New HD format announced - HD VMD

A new high-definition format, HD VMD (Versatile Media Disc), was demonstrated at the Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) trade show in Denver Colorado, September 5-9.

The format has been developed by New Medium Enterprises (NME). It is a true HD format with 1920 x 1080i/p resolution and up to 40 Mbps bit rate playback, more than HD DVD at 36 megabits, while Blu-ray leads with 48 megabits.

The company plans to launch its HD VMD players on Amazon, Radio Shack, and Costco from October, priced from around just US$150.

The players use red laser technology, which is also used in DVD drives. This keeps manufacturing costs of both the players, and the discs, low.

The discs are expected to retail for slightly more than DVDs, with a storage capacity of 30GB.

For audio, the players feature 7.1 channel Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, and DTS. They have a 1.3 HDMI connection and are backwards compatible with DVD, allowing users to watch their existing DVD collection.

Twenty feature films will be available on HD VMD at launch.