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<strong>Chapter</strong> 6<br />
Miscellaneous<br />
Who Invented DVD and Who Owns It?<br />
Whom to Contact for Specifications and Licensing?<br />
DVD is the work of many companies and many people. There were originally<br />
two competing proposals. The MMCD format was backed by Sony, Philips,<br />
and others. The SD format was backed by Toshiba, Matsushita, Time<br />
Warner, and others. A group of computer companies led by IBM insisted that<br />
the factions agree on a single standard. The combined DVD format was<br />
announced in September of 1995, avoiding a confusing and costly repeat of<br />
the VHS versus Betamax videotape battle or the quadraphonic sound battle<br />
of the 1970s.<br />
No single company “owns” DVD. The official specification was developed<br />
by a consortium of ten companies: Hitachi, JVC, Matsushita, Mitsubishi,<br />
Philips, Pioneer, Sony, Thomson, Time Warner, and Toshiba. Representatives<br />
from many other companies also contributed in various working<br />
groups. In May 1997, the DVD Consortium was replaced by the DVD Forum,<br />
which is open to all companies, and as of 2003 had over 220 members. Time<br />
Warner originally trademarked the DVD logo, and has since assigned it to the<br />
DVD Format/Logo Licensing Corporation (DVD FLLC). The written term<br />
“DVD” is too common to be trademarked or owned. See “Who Is Making or<br />
Supporting DVD Products?” for a list of companies working with DVD.<br />
The official DVD specification books are available after signing a nondisclosure<br />
agreement and paying a $5,000 fee. One book is included in the initial<br />
fee; additional books are $500 each. Manufacture of DVD products and<br />
use of the DVD logo for nonpromotional purposes requires additional format<br />
and logo licenses, for a one-time fee of $10,000 per format, minus $5,000 if<br />
you have already paid for the specification. (For example, a DVD-Video<br />
player manufacturer must license DVD-ROM and DVD-Video for $20,000, or<br />
$15,000 if they have the spec.) Contact DVD Format/Logo Licensing Corporation<br />
(DVD FLLC), Shiba Shimizu Building 5F, Shiba-daimon 2-3-11,<br />
Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0012, tel: �81-3-5777-2881, fax: �81-3-5777-2882.<br />
Before April 14, 2000, logo/format licensing was administered by Toshiba.<br />
Copyright 2004 by Jim Taylor. Click Here for Terms of Use.
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