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Blu-ray Movie Disc Format Unveild

"The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has approved the first full
version of its read-only disc specification, the organisation said
this week.

The move paves the way for the format's adoption as a content
distribution system to rival the next generation of the DVD format,
HD-DVD.

BD-ROM players are set to ship late next year, the BDA said, with
content coming through in the same timeframe. At this stage, the only
major content provider to have publicly confirmed its willingness to
off BD-ROM discs is Sony, which has said its Sony Pictures
Entertainment will offer BD-ROM high-definition movies in Japan. The
company's disc manufacturing wing is, however, promoting BD-ROM to
studios in the US.

Sony Computer Entertainment recently revealed it plans to equip the
PlayStation 3 with a BD drive, which is likely to strengthen Blu-ray
as a consumer format.

With the BD-ROM 1.0 specification now in place, media manufacturers
can now licence the technology - for an undisclosed royalty fee - and
begin to prepare Blu-ray production lines. The BDA claims that Blu-ray
disc production costs no more than DVD production does. However,
manufacturers will need new duplication equipment. That contrasts with
HD-DVD which simply requires a re-tooling of existing production
lines, the DVD Forum claims."

[ http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08...-ray_rom_spec/ ]






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