Forward Versatile Disc (FVD) is a high-definition DVD that was launched in Taiwan in 2005. The idea behind it was to reduce DVD royalty payments.
This DVD-offshoot was essentially a format that came with three layers and was red laser compatible. This means that the disc could be read by ordinary DVD players.
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| The FVD trademark was registered in December 2004 by Industrial Technology Research Institute |
This DVD-offshoot was essentially a format that came with three layers and was red laser compatible. This means that the disc could be read by ordinary DVD players.
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| The Forward Versatile Disc (FVD) Logo |
But then the track width was made narrower, while maintaining the pit length, to increase the storage capacity from the usual 4.7GB to 5.4 GB for each layer.
WMV9 Video Codec
Microsoft's WMV9 video codec was used to maintain compression quality. This allowed for the storage of 720p quality video with a duration of 135 minutes to be stored on a double-layer disc.For a 1080i quality video, the same duration (135 minutes) could be attained on a three-layer disc.
The audio codec is WMA9.
AACS Copy Protection
As for copy protection, the FVD uses the AACS copy protection which is also employed in Blu-ray and HD DVD discs.
Forward Versatile Disc was jointly developed by the Advanced Optical Storage Research Alliance (AOSRA) and the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) positioning it as a cheaper alternative to other high-definition optical discs.
FVD Doesn't Take Off
The FVD format, however, did not take off and nothing significant was heard about it since its launch.Its official site www.fvd.org.tw is no longer available.
Still, Forward Versatile Disc is worth studying as it was another attempt to improve the storage capacity of DVD.
PC Mag in its March 2007 issue described it as "a cheap low-royalty competitor to the Blu-ray and HD DVD formats.
"The consortium pushing the FVD is a group of second-and third-tier consumer electronics companies that simply do not want to play in the Japanese HD disc sandbox, so they formed the Advanced Optical Research Alliance and joined forces with other local groups to develop this alternative.
"The format also competes with the still-emerging EVD (Enhanced Versatile Disc) coming out of China.
The Chinese intend to export this type of drive which has been in development since 2003 or so. It will be a cheap alternative to HD DVD and Blu-ray devices."
FVD had the backing of Industrial Technology Research (TTRI), Taiwan's government-sponsored body.
Although the format promised acceptance, manufacturers of disc drives and players showed more interest in Blu-ray and HD DVD.
