Group formed to promote Blu-ray Disc format

Fourteen companies have joined forces to promote the Blu-ray Disc format through a new industry association launched here.

Fox became the newest member of the Blu-ray Disc Association's board of directors on Monday (Oct. 4). "The penetration of HD recorders is heavily dependent on HDTV popularization," said Kiyoshi Nishitani, Sony's SVP. "We expect that 2005 or 2006 will mark the full-scale take off for Blu-ray Disc systems."

The association has 73 members, 14 directors, 22 contributing companies and 37 general members.

Fox's participation is a coup for the group. Michael O'Neill, special advisor for optical media at Fox Technology Group, said it has yet to develop content using the BD format. "We are working with the forum," he said, adding that Fox is still evaluating the technology.

At CEATEC 2004, Japan's largest electronics show being held this week, the Blu-ray group will show prototypes products developed by its members. Sharp Corp., a BDA board member, will show a prototype Blu-ray Disc recorder at CEATEC. It will serve as the basis for a commercial model to be announced later this year.

Proponents of the rival HD DVD spec — Memory-Tech Corp., NEC Corp., Sanyo Electric Co. Ltd and Toshiba Corp. — are also planning to launch a similar group next spring.

Asked about the possibility of unification of the BD and HD DVD formats, Sony's Nishitani said, "As the physical layer is 0.6 mm for HD DVD and 0.1 mm for BD, the difference makes it impossible to unify the formats physically. We are not considering the possibility of unification."

- Yoshiko Hara

EE Times