For Immediate Release:
December 24, 2004

JVC Develops World’s First* Blu-ray/ DVD Combo ROM Disc
Technology, Enabling 33.5GB Storage Capacity
Development of Proprietary, High-Performance Reflective Film Enables Triple Layer Structure
Comprised of Blu-ray Disc Layer and DVD Dual Layer
New Media Format Capable of Storing Both High Definition Video and Standard Definition Videoon a Single Disc

Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC) is pleased to announce that it has developed the world’s
first Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc technology, which enables storage of video content inboth high definition and standard definition. The new ROM disc, which has a total storage
capacity of 33.5GB, uses a triple layer structure made possible by JVC’s development of aproprietary, high-performance reflective film.
* As of Dec. 24, 2004.

The label side of the disc

The readout side of the disc

The picture shows the Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc (prototype)
The new Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc has a one-side readout, triple layer structure
comprised of an outside Blu-ray disc (BD) layer and inner DVD dual layer (Fig. 1). The outerBD layer is capable of storing high definition video signals up to a capacity of 25GB. The inner
DVD dual layer can store up to 8.5GB of standard definition video signals. During Blu-ray
reproduction, blue laser read the outer BD layer, while red laser read the inner DVD dual layer
during DVD reproduction (Fig. 2). The triple layer structure was made possible by thedevelopment of a high-performance reflective film that reflects blue laser used for Blu-ray
reproduction, but is transparent to red laser used in DVD reproduction. The proprietary
technology builds upon JVC’s past developments in the field of disc processing technology.
The inner DVD layer of the Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc has an 8.5GB dual layer structure,
the current mainstream structure for commercially available DVD software releases. The newdisc is capable of storing all of the data currently contained in commercially available DVDsoftware.

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The development of the Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc opens the way for the emergence ofvideo releases containing content in both Blu-ray and DVD formats on a single disc. Users
can purchase a single disc that can be reproduced at high definition BD video quality on alarge screen home theater system, or play back the disc at standard definition DVD video
quality on a smaller TV set, a home PC or laptop computer. Users that do not have a Blu-raydisc player can view the video content at standard definition using their current DVD player,
and enjoy the same content at high definition resolution when upgrading to a Blu-ray discplayer in the future.
The new Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc also creates new possibilities for future software
releases that take advantage of the large 33.5GB storage capacity by combining video
content with commercials, music or games on a single disc. JVC also hopes that the new
media format will contribute to resource and energy conservation by eliminating the need tocreate separate Blu-ray and DVD format discs.
JVC will forward a proposal to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) to have the technology
accepted as a specification for future commercialization. The company is also working on aBlu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc with an even larger 58.5GB storage capacity. The proposeddisc will be comprised of a 50GB Blu-ray dual layer and 8.5GB DVD dual layer structure.
Fig. 1: Cross-section of Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc
Approx. 0.1mm cover layer
High-performance reflective film thatreflects blue lasers, but is transparent to redlasers.
Approx. 0.5mm substrate
Semi-transparent reflective film that issemi-transparent to red lasers
Approx. 0.05 mm space layer

BD layer (a single layer: 25GB)
DVD layer (dual layer: 8.5GB)

Reflective film that reflects red lasers
Approx. 0.6mm substrate
Title label layer

Fig. 2: Reading the Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM discReading the DVD layer (dual layer)

Reading the BD layer (single layer)

Red laser(Wavelength 650nm)

Blue laser(Wavelength 405nm)

2Main Features
1. World’s First Combined Storage Media for Blu-ray and DVD Contentz

World’s first Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc uses advanced positioning and bonding
technology to produce a one-side readout, read-only disc comprised of an outer BDlayer is capable of storing high definition video signals, while the inner DVD dual layer
is capable of storing standard definition video signals.

z

JVC has developed a proprietary, high performance reflective film that reflects bluelaser light but is transparent to red laser light. The reflective film is applied to the BDlayer to enable DVD reproduction using red laser through the BD layer.

z

The inner layer uses an 8.5GB DVD dual layer structure, the current mainstream
structure for commercially available DVD video and software releases. Combined withthe 25GB capacity of the BD layer, the new media format has a total storage capacityof 33.5GB.

2. Triple layer structure using double-faced substrate molding
The fabrication technology used for the new Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM disc brings together
JVC’s ultra-fine nanotechnology developed for Blu-ray disc fabrication and the company’sexperience with DVD fabrication. By using double-faced substrate molding featuring a BDlayer on one side and one of the DVD layers on the other side, JVC has found a way tomake it possible to fabricate Blu-ray/ DVD combo ROM discs with approximately the same
efficiency as conventional Blu-ray ROMs.

# # #For further information, please contact:
Toshiya Ogata, Senior Staff Manager, orFusako Adachi, Assistant Manager
Public Relations OfficeCorporate Communications Department
Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC)
Tel:+81-(0)3-3289-1458
Fax:+81-(0)3-3289-0376
E-mail: ogata-toshiya@jvc-victor.jp
adachi-fusako@jvc-victor.jp
URL:
http://www.jvc.co.jp/english

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