JVC Develops BD/DVD Combo Disc

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Victor Company of Japan has developed a Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc, with the company claiming to be the first to do so.

According to the company, the format enables storage of video content in both high definition and standard definition. The new ROM disc, which has a total storage capacity of 33.5 GB, uses a triple layer structure made possible by JVC's development of a proprietary reflective film.

The new Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc has a one-side readout, triple layer structure comprised of an outside Blu-ray disc (BD) layer and inner DVD dual layer. The outer BD layer is capable of storing high definition video signals up to a capacity of 25 GB. The inner DVD dual layer can store up to 8.5 GB of standard definition video signals.

During Blu-ray reproduction, the blue laser reads the outer BD layer, while the red laser reads the inner DVD dual layer. The reflective film that enables the dual format reflects the blue laser used for Blu-ray reproduction, but is transparent to the red laser used in DVD reproduction.

The company claims that the new disc is capable of storing all of the data currently contained in commercially available DVD software.

The development of the Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc opens the way for the emergence of video releases containing content in both Blu-ray and DVD formats on a single disc. Users can purchase a single disc that can be reproduced at high definition BD video quality on a large screen home theater system, or play back the disc at standard definition DVD video quality on a smaller TV set, a home PC or laptop computer.

Users who do not have a Blu-ray disc player can view the video content at standard definition using their current DVD player, and enjoy the same content at high definition resolution when upgrading to a Blu-ray disc player in the future.

The release said that JVC would forward a proposal to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) to have the technology accepted as a specification for future commercialization. The company is also working on a Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc with an even larger 58.5 GB storage capacity. The proposed disc will comprise of a 50 GB Blu-ray dual layer and 8.5 GB DVD dual layer structure.

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