Toshiba did not invent the DVD

[Big Daddy]

Most people are under the impression that Toshiba invented the DVD. The truth is that no single company owns the rights to DVD. Please read the following paragraphs. They are from the following link:
http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#6.1

“DVD is the work of many companies and many people. DVD evolved from CD and related technologies. Some of the early proposals for "high-density CD" were made in 1993, and these efforts gradually coalesced into two competing proposed formats. The MultiMedia Compact Disc (MMCD) format was backed by Sony, Philips, and others. The Super Density disc (SD) format was backed by Toshiba, Matsushita, Time Warner, and others. A group of computer companies led by IBM insisted that the factions agree on a single standard. The combined DVD format was announced in September of 1995, avoiding a confusing and costly repeat of the VHS vs. Betamax videotape battle or the quadraphonic sound battle of the 1970s.

No single company "owns" DVD. The official specification was developed by a consortium of ten companies: Hitachi, JVC, Matsushita, Mitsubishi, Philips, Pioneer, Sony, Thomson, Time Warner, and Toshiba. Representatives from many other companies also contributed in various working groups. In May 1997, the DVD Consortium was replaced by the DVD Forum, which is open to all companies, and as of 2005 had over 250 members. Time Warner originally trademarked the DVD logo, and has since assigned it to the DVD Format/Logo Licensing Corporation (DVD FLLC). The written term "DVD" is too common to be trademarked or owned. See section 6.2 and visit Robert's DVD Info page for links to Web sites of companies working with DVD.

Any company making DVD products must license essential technology patents from the "3C' pool (LG, Philips, Pioneer, Sony: 3.5% per player/drive, minimum $3.50; additional $0.75 for Video CD compatibility; 3.75 cents per disc), the "6C" pool (Hitachi, Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Samsung, Sanyo, Sharp, Toshiba, Victor (JVC), Warner: 4% per player/drive, minimum $3, maximum $8; 4% per "DVD Video decoder", minimum $1; 4.5 cents per ROM/Video/Audio disc; 4.5 cents for DVD-R disc; 6.5 cents for RW/RAM disc) and from Thomson (~$1 per player/drive). Patent royalties of a few cents per disc are also owed to Discovision Associates, which once owned about 1300 optical disc patents, but many of them have expired. Per disc costs are paid by the replicator.

Note: IBM originally held about 250 DVD patents, but sold them to Mitsubishi in August 2005.”

Here is a link to another good article.
http://www.bookrags.com/DVD

[bageleaterkkjji]

chuck norris did

[Fozziwig]

Making a DVD just got a bit cheaper!

DVD6C Announces New Licensing Program
25/01/2008

The DVD6C Licensing Group (DVD6C) consisting of nine leading
developers of DVD technology and formats -- Hitachi, Ltd., Matsushita
Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic), Mitsubishi Electric
Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.,
Sharp Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.
(JVC) and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. -- today announced that
it has revised its worldwide patent licensing program beginning on and
after January 1, 2008, including offering a new license agreement (the
"New DVD6C License"), which offers reduced royalty rates on certain
products and additional licensing options.

http://www.euroinvestor.co.uk/news/s...20080124006307

[Heavens Downfall]

Originally Posted by bageleaterkkjji

chuck norris did

Chuck Norris is what willis was talkin bout

[aygie]

Originally Posted by bageleaterkkjji

chuck norris did

[buckshot]

I find it kind of funny that ibm used its powers for good before. now m$ uses it's for evil.

[Lord_Stewie]

Originally Posted by bageleaterkkjji

chuck norris did

lol

[mystiksuicide]

Thanks for that info it's very interesting to know. Especially that Sony is one of the 10 companies that owns part of the dvd group.

[vladittude0583]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

Most people are under the impression that Toshiba invented the DVD. The truth is that no single company owns the rights to DVD. Please read the following paragraphs. They are from the following link:
http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#6.1

“DVD is the work of many companies and many people. DVD evolved from CD and related technologies. Some of the early proposals for "high-density CD" were made in 1993, and these efforts gradually coalesced into two competing proposed formats. The MultiMedia Compact Disc (MMCD) format was backed by Sony, Philips, and others. The Super Density disc (SD) format was backed by Toshiba, Matsushita, Time Warner, and others. A group of computer companies led by IBM insisted that the factions agree on a single standard. The combined DVD format was announced in September of 1995, avoiding a confusing and costly repeat of the VHS vs. Betamax videotape battle or the quadraphonic sound battle of the 1970s.

No single company "owns" DVD. The official specification was developed by a consortium of ten companies: Hitachi, JVC, Matsushita, Mitsubishi, Philips, Pioneer, Sony, Thomson, Time Warner, and Toshiba. Representatives from many other companies also contributed in various working groups. In May 1997, the DVD Consortium was replaced by the DVD Forum, which is open to all companies, and as of 2005 had over 250 members. Time Warner originally trademarked the DVD logo, and has since assigned it to the DVD Format/Logo Licensing Corporation (DVD FLLC). The written term "DVD" is too common to be trademarked or owned. See section 6.2 and visit Robert's DVD Info page for links to Web sites of companies working with DVD.

Any company making DVD products must license essential technology patents from the "3C' pool (LG, Philips, Pioneer, Sony: 3.5% per player/drive, minimum $3.50; additional $0.75 for Video CD compatibility; 3.75 cents per disc), the "6C" pool (Hitachi, Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Samsung, Sanyo, Sharp, Toshiba, Victor (JVC), Warner: 4% per player/drive, minimum $3, maximum $8; 4% per "DVD Video decoder", minimum $1; 4.5 cents per ROM/Video/Audio disc; 4.5 cents for DVD-R disc; 6.5 cents for RW/RAM disc) and from Thomson (~$1 per player/drive). Patent royalties of a few cents per disc are also owed to Discovision Associates, which once owned about 1300 optical disc patents, but many of them have expired. Per disc costs are paid by the replicator.

Note: IBM originally held about 250 DVD patents, but sold them to Mitsubishi in August 2005.”

Here is a link to another good article.
http://www.bookrags.com/DVD

I do believe however though that it was mainly Philips and Sony that hold most of the rights to DVD because every article I read regarding DVD, it lists Philips and Sony as the major developers of the media.

[galz]

Toshiba is the license administrator for DVD.

In compensation for acting as the licensing administrator, Toshiba will collect a fee of three percent of the annual royalties it collects up to $100 million, and two percent of any royalties above that amount. Authorization Agreement, § 5.1. It will share these fees with Hitachi, Ltd., which will be Toshiba's licensing agent in Asia (except for Japan), Australia, and the Middle East, and Matsushita, which will be its licensing agent in the Western Hemisphere.

[jorg]

Originally Posted by buckshot

I find it kind of funny that ibm used its powers for good before. now m$ uses it's for evil.

yes i think ibm is truly a company that i enjoy i know they have on many occasions made alot of there patents free under gpl also i enjoy there invations and also i got one of there thinkpad there tanks lol

[Sylin]

Here's another bit 'o trivia: the original DVD spec called for a 5gb single-layer disc. However, it was highly prone to scratching. It was SONY and Matsushida that developed the technology that made DVD's more scratch-resistant (sound familiar?), and it was officially adopted by the DVD Group. However, it lowered DVD capacity to 4.7gb on a single layer.

[Razzy]

Originally Posted by bageleaterkkjji

chuck norris did

Is their anything Chuck can't do?

[quexos]

I was never under the impression that Toshiba invented the DVD

[sj001]

Originally Posted by bageleaterkkjji

chuck norris did

No dammit, it was Al Gore who invented it!

[HeavyHitter]

The notion that Toshiba owns DVD or at least most of it has just been one of many lies from the DUD boys. Of course, being a DUD boy means reality and facts don't matter anyway and believing what you want to believe makes something true.

[dmxoneiuv]

this just reminded me of when DVDs first came out and i didnt own a dvd player b/c they were still expensive (and i was still a teenager in school, no job). you could rent one from Hollywood Videos for a few nights, only catch was there was a $200.00 deposit required. we've come a long way since.

[NuSoardGraphite]

Originally Posted by vladittude0583

I do believe however though that it was mainly Philips and Sony that hold most of the rights to DVD because every article I read regarding DVD, it lists Philips and Sony as the major developers of the media.

That would be Compact Dics.

[galz]

PALO ALTO, CA (November 1, 2000) - A DVD patent license incentive program was announced today by six leading developers of DVD technology and formats -- Hitachi, Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic), Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Time Warner Inc., Toshiba Corporation and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC) -- who together are licensing all of the essential DVD-Video and DVD-ROM patents they respectively own. These six companies initiated a worldwide joint licensing program in June 1999.

All companies that manufacture, use, import, sell or offer to sell DVD products -- including DVD Video players, DVD-ROM drives, DVD-Video decoders and DVD-Video and DVD-ROM discs -- that are covered by any patent included in the DVD Patent License, may enter into a DVD Patent License or into separate license arrangements with the six companies.

The six-company DVD licensing pool, administered by Toshiba Corporation, is based in Japan. Matsushita Electric Corporation of America serves as the license contact for the pool in North, Central and South America.

I think the 6c pool is for media?

http://www.dvd6cla.com/news_20001101.html
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/busreview/2485.htm

[galz]

There is a 3C and a 6C patent pool, I think the 3C is the 3 companies that had the MMCD format and the 6C were the 6 working on the SD format. Does anyone know if that is correct?

Here is a article on the 3C.
http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/case/sony2.html

Here is a article on the 6C.
http://www.usdoj.gov/atr/public/busreview/2485.htm

Looks to me that is how thier split?