Are You Ready for Another High-Def Disc Format?

We know you need another high-def DVD format like you need a hole in the head, but that's just what London-based New Medium Enterprises is planning to introduce later this year. The company has developed the Versatile Multi-Layer Disc (VMD), a multi-layer disc technology that promises equal or greater storage capacity to existing HD-DVD and Blu-Ray high-def formats, and cheaper player and disc costs.

Wisely, New Medium isn't planning to introduce the format in the U.S. anytime soon, so as to avoid direct competition with HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, which are due to hit the domestic market this spring backed by both strong manufacturer and studio support.

"We don't want to be in collision with the big guys," said COO Eugene Levich, adding that the company will promote VMD first in China and India later this year, followed by Eastern Europe, Russia and South America. "[That's] enough for a small company like us. Those markets are a good chunk of business."

Even if VMD is successful overseas, it faces an uphill struggle here in the U.S, where it has absolutely zero manufacturer and studio support. Still, given the the numerous delays that continue to plague both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, who knows -- at this rate, VMD could just beat them both to market.