Issues formal request
to Blu-ray Disc Association to add two technologies to its format
PALO
ALTO,
Calif., Oct. 19, 2005 -
HP today announced a significant step toward bridging the differences between
the two competing high-definition (HD) optical disk formats by supporting two
new technologies to be part of the next-generation standard.
The company has formally appealed
to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) to include the technologies '“ mandatory
Managed Copy and iHD '“ as part of its format specification. Both technologies
are currently supported in the competing HD-DVD format.
The move reflects HP's desire to
ensure that customers are not forced to choose between competing HD formats for
DVDs.
HP has determined that Managed
Copy and iHD will address the fundamental technical needs of the PC and help
create a seamless experience throughout the digitally connected
home:
Managed Copy: Unlike with
today's conventional DVDs, this feature allows consumers to make legitimate
copies of their HD movies and enjoy this content around the home or across
their networks. Making this feature mandatory will ensure a consistent
consumer experience across all next-generation DVD content.
iHD: Next-generation HD movies
will provide a level of interactive experience well beyond that of today's
conventional DVDs. iHD technology provides a broad foundation to enable new
interactivity with standards-based development tools and technologies. It will
provide consumers with enhanced content, navigation and functionality for HD
films. Furthermore, Microsoft plans to implement iHD support in its Windows®
Vista operating system, which will help ease
implementation and provide a cost-effective solution for consumers.
'HP is committed to delivering
rewarding consumer experiences, and we see format compatibility as critical to
making technology accessible and easy to use for consumers," said John Romano,
senior vice president, Consumer PC Global Business Unit, HP. 'As a leader in the
development and promotion of the Blu-ray Disc format, HP expects these moves to
help ensure that the format provides the best possible experience for
customers."
About
HP
HP is a technology
solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The
company's offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home
computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended July 31,
2005, HP revenue totaled $85.2 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq:
HPQ) is available at www.hp.com.
Microsoft and Windows
are U.S. registered trademarks of
Microsoft Corporation.
Source: HP
