Japanese-based Infinity Storage Media announced a new Blu-ray, DVD hybrid disc that will play in a DVD player and high-definition Blu-ray player.
The Japanese TV series "Code Blue" will be the first media hosted on the hybrid Blu-ray, DVD disc, using a Blu-ray player (25GB) layer underneath the stacked DVD layers (9GB) with permeable layers in between.
The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has approved the use of the disc, although it hasn't been certified by the DVD Forum because the disc won't work in some DVD players. The company also is working on a 50GB version of the disc it hopes will be certified by the BDA in the immediate future.
Ideas behind hybrid Blu-ray, DVD discs have been widely discussed before, but Infinity is the first company to launch these hybrid discs to the consumer market. An obvious benefit to the disc is that consumers won't be forced to purchase a copy of the movie on both Blu-ray and DVD, as consumers have been very hesitant to do so in the past.
Infinity's new Blu-ray, DVD hybrid disc is available in Japan only, but will likely spread to North America and Europe in the future.
