AfterDawn: News

New Medium Enterprises to offer HD VMD format

New Medium Enterprises, Inc. is set to offer up yet another disc format to the growing market for high definition video content. HD VMD is a red-laser based format that offers capacities of 9GB and 20GB (two layers and four layers respectively) and supports full 1080p HD content. Hardware players, authoring software and playback software are ready to be released.

One of the main aims of HD VMD is to immediately offer consumer high definition video content at prices similar to those of the DVD format now. The company also emphasized how the DVD format has proven the reliability of red-laser based media. HD VMD video supports MPEG-2, VC-1 and H.264.



HD VMD audio supports Dolby Digital, DTS, and PCM audio. It is a true high definition format with 1920 x 1080 progressive video with data transfer rates up to 40 Mbps. The AES encryption scheme is part of the device's content protection offerings.

"The first products will be available in the World’s markets, including the US, very shortly", commented NME CEO Mahesh Jayanarayan. He added, "With HD Media Format quietly adopted by Content providers and Distributors in 12 regions of the World, in US, Japan, China, India, Russia, France, Germany, Scandinavia ,Central Europe, Brazil, Iceland and Middle East, HD VMD Media Format and products will become a universal media format and standard worldwide."

Source:
Press Release

Written by: James Delahunty @ 4 Feb 2007 8:52

• Previous article

• Fujitsu produces H.264 chip

• Next article

• Xbox 360 HD DVD add-on headed for Oz

• 18 comments

• Thoatih12

  ummm do we really need a third one? i dont think this one will last..maybe but i dont think so..

  4.2.2007 09:44 #1

• PeaInAPod

  If this picks up steam I could imagine it would pose a big risk for Blu-ray and HD-DVD. It supports all the video and audio formats of HD and uses the common red laser used in current DVD players. So no more of the problems with the Blue Lasers. And I haven't heard the Blu-ray or HD-DVD group say a statement like this . . .Quote:consumer high definition video content at prices similar to those of the DVD format now. While it is true a 3rd competitor in the HD race is another step away from establishing a common HD format. I believe this new format could win the format war.

  4.2.2007 10:51 #2

• Thoatih12

  will it show the same good quiality though?

  4.2.2007 11:41 #3

• error5

  Great! Now we can watch Bollywood films in HD.

  4.2.2007 11:47 #4

• borhan9

  There is no harm in having this format. Only if it is worthwile though. If its a cheaper alternative why not.

  4.2.2007 15:00 #5

• error5

  Don't forget there's HVD (High-Clearness Video Disc) and EVD (Enhanced Versatile Disc)from China and FVD (Forward Versatile Disc) from Taiwan.

  4.2.2007 15:09 #6

• kearney

  Quote: "...HD VMD Media Format and products will become a universal media format and standard worldwide..."i wonder what companies have offered to allow their movies to be made on HD-VMD? certainly not sony nor paramount.
  
  error5, props on your bollywood comment and for pointing out all the other stupid compression formats. why is every country now trying to patent their own video format?
  
  I wonder if american companies will even support these formats? my guess is no.
  
  

  4.2.2007 19:57 #7

• kearney

  answering my own question as to why countries are creating their own coding formats.
  
  so they don't have to pay royalties, and "...to decrease dependency on foreign electronic products and establish a niche in the market."

  4.2.2007 20:14 #8

• hughjars

  Quote:Thoatih12
  will it show the same good quiality though? - The article says it can do 1080p so why not.
  
  Personally I'd be very imterested in a stand-alone that can play VC-1, MPEG2, .mkv, .ts, .XviD, x264 & h.264 files.
  
  Basically it'd be like adding HD to a current DivX stand-alone.
  
  It's exactly the development I'd be looking for.
  
  It would mean a stand-alone that could cope with everything in HD that's downloadable right now.
  
  If it's also much cheaper than Blu-ray (which wouldn't be hard) or HD-DVD (that's impressive) then great.
  
  Fantastic.
  
  Where can I get one?
  
  I'd buy without hesitation right now.
  

  5.2.2007 08:01 #9

• solarf

  sounds pretty interesting, but really another contender in the fight.

  5.2.2007 08:11 #10

• mystic

  ok does this mean that we need a player that will read 3 diffrent types or will they sell us one for each color disk.... they really have too slow down and let the market make a dission on the format and quit feeding us the hype over media I mean really if we buy a new player eveery time they create something new then we'll all be slaves to the next big thing... whats wrong with dvds the way they are....

  5.2.2007 21:27 #11

• Pop_Smith

  Based on the posted specs, it looks like its just an updated DVD. With a two layer holding 9GB and a four layer holding 20GB its the same in storage space as DVD.
  
  The ability to use multiple video codecs is great as well as multiple surround sound types (I personally prefer Dolby Digital, while others like DTS. Its good to see it support both) @ 40Mbps doesn't that beat both Blu-ray and HD DVD?
  
  With this running a red laser, it won't have the delays in production and will probably have longer life then a blue laser.
  
  I would go out a buy this right now if a race (Blu-ray, HD DVD and now HD VMD) going on to be the "next" DVD.
  
  Peace

  6.2.2007 08:21 #12

• hughjars

  Originally posted by mystic:they really have too slow down and let the market make a dission on the format and quit feeding us the hype over media I mean really if we buy a new player eveery time they create something new then we'll all be slaves to the next big thing... whats wrong with dvds the way they are.... - I know what you're saying but I think you're looking at this the wrong way.
  
  It's only really new in as far as it might bring dual sided dual layer DVD18/19 discs to market - and an inexpensive burner for them to our PCs.
  Everything else is the same as DVD5/9 is right now.
  
  If I could have a stand-alone DVD player in my living room capable of playing all the regular DVD5/9 files my present DivX player can play along with every high def file I can now download I doubt I'd ever really worry about HD-DVD or Blu-ray
  (except for the movies themselves being made available for download to play on this machine).
  
  I suspect I wouldn't be alone in that.
  
  If this were to catch on it could really shaft both HD-DVD & Blu-ray leaving the market free to await holographic tech coming along (whenever it does, we could wait).

  7.2.2007 05:18 #13

• ivymike

  Originally posted by error5:Don't forget there's HVD (High-Clearness Video Disc) and EVD (Enhanced Versatile Disc)from China and FVD (Forward Versatile Disc) from Taiwan.You mean Holographic Versatile Disc. At this point it is being developed strictly as a storage medium for web servers.

  9.2.2007 15:47 #14

• DieMPAA

  Oh hell no!

  9.2.2007 16:54 #15

• error5

  Quote:You mean Holographic Versatile Disc. At this point it is being developed strictly as a storage medium for web servers.Nope. I mean High-Clearness Video Disc:
  
  http://www.connectedhomemag.com/HomeThea...ArticleID=43123
  
  Quote:China and Taiwan have put into development not one but three all-new HD video-disc formats. From China, we have the competing rivals Enhanced Video Disc (EVD) and High-Clearness Video Disc (HVD). Not to be outdone, Taiwan has jumped in with its announcement of Forward Versatile Disc (FVD).Here's the machine that plays HVD's:
  
  http://www.hdtvsolutions.com/neodigit_neuneo_hvd2085.htm
  
  Quote:The NeuNeo HVD2085 also supports HVD (High-Clearness Versatile Disc), a DVD format that was introduced in China in 2004 in an effort to bring higher definition DVDs to market while we wait to see who wins the Blu-ray vs HD-DVD battle for high definition DVDs.
  Actually the HD VMD format is based on China's EVD format.

  9.2.2007 18:16 #16

• ivymike

  I stand corrected. There is a Holographic Versatile Disc though which surprises me that the company(s) which developed the High-clearness Video Disc fwould adopt a name for it which can be misconstrued as a holographic versatile disc.

  9.2.2007 18:28 #17

• ematrix

  If choosing upgrading to HD-DVD or Blu-ray wasn't enough, nere comes a third contender on the HD war... the biggest impediment for most consumers is the excessive prices on HD players and HD movies... sure, either Blu-ray or HD-DVD movies offers you higher quality in picture and sound, but the reality is that most consumers think that standart DVD movies are overpriced (you can figure out their thoughts about paying even more for Blu-ray and HD-DVD movies)
  
  Also most consumers express reluctance to upgrade all their current DVD collection (once again... double dipping) ir order to get a higher quality for already owned movies, when the current quality offered in standart DVD movies released in recent years, isn't bad enough to feel forced to upgrade, which wasn't the case when upgrading to DVD from VHS.
  
  Even more, instead of eventually displacing standart DVD, the studios should continue to release movies on this format side to side with HD releases (as they do currently) as a cheaper option to consumers who wish to pay less and really don't care for higher quality, instead of barebones releases.
  
  Therefore it all comes down to one outcome, the first one in this HD war that offers their releases at current standart DVD prices, side to side to reduced by half price standart DVD releases will win, and the rest will be history.

  15.2.2007 22:32 #18