be used in the Greater China region, Huang noted.


EVD will build on the current laser infrared-light technology and its data capacity will be similar to that of AVD. The two available versions of AVD format discs – single-sided, single-layer discs offering 6GB and single-sided, dual-layer discs offering 11GB – surpass the current 4.7GB single-sided, single-layer and 9.4GB dual-sided, dual-layer DVD discs in storage by a respective 27% and 17%, according to Huang.


The joint efforts to challenge existing DVD standards came as a natural result from escalating disputes over DVD technology licensing fees, Taiwanese manufacturers said, citing a lawsuit filed by Sony against China-based Apex Digital for exporting DVD players to the US without paying the required licensing fees. Though the case was recently settled, Chinese companies will likely keep scheming of ways to avoid licensing payments to DVD standard bearers like Sony and Philips, they said.


In addition, China, as the world’s largest DVD player manufacturer, already has a history of creating disc formats of its own, Taiwanese DVD makers said. Development of SVCD (super video compact disc), an updated version of VCD that began circulating in 1998, was coordinated by the Chinese government to circumvent DVD licensing fees and put pressure on DVD disc and player prices, local manufacturers said.
 

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An "Umbrella" organization?? Perhaps Taiwan translates to "Racoon City"? Maybe the first disc released on the new format will be the Resident Evil movie. (I'm sorry, that's what popped into my head when I read the article).


Seriously though, I wonder how much market penetration such a thing would get in other countries. I would see it having more of an SVCD status than a DVD "killer". It is interesting though . . .
 

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What a joke.
 

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This will never make it beyond China and Taiwan. Nobody will release anything on this format except in China. All this makes an even better case for MPAA to pursue for more copy protection. This is another attempt to steal copyrighted material. China is and has been kingdom of pirates for many years. They even make pirate copies in official government owned factories.
 

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They even make pirate copies in official government owned factories.
Official government "owned" factories? Do you mean, managed by the "People's" Army? You mention "pirates". Do you mean, officers of the "People's" Army?
 

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China is still communist country where state or government have their hands in everything. They allow now some private ownership but they still control it. This is what I mean.
 

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Discussion Starter · #11 ·
IP!? We don't need no stinking IP! We Chinese invented everything, gun powder, paper, pasta, etc. etc. you name it...:D


When VCD came out, most in the Western world poo-poo the idea, indeed it was an inferior solution (and still is) for the "Chinese market", but Chinese bought them by the millions, then came SVCD, still better quality, for about the same price. Still not much attention was paid to the development of SVCD in the West, now they are basically talking about DVD quality (or better) but just calling it EVD, who cares, you ask? what a joke, you say...


I think there will be a major trade war for all the Western countries trying to stop all the "importerd" Chinese disks from invading their markets. For those of you that has been to China, you know what I am talking about, at $1-$2 per disk, it is hard to resist buying them by the boat load, if the disk don't work well, they still make good coasters for your drinks.:D
 

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Discussion Starter · #12 ·
this just in:


On May 10, the DVD6C Licensing Agency, representing six leading DVD technology and format developers, announced new incentives for manufacturers in China to obtain patent licensing.


Companies accepting the offer before July 1 will be exempt from royalty payments on DVD players they manufacture in China and sell for the use of end-users in China through December 31. By China, the agreement does not include Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan.


However, DVD players manufactured in China and then exported will still be subject to the DVD6C Licensing Agency’s standard royalties of the greater of 4% of the net sales price or US$4 per player.


The incentive program will extend to current licensees as well.


The six group members are Hitachi, Matsushita Electric Industrial, Mitsubishi Electric, AOL Time Warner, Toshiba and Victor Company of Japan (JVC).


A Chinese-language media report said that the terms had been negotiated with the China Audio Industry Association (CAIA), which represents over 50 DVD player manufacturers in China, giving an indication that member companies might sign on to the agreement.


However, according to the report, whether fees should be paid retroactively and the amount of those fees remain unresolved.
 
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