DVD Forum Approves Physical Specifications of Triple-Layer HD DVD-ROM (51G)

Last week, Screen Digest had reported that DVD Forum has approved a 51 GB single-sided triple-layer HD DVD disc for production. Extension to the HD DVD standard, which was submitted by Toshiba in April, received approval on 31 August 2007.

Yesterday, the DVD Forum had their Steering Committee Meeting and the list of decisions that were always made public after the meeting had indicated that indeed, physical specs of HD DVD-ROM (51G) or 51GB HD DVD-ROM had been approved by the DVD Forum.

Right now, we are waiting for more specific details from Toshiba and Memory-Tech about the 51GB disc before we can comment further... about the 51GB HD DVD discs.

If you've followed this blog since our first post (our blog is pretty much a diary of HD DVD Format since January 2006), we've pretty much covered some history of the triple-layer disc.

Here's A Little Background on HD DVD's Triple-Layer Disc... From 45GB to 51GB

First reports of a triple-layer disc being included in HD DVD Format specifications began in May 2005, when Toshiba announced the development of a triple-layer HD DVD-ROM (read-only) disc with a data capacity of 45 gigabytes, 50% more than the 30-gigabyte dual-layer HD DVD-ROM disc already announced and enough to record twelve hours of high-definition movies on a single disc. Since then, some of the brochures promoting HD DVD Format had the 45GB Triple-Layer disc being indicated as "To be ratified by DVD Forum".



Fast forward to January 2007, at the CES 2007, Toshiba Corporation underlined the versatility and high capacity of the HD DVD format with the announcement that the company has developed a triple-layer HD DVD-ROM (read only) disc with a capacity of 51 gigabytes. Adding that it aims to secure approval of the new disc by the DVD Forum within this year, and has confirmed the disc structure and its successful operation. They have secured the approval for the physical specifications this year, as per DVD Forum Steering Committee Meeting on September 12.