Austria-based test equipment maker DaTARIUS has been chosen by New Medium Enterprises to develop a range of quality control analyzers for the HD VMD (High Definition Versatile Multilayer Disc) format.

Under this agreement, DaTARIUS becomes the preferred off-line test equipment provider for HD VMD and, with NME, will jointly own the Intellectual Property Rights that emerge from efforts in building this test equipment for the industry.

DaTARIUS is developing a HD VMD driveCube for the DaTABANK, and the wide installed global base of this test system will ease the integration of HD VMD production into existing optical media manufacturing facilities.

“Our agreement represents a major step forward in the global manufacturing and testing process for HD VMD, as many replicators use the DaTARIUS DaTABANK,” says Alexander Bolker-Hagerty, Executive Vice President for Business Development, NME, Inc. “It highlights the great advantage that HD VMD has over the blue media formats – the fact that it is based on existing, proven technology, allowing it to provide a far more cost-effective solution for the consumer. We see the addition of DaTARIUS to the list of HD VMD format partners as an excellent step into the growth of HD VMD worldwide.

Story filed 12.02.07