First FVD players to hit early next year

You didn't forget about the Forward Versatile Disc, didja? The world hasn't exactly been crying out for yet another optical disc format to compete with HD-DVD and Blu-ray, but a consortium of Taiwanese manufacturers are hoping that the FVD, which supports Microsoft's WMV-HD codec, will find a place in the hearts of Asian consumers as an inexpensive option for HD video before either Blu-ray or HD-DVD takes over. We're still a bit skeptical that FVD will go anywhere (at least outside of Taiwan and China) , but DigiTimes reports that the first FVD players have gone into production in Taiwan, with a manufacturer called Idar Electronics aiming to ship 300,000 units next year which'll be OEM'd by other brands like Sampo and Tatung.

[Via The Register]

[Einhanderkiller @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

The logo looks like "FU Disc".

[pixelator @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

^^^^ HAHAHAHAHA


Seriously though, leave it to those guys to get on the ball and rip something out FAST. Not so politically or otherwise encumbered, eh?

[Roopesh Sheth @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

The thing that makes sense, though, over HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is that they are using WMV-HD. If Blu-Ray or HD-DVD would've gone with MPEG4, that would be a competing technology... especially with 25-50GB discs and massive compression like that...

[Halo Spammer @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

Until recently, both HD-DVD and BluRay camps were counting on h.263 (not sure of the number) compression. Its only recenlty that Blu-Ray announced that they will only be using Mpeg-2... which is absurd.

[Shnugi @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

These things could have a market in East Asia. I mean on account of rampant piracy and all, the studios won't really have as much influence on the popularity of the discs.

That said, I would still rather have Dvix or Xvid compatible DVD players, and it would be nice if I the studios made Xvid encoded DVD's.

[asah @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

yeah that's a pretty fugly logo to be placed on millions of units if this thing ever picks up steam. the dvd logo looked pretty cool, why not spend some time to make a decent fvdisc logo if you're going to invest so much money into it?

[Andy Burns @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

re #4

sony might be bringing out blu-ray *disks* which only have mpeg2 content, but the players will be capable of H.264/AVG as well, it just makes sense for them to use existing technology first ...

[aestheticmonk @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

For those that have not seen the sheer mass of VCDs available in Asia (once DVDs became cheaper to copy they are included as well) it is hard to imagine the popularity of the VCD format. But the truth is, for a while anyway, VCDs and SVCDs *far* eclipsed any other digital format.
The Taiwanese and other Asian manufacturer's public balk with both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray is that they will likely have to pay licensing fees to the consortiums for the technology. FVD is theirs from the start, own and make the chips to the end products... and it's here first.
The battle for Asian mindshare is beginning before the other two sides are even ready. For the short term, there is a high liklihood that FVD can be the next VCD - successful regionally, with virtually zero use in the West. And it won't need the backing of the American entertainment companies. There is plenty of local content to support it, and provided it can hold just a little more data, it may quickly become the preferred "re-burn" media for DVD rips. As a result, if nothing else it has the potential to slow the adoption of either HD-DVD or Blu-Ray in the way that DVDs were slow to grow as well.

The part that I have yet to understand is why then would they choose to base this on a Microsoft codec (with connected licensing fees to a US company) rather than use an open one, or heck a cheaper one? Or... perhaps it's free to maintain the use of Windows?

[Ash Connor @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

Cool now I will be able to buy Sopranos 1-5 for 150 yuan in HD and a player for around $100.

Seems like getting a FVD player for the short term will be worth it. Major studies might not be on board but you can guratee they'll pirate their films in HD even if it's crude HDTV rips. FVD swaping a eBay near you mid 2006

[OddManOut @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

I was hoping FVD hadn't died on the (drafting) table. Yeah...VCD all over again. I loved VCDs (I still buy'em occasionaly...you can get new Hong Kong action flicks on'em like a week after the movies debut in theatres...I wonder why...). Before Netflicks, it was an excellent way to buy movies (for me anyway). Buy it for the same price as renting it, then if you like it, you've got it...if you don't, chuck it...

I'll hit it with this technology. Since I am a fan of asian cinema, even if it doesn't come across the sea in any significant form I will still be able to use it (and it will be a neat conversation piece). If I recall correctly though FVD disc have around a 50gb capactiy (with multiple layers). I wouldn't mind a PC based burner of that type.

Heehee, I could use such discs for any...uh...questionable content/files I might like to archive. Odds are curious friends and family members wouldn't know what the heck it was, try it in conventional (and eventually) or next gen players, get an error message and assume it's broken...

[E71 @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

Never knew it exists until this article!

Does anyone know the capacity of an FVD because I don't know if the capacity stated in the image below is accurate:

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2004/0602/comp03_43.jpg

If it is, then it's more pathetic than HD-DVD.

[hakujin @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

"Its only recenlty that Blu-Ray announced that they will only be using Mpeg-2... which is absurd."

I totally agree. It's obvious to me that they're only doing this to push their higher capacity over HD-DVD as a necessity.

Halo Spammer, HD-DVD is NOT going with h.264? That's news to my ears. I would think they would since the lower capacity doesn't exactly scream a 720P mpeg2 movie with extra features and the like.

"sony might be bringing out blu-ray *disks* which only have mpeg2 content, but the players will be capable of H.264/AVG as well, it just makes sense for them to use existing technology first ..."

You're joking right? We are talking about the Sony that likes to tout everything unproven and new so... next gen media, last gen compression? The true reason is painfully apparent and that's what makes me HOPE that HD-DVD prevails for the living room and perhaps I'll entertain Blu-Ray in the office.

[Ihar Filipau @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

"WMV-HD codec"

Does the World - in general and Asia in specific - needs another Wind0ze-only disc format???

[Ray Morris @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

There already has been WMV-HD discs available for more than a year here in America. I have a half a dozen or so to see how much better HD discs can do. It's a nice improvement, but nothing that 'jumps out' at you. What I don't like about WMV-HD is you have to be online and get 'permision' from microsoft (here in Amercica, at least) to play your disc you bought, bad idea, esp. if you have a laptop you don't have internet access to.

[boe @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

I suppose a 2 x 4 to the back of the heads of Sony's top execs would be too much to ask for and far to direct. The other formats besides HDDVD such as the Maxell and this might be what it takes for Sony to make their new format what it should be - 1080p, 60fps, MP4, DTS-HD and Dolby Digital Plus on their first gen players. They might actually win the war if they put the effort into to trying to win the format war vs. trying to get people to double-dip on hardware and media. If they play the game of planned obsolescence and release the good features a year after the first ones come out, Sony execs deserve their own special double dipping.

[Joey Geraci @ Dec 19th 2005 12:21AM]

That's funny, Sony is going with the cheaper technology that will be easier to implement quicker, even though they could feasibly implement the better option.