The DVD Forum announced its new DVD Multi specifications that mandate player, drive and recorder compatibility for most DVD disc formats.

For more information visit: www.dvdforum.org

Unedited press release follows:

NEW “DVD MULTI” PLAN WILL ASSURE PRODUCT COMPATIBILITY

June 27, 2000 – The DVD Forum today announced a plan to prevent possible conflicts among DVD formats and thus assure and enhance the future compatibility of DVD products.

The plan, called DVD Multi, is not a format, but rather will set hardware specifications to enable disc compatibility for virtually all formats officially created by the DVD Forum, both for consumer electronics and personal computers. A logo identifying DVD Multi products will also be prepared.

“This is good news for consumers,” said Acting-Chairman Koji Hase of DVD Forum, an industry association whose members include all major DVD manufacturers as well as major DVD software developers around the world.

“The introduction of DVD products bearing the DVD Multi logo,” Hase said, “means that consumers will be able to buy virtually any DVD product without worrying about its compatibility with another type of DVD disc or DVD machine.” The DVD Multi specifications, he said, will be finalized this fall, and the first DVD Multi products should be ready for sale early next year.

The DVD Forum has established global DVD formats including DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-Audio, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD Video Recording.  As the number of DVD formats for different purposes and DVD products of various types increase, the DVD Forum has decided to develop at an early stage solutions for potential compatibility issues.

Now, with the global DVD market valued at around $10 billion at the end of 1999 and forecast to double that value by the end of this year, and with new formats and products in the manufacturing pipeline, it was time for the DVD Forum to take action, Hase said.

With the introduction of DVD Multi products bearing the “DVD Multi” logo, he added, the already impressive pace of DVD market growth is expected to increase still further.

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DVD Multi specifications will assure compatibility of the following products, regardless of manufacturer:

FOR COMPUTERS

DVD-ROM drives can read:

DVD Video discs (if PCs have video decoders)
DVD Audio discs (if PCs have audio decoders)
DVD-ROM discs
DVD-RAM discs
DVD-RW discs
DVD-R discs

PC-attached DVD Multi Recorder can read all the above discs
PC-attached DVD Multi Recorder can write on DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD-R discs.

FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS AND AUDIO/VISUAL PRODUCTS

DVD Multi Players will be able to read the DVD-Video and/or DVD-Audio data recorded on the following discs:

DVD Video discs (*)
DVD Audio discs (*)
DVD-RAM discs
DVD-RW discs
DVD-R discs

(*) DVD Video-only players cannot read DVD-Audio discs.
DVD-Audio-only players cannot read DVD-Video discs.

DVD Multi Recorders will be able to read in the same way as DVD Multi Players.
DVD Multi Recorders will be able to write on DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD-R discs.