Submitted
by GristyMcFisty:
OPTICAL STORAGE TECHNOLOGY
ASSOCIATION TO EXPAND
SCOPE OF
RECENT JOINT DVD COMPATIBILITY STUDY
Preliminary Test Results Conclude That The Most Critical
Factor
in DVD Compatibility Is The Quality of Media
The Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA), the
international trade organization for the promotion of recordable optical
technologies and products, today announced it will expand the scope of a recent
DVD compatibility study jointly conducted by OSTA, the DVD Association (DVDA),
and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The first round
of testing produced findings demonstrating that the quality of recordable DVD
media plays the key role in compatibility. By implementing a second phase of
testing in conjunction with major DVD drive and media manufacturers, DVDA, NIST
and OSTA are continuing their partnership by providing an impartial process for
measuring and improving compatibility to assist DVD media and drive
manufacturers in achieving the goal of 100 percent compatibility.
The committee, which was formed in the fall of
2002 to specifically address compatibility issues, has been collaborating with
leading media and drive manufacturers to develop an industry-wide solution based
on a regular series of compatibility and physical tests, the results of which
are provided to OEMs for analysis and feedback. The group constantly examines a
wide variety of media types, recordable DVD drives, DVD-ROM drives, and consumer
DVD players, and defines objective testing methodologies and parameters aimed at
assisting OEMs in identifying possible problems between specific brand media and
drive models.
'It is essential that consumers, as well as DVD
media and drive manufacturers, put the results of this latest compatibility
study into proper context," said David Bunzel, President of OSTA. 'Our findings
indicate that the most critical factor in all DVD disc and drive compatibility
tests is the quality of media, not the format or brand of drive. When
high-quality DVD recordable discs are used, the compatibility rate surges to
over 95 percent. OSTA will continue to work with the DVDA and NIST to help
manufacturers achieve 100 percent compatibility. In the meantime, we recommend
that consumers purchase high-quality DVD media to avoid potential
incompatibility problems."
A DVD disc is deemed compatible by OSTA if it
is recorded on one device, and plays back flawlessly on another. Moreover, a
recordable DVD is considered compatible if its playback quality is equivalent to
the playback of pressed discs with identical content. OSTA's second phase of
compatibility testing, which is now under way, will analyze the performance of
the top 75 percent of DVD recordable drives and players now available to
consumers, as well as the latest 4X media. OSTA plans to release the results of
this testing phase in the first quarter of 2004.
Here are the highlights of the OSTA
compatibility testing:
Currently, levels of compatibility are
similar across both the 'dash" and 'plus" DVD formats. As a result, consumers
should not be concerned about compatibility differences between specific
formats. Furthermore, many multi-format drives are now available in the
market.
The use of high-quality recordable media,
regardless of the brand of drive or DVD recording format used, greatly
increases the overall compatibility rate.
Newer drives and players available today
offer higher levels of compatibility.
'Six years ago, OSTA collaborated closely with
media and hardware manufacturers to test CD-R
compatibility, and CD-R ultimately became almost universally compatible with
consumer and PC playback and recording devices," said
Subutai Ahmad.
Source: OSTA (PDF-document)
