CH-DVD
Encyclopedia
China Blue High-Definition (CBHD) (China High Definition DVD) is a high definition optical disc format announced in September 2007 by the Optical Memory National Engineering Research Center (OMNERC) of Tsinghua University
in China
. The format is a derivative of the HD DVD
, a medium created by the DVD Forum
designed to succeed regular DVD
s. Although HD DVD was scrapped as a result of losing the format war to Blu-ray, CBHDs continued to be produced and marketed, especially in China.
's 42nd Steering Committee Meeting, the DVD Forum gave OMNERC the ability to edit HD DVD
specifications.
CBHD differs from HD DVD in several key areas. CBHD uses the PRC government-owned AVS
video codec
, DRA
audio codec, and a new copy protection
system, DKAA, as an alternative to HD DVD's and Blu-ray's AACS
. CBHD's developers claim that the format contains more copy protection
features and is part of a big push by China to fight piracy
in addition to reducing their reliance upon foreign patents with their associated royalty payments
.
CBHD also eschews HD DVD's Advanced Content
navigation system in favor of a Chinese system called CETC.
Like HD DVD, CBHD discs have a capacity of 15GB single-layer and 30GB dual-layer and can utilise existing DVD production lines.
series and Blood Diamond
, with discs selling for between 50 and 70 yuan (roughly $7.25 to $10.15). According to an August 2009 television story by TV-Tokyo, CBHD was outselling rival Blu-ray by a margin of 3 to 1 in China. In September 2009, Universal Studios
and National Geographic announced their support for the format. Additionally adding support for the format are Paramount Pictures
(US), Celestial (HK/CN) and BBC
/Discovery
(UK/US).
Tsinghua University
Tsinghua University , colloquially known in Chinese as Qinghua, is a university in Beijing, China. The school is one of the nine universities of the C9 League. It was established in 1911 under the name "Tsinghua Xuetang" or "Tsinghua College" and was renamed the "Tsinghua School" one year later...
in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The format is a derivative of the HD DVD
HD DVD
HD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
, a medium created by the DVD Forum
DVD Forum
The DVD Forum is an international organization composed of hardware, software, media and content companies that use and develop the DVD and formerly HD DVD formats...
designed to succeed regular DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s. Although HD DVD was scrapped as a result of losing the format war to Blu-ray, CBHDs continued to be produced and marketed, especially in China.
History
Originally called CH-DVD, CBHD is a joint venture between the DVD Forum and OMNERC. Development began in 2005, and an early prototype was demonstrated in 2007. In 2008 during the DVD ForumDVD Forum
The DVD Forum is an international organization composed of hardware, software, media and content companies that use and develop the DVD and formerly HD DVD formats...
's 42nd Steering Committee Meeting, the DVD Forum gave OMNERC the ability to edit HD DVD
HD DVD
HD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
specifications.
Technology
Development of CBHD, heavily based on the HD DVD standard, was greatly helped by Japanese engineers. In particular, Hisashi Yamada, former Chief Technology Fellow at Toshiba's Digital Media Network, often referred to as the "father of DVD," has played a key role in China's plan to create its own high-definition consumer video format.CBHD differs from HD DVD in several key areas. CBHD uses the PRC government-owned AVS
Audio Video Standard
Audio Video Standard is a compression standard for digital audio and video, and is competing with H.264/AAC to potentially replace MPEG-2. Chinese companies own 90% of AVS patents. The audio and video files have an .avs extension as a container format.-Overview:Development of AVS was initiated by...
video codec
Codec
A codec is a device or computer program capable of encoding or decoding a digital data stream or signal. The word codec is a portmanteau of "compressor-decompressor" or, more commonly, "coder-decoder"...
, DRA
Dynamic Resolution Adaptation
Dynamic Resolution Adaptation is an audio encoding specification developed by DigiRise Technology. It has been selected as the Chinese national audio coding standard.It is one of the standard formats for Blu-Ray audio, introduced with Blu-Ray 2.3...
audio codec, and a new copy protection
Copy protection
Copy protection, also known as content protection, copy obstruction, copy prevention and copy restriction, refer to techniques used for preventing the reproduction of software, films, music, and other media, usually for copyright reasons.- Terminology :Media corporations have always used the term...
system, DKAA, as an alternative to HD DVD's and Blu-ray's AACS
Advanced Access Content System
The Advanced Access Content System is a standard for content distribution and digital rights management, intended to restrict access to and copying of the "next generation" of optical discs and DVDs. The specification was publicly released in April 2005 and the standard has been adopted as the...
. CBHD's developers claim that the format contains more copy protection
Copy protection
Copy protection, also known as content protection, copy obstruction, copy prevention and copy restriction, refer to techniques used for preventing the reproduction of software, films, music, and other media, usually for copyright reasons.- Terminology :Media corporations have always used the term...
features and is part of a big push by China to fight piracy
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
in addition to reducing their reliance upon foreign patents with their associated royalty payments
Royalties
Royalties are usage-based payments made by one party to another for the right to ongoing use of an asset, sometimes an intellectual property...
.
CBHD also eschews HD DVD's Advanced Content
Advanced Content
Advanced Content provides interactivity in the HD DVD optical disc format.Advanced Content is used to provide interactive menus and "special features" such as additional bonus/extras content and games for HD DVD...
navigation system in favor of a Chinese system called CETC.
Like HD DVD, CBHD discs have a capacity of 15GB single-layer and 30GB dual-layer and can utilise existing DVD production lines.
Industry support
In early March 2009, Warner Bros announced that they would be supporting the CBHD format, launching with titles including the Harry PotterHarry Potter (film series)
The Harry Potter film series is a British-American film series based on the Harry Potter novels by the British author J. K. Rowling...
series and Blood Diamond
Blood Diamond (film)
Blood Diamond is a 2006 political thriller film co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly and Djimon Hounsou...
, with discs selling for between 50 and 70 yuan (roughly $7.25 to $10.15). According to an August 2009 television story by TV-Tokyo, CBHD was outselling rival Blu-ray by a margin of 3 to 1 in China. In September 2009, Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
and National Geographic announced their support for the format. Additionally adding support for the format are Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
(US), Celestial (HK/CN) and BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
/Discovery
Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications, Inc. is an American global media and entertainment company. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel. Today, DCI has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39...
(UK/US).
See also
- China Video Disc, aA Chinese-modified VCD format
- HD DVDHD DVDHD DVD is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video.Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format...
, the short-lived format that CBHD is based on - High-Definition Versatile DiscHigh-Definition Versatile DiscHigh-Definition Versatile Disc is an Asian standard of advanced high-definition technology originally developed in China by AMLogic Inc., for high-definition video. The format resolutions support 720p, 1080i, or 1080p on version 1 discs...
, China's high-resolution format on DVDs - Blu-ray DiscBlu-ray DiscBlu-ray Disc is an optical disc storage medium designed to supersede the DVD format. The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs being the norm for feature-length video discs...
, an alternative high definition format - Comparison of high definition optical disc formatsComparison of high definition optical disc formatsThis article compares the technical specifications of multiple high definition formats, including HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc; two mutually incompatible, high definition optical disc formats that, beginning in 2006, attempted to improve upon and eventually replace the DVD standard...
External links
- Official Site (English)
- High-definition discs Industry Alliance of China officially established its debut CH-DVD, ZDnet China, September 7, 2007
- Business Wire press release
- China's Olympic HD-DVD - The Future of ThingsThe Future of ThingsThe Future of Things is an online magazine covering diverse topics related to science and technology. The magazine was launched in 2006.-History:...
article - Homegrown CBHD discs outsell Blu-ray by 3-1 margin in China - Ars Technica