New optical disc standard joins the fray
Sure, this new VCDHD (Versatile Compact Disc High Density) from Ukraine and Russia might not be exactly a contender in the Blu-ray VS. HD DVD battle, but at 4.7GB it does hope to give DVD a run for its money over there. The new disc is compatible with current DVD players, but doesn't require the expensive DVD license to be produced. The first title for the new format, "Prorwemos," is a Ukrainian action movie and goes for a mere $4.50. The discs are also cheaper to manufacture than their DVD counterparts, and are half as thick. The next step is bringing blue laser technology to the discs to enable 15GB capacities, which doesn't even bring it into striking range of China's EVD and VMD hi-def formats, but at least it's a start.
[Thanks, Gregg]
