DVD Forum approves the HD DVD-RW format

February 28, 2004

During the DVD forum's
25^th steering committee meeting the RW version 0.9 of the HD-DVD
format (also known as AOD) was approved. The ROM version of HD-DVD was already
approved last year and now MPEG2, WM9 and H.264 have also got provisional
approval as video codecs to be used for the format. Several other things also
got approval by DVD Forum during the meeting, for example:

Approval of DD+,
DTS++, and MLP as mandatory audio codecs to be included in the High
Definition Video format

Adoption of the
mandatory audio codec "MPEG-4 HE AAC" for the Optional Specifications
for DVD-Audio (ROM zone)

Approval of Optional
Specifications 5X-speed DVD-RAM, Rev.
2.0

Approval of HD DVD
Specifications for Rewritable Disc version
0.9

Approval of Maximum
Verification Fees: (2) Test Specifications for discs with new High Speed
Recording Optional Specifications (R8X, RAM5X, RW4X): $ 15,000

Provisional approval
of MPEG2, WM9 (VC-9) and MPEG4 AVC(H.264) Video CODECs as mandatory for
the HD DVD Video specification for playback devices, subject to (a) an
update in 60 days regarding licensing terms and conditions, (b) a
presentation by each of the respective licensing bodies at the next SC
meeting and (c) possible elimination of any of the above CODECs at the
next SC meeting.

The Steering Committee
asks the TCG and WG-1 to reconsider their recommendation of audio codecs
for HD Video Applications, and make a new recommendation by the next
Steering Committee meeting that includes at least one lossless audio
codec and at least one lossy audio
codec.

It sure looks
like another format war is inevitable as the Blu-ray Disc format
is developed outside the DVD forum with strong backing from major CE and PC
companies such as Sony, Philips, Matsushita, HP and Dell.

Thanks to GristyMcFisty and Quakester2000 for
submitting the news! A
full list of approved subjects is available here.

Source: DVD Forum