DVD Forum to Start Verification of DVD-Audio Format Products

The DVD Forum announced July 28 that it will start verification services for products based on the DVD-Audio format (see previous article) at some of its authorized DVD Format Verification Laboratories starting September 1999. According to the Forum, format verification is conducted to establish the conformity of DVD products with DVD formats created by the DVD Forum, and allows manufacturers of successfully tested products to use DVD logos as proof of conformity.

In addition to the existing formats of DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, and DVD-R, the DVD Forum says it will offer verification services for the newly established DVD-Audio format at its authorized laboratories at Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Pioneer Corporation, Sony Corporation, Toshiba Corporation, and Warner Advanced Media Operations. Victor Company of Japan, Ltd. (JVC), a core member of the DVD Forum, is also setting up a laboratory to start DVD-Audio verification in September, upon authorization by the DVD Forum.

The Forum claims that these laboratories will be equipped with verifiers that verify the logical format of the DVD-Audio discs, and supplemental test players for checking disc playability. The labs will also provide reference test discs for DVD-Audio players to check audio still video, audio title set, video title set, navigation command, and Packed PCM. Since November 1996, the DVD Forum says it has set up eight authorized Verification Laboratories worldwide.

Under the Format and Logo License agreement with the DVD Forum, manufacturers of DVD products are required to receive verification for their first-production models at the authorized Verification Laboratories, in order to ensure compatibility among DVD players, drives, and discs in the marketplace.

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