New Medium Enterprises, developer of the red laser-based high definition versatile multi-layer disc format, is to offer a range of HD VMD products.

- HD VMD media players HD VMD Media Player Duo (2 layers single side-9 GB HD VMD disc) and HD VMD Media Player Quattro (4 layers single side-20 GB HD VMD disc) .

- PC DL DVD burner with VMD-Playback support (DL DVD burner, HD VMD Duo/Quattro Playback with HD VMD playback software).

- PC HD VMD authoring software HD VMD Pro (professional version for authoring houses) and HD VMD Lite (consumer version - part of HD VMD recordable software).

- PC HD VMD software HD VMD playback software for PC and Mac and HD VMD recordable software for PC and Mac

Three weeks ago, NME secured worldwide patents surrounding its VMD technology which provides up to eight information layers on each side of a disc and can be utilized for both blue laser and red laser formats.

The comprehensive NME patents, outlining the basic principles and method of cost-effective mass manufacturing of multilayer discs, were filed initially in 2004 and have now been extended through most of the industrial world.

The patents cover the principles of NME's break-through modified 2P process, which involves producing more than two layers on a single-sided disc, and will allow for the first time the replication of multilayer discs with the production yield and subsequent production costs comparable to current DVD production. The patent also covers the general set-up of a VMD production line and method of playing-back multilayer discs.

VMD technology has been validated by established Netherlands-based replicator VDL ODMS, and NME has entered into a production agreement with the replicator to produce the mass production machinery based on standard DVD equipment augmented by groundbreaking VMD 2P technology. The full VMD production line will be unveiled later this year.

Story filed 30.01.07