Toshiba Denies Rumors, Announces Triple-Layer HD-DVD

Date: Tuesday, May 10, 2005

Denying the reports coming out of the Japanese press about immiment unification plans with the Blu-Ray group, Toshiba has unveiled at the Media-Tech Expo 2005 event that they have achieved a triple-layer HD-DVD format that is capable of storing 45 gb. This places it just under the 50 gb that the dual layered Blu-Ray format is pushing. This new form of HD-DVD hasn't been formalized by the HD-DVD Group yet and isn't a part of the spec but it shows that they understand the importance of space capacity, something that Blu-Ray has had as a significant advantage. One disadvantage to this new triple-layer format however is that it is for pre-recorded material and initial word has it that it is far too complex for consumer recording for some time, whereas Blu-Ray offers dual layer recording right out of the gate.