Triple Layer HD DVD Gets Approved

DVD Forum, the international organization that oversees standardization of DVD and HD DVD optical disc formats, has finally approved version 2.0 of triple-layer HD DVD discs, that can store up to 51GB of data. The approval of DVD specifications for high density read-only disc [HD DVD-ROM (51G)] version 2.0, took place during the 40th steering committee meeting on November 15, 2007. The new 51GB HD DVD ROM disc has a three-layer structure with each layer storing 17GB of data, which is an advancement in capacity over current ROM discs, which hold 15GB of data in each layer of a single-sided disc. Neither Toshiba, nor DVD Forum have confirmed that triple-layer HD DVDs will playback on existing HD DVD hardware, such as players and computer drives.