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Hd-dvdHD-DVD (for High-Density Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical media format, and is one of the specifications being proposed as the standard for high-definition DVD. HD-DVD is similar to a competing format, the Blu-Ray disc, in that it uses a CD size (120 mm) optical data storage media and a blue laser at 405 nm wavelength. HD-DVD is promoted by Toshiba, NEC, and Sanyo, and backed by four major film studios, and is currently engaged in a format war with the Blu-ray Disc proposed by Sony. HD-DVD has a capacity of 15 GB (for dual-sided HD-DVD, maximum capacity would be 30 GB). Like Blu-ray, HD-DVD does not require a caddy or cartridge. The cover layer is, as in the case of the DVD, 0.6 mm thick (unlike the Blu-ray Disc at 0.1 mm). The numerical aperture of the optical pick-up head is accordingly the same as that of DVD player (0.65 mm). These factors mean that HD-DVD media is less expensive to manufacture than Blu-ray, not requiring the re-tooling of disc production lines (as is needed for Blu-ray discs). Moreover, existing DVD media are playable on HD-DVD drives without significant complications with respect to the optical pickup unit. It should be noted that Blu-ray Disc units also include DVD backward compatibility. The two formats employ nearly identical video compression techniques, including MPEG-2, Video Codec 1 (VC1, based on the Windows Media 9 format) and H.264/MPEG-4 AVC. On November 19, 2003, the DVD Forum decided with eight to six votes, that the HD-DVD will be the HDTV successor of the DVD. At this meeting they renamed it to HD-DVD, while it had been previously called the "Advanced Optical Disc". Note that Blu-ray Disc was never submitted to the DVD Forum for consideration. The current specification version for HD-DVD-ROM and HD-DVD-Rewritable is version 1.0. The specification for HD-DVD-R is currently at 0.9. The first HD DVD-ROM drives are expected to be unveiled by Q4 2004, with mass production to start in Q1 2005. Supporting film studios Film studios supporting alternatives Sony Pictures Entertainment and MGM Studios (both subsidiaries of Sony, the company behind the Blu-ray format) have both announced their support for the Blu-ray Disc format. On October 3, 2004 20th Century Fox announced that it was joining the BDA. It has not yet decided which format to support, although it seems likely now that it will be Blu-ray. On 8 December, 2004, The Walt Disney Company (and its home video division, Buena Vista Home Entertainment) announced its non-exclusive support for the Blu-ray format. On 7 January 2005, Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) and Electronic Arts (EA Games) announced their support for the Blu-ray Disc format. See also External link
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