HD VMD builds momentum

As the high definition industry continues to build momentum within the international technical trade sector, and as consumers buy into HDTV displays, New Medium Enterprises’ HD VMD (versatile multilayer disc) is increasingly being proven to offer to each of the trade, manufacturing, retail and consumer sectors further benefits within this competitive industry.

The established order of ‘bi-polar hegemony’ over the existing home entertainment HD landscape can be seen to be imploding as the result of irreversible gains made by HD VMD. This unique contender, already established and supported in the optical and replication industries, is also making a strong impact with its growing content and distribution channels.

Apprehension and major costs associated with both HD DVD and Blu-ray have led the way for a more cost-effective, realistic solution that has added creativity to the HD market with its patented technology, the revolutionary high-production yield 2P process.

LOW-COST PRODUCTION STRATEGY

NME’s patented 2P process succeeds in solving the technological problems which have limited DVD to two information layers (DVD-9). Thus, multilayering beyond two layers is now possible with HD VMD’s commercial solution of 20 GB and has also proven to achieve 24, 30, 40 and 48 GB capacity with the NME 2P process method.

Importantly, NME 2P process is equally efficient for manufacturing multilayer blue laser discs. Thus, in the future HD VMD multilayer technology will be applied to blue laser formats – providing a roadmap into future HD solutions.

A true 1080p HD format based on red laser technology and supporting existing optical disc formats such as CD, DVD (DVD-5 and DVD-9), the HD VMD solution can provide up to eight information layers on each side of a disc with up to 6 GB on each layer. The first-generation disc will have 20 GB storage capacity for single-sided discs, offering sufficient capacity to playback a full 3-hours movie in true 1080p high definition on one single side.

The HD VMD player is also backward compatible and supports all existing DVD discs formats and CD, in addition to allowing consumers to play their existing standard-definition DVD collections up-converted to HD.
The existing DVD replication infrastructures across the globe, where red-laser based DVD technology has been the standard for 10 years, do not have the capabilities to efficiently produce a low-cost HD solution based on blue laser technology.

An entirely new replication industry will have to be developed to support production of blue laser products. Since the mass production of reliable blue lasers has not yet been achieved, consumers will not see affordable Blu-ray or HD DVD solutions in the near future.

Mass production of the HD VMD solution at a price within reach of the world’s consumers has already been assured by top optical disc industry leaders such as Axxicon (Netherlands), DaTARIUS (Austria), Dr. Schenk GmbH (Germany), Netstal Maschinen AG (Switzerland), Plasmon OMS (France) and VDL Groep (Netherlands). NME owns the patents on manufacturing multilayer discs economically, and today’s DVD industry can retain its infrastructure if the world chooses multilayer HD VMD solution.

With the announcement of its agreements with Russian-based Bars Media and Dubai-based Planet Optical Disc replication manufacturers, NME is gaining further ground in its mission of globalization of its HD VMD technology.

Ease-of-integration with current DVD replication equipment will help pave the way for a truly low-cost HD solution – the defining characteristic for market acceptance in many territories such as the USA, Japan, China, Europe, Russia, Middle East Scandinavia and Iceland.

NEW TECHNOLOGY TO FIGHT COUNTERFEITING

As has always been the case for the optical disc industry, anti-piracy features can be a major strain on any business forging ahead with licensed content. With this in mind, NME has diligently worked on new technologies that will herald a new age in anticounterfeit discs, placing HD VMD at the forefront of innovation in this field.

NME and Optikey – an emerging leader in the anti-counterfeit industry and a contractor to the US Airforce – are set to jointly release an unbreakable and unforgeable technology for addressing the growing piracy problem in the entertainment industry.

The entertainment, gaming and software industries have invested several millions of dollars in conventional digital solutions to address the financial losses created by global piracy. Optikey approaches this challenge with a unique analogue optical system validated by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST).

The advantages of the technology are three-fold: it is an analog submicron three-dimensional optical structure, thus cannot be forged; authentication can be accomplished with or without a connection to a central data-base; the system is non-obsolescent, that is, improvements in computer processing have no effect.

The Optikey/HD VMD system architecture will prevent the unauthorized reproduction of protected content on HD VMD discs or any system that has NME’s proprietary technology. The system does not rely on digital encryption, however, it has been proven that when added to encryption systems as a pass/fail portal it provides an unbreakable layer of protection for the digital domain. The Optikey/HD VMD system will be compatible with existing legacy formats. Therefore, the technology could benefit the entire media industry.

For Optikey’s Chief Executive Officer, William D. Schroer, the integration of his technology into HD VMD systems “is a landmark event representing an innovative and unconventional solution to global counterfeiting of protected data and content on optical discs.”

AUTHORING WITH HD VMD

Furthermore, the company’s authoring package, HD VMD Pro, allows NME to provide the complete package for content distributors. The package is designed to deliver the world's first advanced HD VMD titles to include major post-production facilities, movie studios and multimedia production houses dedicated to facilitating the rollout of titles for the HD VMD format.

HD VMD Pro was created to allow professional authors to efficiently manage workflow with interfaces that are built for ease of use, enabling HD VMD titles to be created quickly and affordably. Its advantages include, efficient production timelines similar to standard DVDs, affordable professional HD authoring software and simple to use drag-and-drop authoring.

NME’s authoring specifications include MPEG-2, subtitle script support, dual-layer drive support, virtually unlimited number of menus per disc, and AACS for content protection.

DISTRIBUTING THE HARDWARE

At each section of the HD home entertainment trade industry, the HD VMD technology is biting on the back heels of Toshiba and Sony. This is also becoming more apparent within the electronic distribution sector. NME’s recent announcement of its European distribution deal with MCA technology has added another bow to its distribution portfolio which includes the deal in the US with the PC Rush chain.

The deal is a major step towards NME's French expansion for which MCA Technology has been given exclusive distribution rights in addition to introducing the company’s consumer equipment to parts of other European territories where MCA has a strong foot-hold. MCA will co-ordinate the distribution and promotion of HD VMD players and PC drives amongst electronics and technology retail specialists, which will support NME's current aggressive marketing campaigns across Europe.

In Europe, NME will launch a special edition bundle box which includes a HD VMD player along with five free movies plus a film catalogue with which consumers can make further orders. The bundle box recommended retail price at €299 (including VAT), thus making it the most affordable true HD home entertainment product available for the end consumer.

Dov Ayache, CEO of MCA Technology commented "The HD revolution is starting, MCA Technology gave its commitment to NME on sales promotion and distribution of HD VMD players because we strongly believe this is the economical alternative to actual HD formats on DVD players. Furthermore, we will be able to propose a large selection of content. We will use our strength and experience to launch and develop HD VMD in France.”

CONTENT IS KING

To date, NME has signed film content with distributors in the US, India, Japan, Germany, France and Australia. The company’s most recent agreement, with Scanbox Entertainment, who supplies blockbuster films to the Scandinavian market (Saw 2, Lucky Number Slevin, Lord of War), was officially signed during the Cannes Film Festival, that celebrated its 60th anniversary.

At MIPCOM, last year, NME signed a ground-breaking deal with leading German publisher VCL Film + Medien for a large number of titles including Hostage and Sleepy Hollow.

The low-cost HD VMD format will break in the French market thanks to a content deal with Seven 7 and Metropolitan FilmExport (Lord of the Ring), starting with 20 titles each.

NME signed a partnership with US independent distributor and production company Anthem Pictures for the release of titles in the HD VMD format. The company will also act as authoring partner for the format on the West Coast.

The latest deal is with ICON Films to distribute its titles (Black Sheep, The Descent, Apocalypto) on HD VMD in Australia and New Zealand.
These agreements add to content distribution deals already in place in India and in China. HD VMD is supported by several leading Indian distributors, including AP International, Eagle and Eros, with several more content partners to be announced shortly. Hundreds of titles will be available on the HD VMD format such as Anbe Vaa, Bend it like Beckham, Boys, Hanuman, Pyar Ke Side Effects and Water. No other HD format has generated this level of commitment from India.

Japan also figures on the HD VMD map. NME has forged a partnership with Tsuburaya Dream Factory, co-creator of the iconic animation feature Godzilla. TDF will represent NME products within Japan, and adopt HD VMD as their preferred HD format for content distribution. The company’s forthcoming release, Metal Kaiser, will be filmed in true high definition and will debut on the HD VMD format.

TDF President Tsuburaya sums up the reasons why an increasing number of producer and distributor are embracing NME’s high-definition format: “We feel it is the only format that will win global appeal at these prices. We are proud to be associated with the HD VMD format where the format is simple and great quality. We have a great opportunity to display our HD content immediately.”...

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