AfterDawn: News

China reveals CH-DVD

The Optical Memory National Engineering Research Center (OMNERC) has announced CH-DVD (China High Definition DVD). This next-generation optical disc format includes Chinese-owned intellectual property, and is based on HD DVD, the next generation high definition DVD approved by the DVD Forum. The realization of CH-DVD was supported by the Chinese government, and will pave the way for the localization of blue-laser, high-definition DVD in China.

OMNERC has established the China High Definition DVD Industry Association (CHDA) in cooperation with the DVD Forum and Chinese and international partners. CHDA will play a leadership role in the promotion of CH-DVD, and will make a big push to launch CH-DVD player into the Chinese market in 2008.



The emergence of CH-DVD as a high definition format integrating Chinese-owned intellectual property clearly demonstrates that a Chinese optical disc technology is already at the world-class level. In the near future, all related industries in China are expected to make the transition from standard definition DVD to high definition DVD.

In the next year, China will start broadcasts of high definition TV programs. In combination with HDTV, CH-DVD will provide a wide variety of HD content that will enrich the lives of viewers.

Source:
Press Release

Written by: James Delahunty @ 10 Sep 2007 19:55

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• 15 comments

• BIGnewb

  omg 4 formats !?!?!?!?

  11.9.2007 02:30 #1

• hughjars

  No, it's basically identical to HD DVD.
  
  Think huge economies of scale for HD DVD production and new brands of up-to-date HD DVD player coming to western markets
  (apparantly they are using the new gen3 Toshiba HD A3 as their 'reference design').
  
  Quote:The Forum has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with China's Optical Memory National Engineering Research Centre (OMNERC) regarding licensing of the HD DVD-ROM China (formerly HD DVD-ROM China-only) format, specification for which was approved earlier this year.
  The only difference between the latter and the standard HD DVD format is the modulation scheme: the optical pickup in HD DVD China player will be able to play standard HD DVD discs, although Chinese discs will not be playable in standard HD DVD drives."http://www.screendigest.com/online_servi...060907-ec3/show

  11.9.2007 03:43 #2

• AUTiger89

  "Chinese-owned intellectual property" - isn't that ironic?
  
  Since they ignore our intellectual property laws, does that mean we get to ignore theirs?

  11.9.2007 03:57 #3

• Klezmorim

  "Chinese-owned intellectual property" "*based on HD-DVD*"!? Hey, whose IP are we talking about, anyway?

  11.9.2007 04:18 #4

• c1c

  China is huge! This will help HD DVD for sure. They will produce a ton of these discs, and Toshiba will get a step ahead of this format war.

  11.9.2007 05:53 #5

• pcrazy99

  I think I'll pass. Don't want to get lead poisoning from their CH-DVDs.

  11.9.2007 06:05 #6

• eatsushi

  Originally posted by c1c: China is huge! This will help HD DVD for sure. They will produce a ton of these discs, and Toshiba will get a step ahead of this format war.If you're considering China as a market you'll also have to realize that China's annual average per capita income is $5600 (2005 figures). A huge majority of the population is engaged in labor-intensive industries or agriculture and probably have never even heard of high-definition. There's an emerging middle class but they're still a small minority. I would imagine that the percentage of households that own an HDTV would be minuscule.

  11.9.2007 07:18 #7

• hughjars

  Small percentage of the population or not, when you're talking about a total market of over a billion people that's still a lot of potential sales.
  
  The real deal here is that the CH-DVD player is practically identical to the HD DVD player.
  
  Not only does this increase the likelihood of more low-cost HD DVD players reaching western markets as those CH-DVD's get the small firmware alteration and a different little badge on the case but it also means a further addition of xx million (or xxx million?) guaranteed sales which will mean another big reduction in the cost of HD DVD components through the economies of scale.
  
  Low cost entry-level HD DVD is extremely likely to reach well below the initial $149 we will see this Q3/4.
  
  Sub $100 by end Q1 2008?
  
  At those kind of low & still falling prices HD DVD will win everywhere quickly
  (DVD is hardly a rare thing at those low prices across Asia).

  11.9.2007 09:22 #8

• borhan9

  what a waste they have to realise that its not going to last to have so many formats.

  11.9.2007 18:44 #9

• cleverick

  Originally posted by pcrazy99: I think I'll pass. Don't want to get lead poisoning from their CH-DVDs. LMAO!!!

  11.9.2007 20:11 #10

• hughjars

  Originally posted by borhan9: what a waste they have to realise that its not going to last to have so many formats. - What do you mean "so many formats"?
  
  CH-DVD is identical to HD DVD excepting a firmware & a badge on the case.
  
  ......and as for "not going to last"?
  LMAO
  
  Go see what Denon are saying about how it is still open to question whether 'profile 1.1' and 'profile 2.0' players and discs will work with 'profile 1.0' Blu-ray players and discs.
  
  http://www.listenup.com/content/partner_...adge.aug.07.php
  
  If there's a question mark hanging over any of the high def formats right now it's Blu-ray.
  
  Especially as HD DVD now has the most content and lowest entry level prices (in fact a pricing structure so good that the high-end Toshiba HD XA2 is about the same price as the under-spec'd & over-priced Blu-ray entry level).

  12.9.2007 17:38 #11

• plazma247

  lmao is the CH-DVD isnt lacking in the CSS key department, making it a far easier format to copy lol... wouldnt surprise me.

  16.9.2007 11:12 #12

• CaLiMaCk

  the chinese choose you hd dvd to pirate! YOU LOSE LOL
  
  not only is it not the same thing as hd dvd, its a communist format that china owns, but it makes it much easier for them to pirate hd dvd movies. the reason they did this is because its harder to pirate blu ray the same reason most studios chose blu ray

  17.9.2007 17:43 #13

• BIGnewb

  lol ^^ well thats good news for bluray i guess bcuz i sure wouldnt want one of those guys to pirate my format

  17.9.2007 17:46 #14

• hughjars

  Wow, top level debate there guys, not.
  
  "Communist format"!?
  
  Yeah, the format has a political persuasion.
  
  "Most studios" support Blu-ray do they.....by which standard?
  Cos if you count the majors they are pretty evenly split now and the minors are flocking to HD DVD due to it's lower charges & costs
  (and the fact you can actually get replication done as capacity is not so constrained).
  
  Nevertheless HD DVD offers the most actual content, the most exclusive content and the largest potential catalogue.
  
  HD DVD has easier 'security' to crack and that isn't a better thing, huh?
  
  Well there's your colours nailed to the mast alright.

  18.9.2007 03:19 #15