Next gen DVD standard agreed

Manufacturers have agreed a standard for the next generation of DVDs, which will be capable of holding more than six times as much information as existing discs.

The Blu-ray disk, so called because it works with a blue laser that operates at a higher frequency than current technology, can store up to 13 hours of film, compared to the current limit of 133 minutes. The new discs can hold up to 27GB of information.

Nine consumer technology firms (Sony, Philips, Samsung, LG, Thomson, Hitachi, Pioneer, Matsushita and Sharp) have signed up to the standard. It is hoped that this will avoid a repeat of conflicting approaches that came with the introduction of DVDs in 1996.

DVD players which can record and play Blu-ray disks are expected to hit the market between 2003 and 2004.