DVD FORUM SPECS NEAR ON INTERNET-CAPABLE PLAYERS, DISCS
After 2 years of work behind scenes, ad hoc committees of DVD Forum are nearing completion of preliminary specifications on Web connectivity and interactivity for DVD players and discs, sources close to those developments told Consumer Electronics Daily.
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Sources said successful publication of interim specs within next few weeks could clear way for introduction of Web-enabled DVD players and software from major companies in time for 2003 holiday selling season. “What we're trying to do is get a ‘0.9 specification out by year-end,” said InterActual Pres. Todd Collert, who has been chairing ad hoc committee charged with drafting preliminary standard. “When you look at it from a system model point of view, it’s a pretty complicated beast,” he said. “When you start adding Web and Internet functionality to it, it dramatically expands the scope.”
This year’s holiday selling season was committee’s original target for having Web-capable DVD products on store shelves. But in addition to technical complexities, committee’s effort to build consensus among diversity of political and commercial interests by holiday proved to be much too ambitious, PlanetWeb Pres. Ken Soohoo said: “The Forum has gone through a long, arduous process of making sure that everyone is comfortable with the specifications. It’s not quite done yet, but we're starting to get some movement with regularity.” Although technical details on new specs are sketchy, Soohoo said he’s certain Web- capable players will require fairly powerful processing chips. Thus, it’s unlikely Internet connectivity will be built into entry-level models commonly available this holiday at major chains for $99 or less, at least in first generation, he said.
Collert said specs would address online and offline applications for DVD hardware and media. “One of the things we've been talking about at the Forum is you will see some features that can be played offline without an Internet connection but then those features can be enhanced if an Internet connection is detected.” He said “core message” would be that content companies no longer would have to view Internet connectivity as “2 separate things,” but as “one seamless experience.”
InterActual already has started working with major chipmakers such as LSI Logic and STMicroelectronics to prepare for infrastructure for when final DVD specs on Web connectivity are complete, Collert said. Although short time frame won’t allow for demonstrations of Internet-capable DVD players on main show floor of next month’s CES in Las Vegas, Collert conceded, private showings in off-site hospitality suites could be different story.