Toshiba To Launch Internet-enabled DVD Player?

Tokyo (Japan) - A new DVD logo released by the DVD Forum has added to the speculation surrounding Toshiba’s HD-enabled DVD player that is expected to become available later this year. The organization chaired by Toshiba approved the "DVD Download/DL" logo during its most recent Steering Committee meeting.

Since Toshiba’s decision to drop out of the high-definition race with Blu-ray we learned that Toshiba will not jump on the Blu-ray train, but worked on cheaper DVD players that will feature enhanced image scaling capabilities. While there is no definite information on Toshiba’s technology yet, it is widely believed that these new DVD players will be based on the company’s SpursEngine 1000 processor, a trimmed-down version of the Cell BE CPU, in order to deliver higher quality video scaling than what is offered in DVD players today.

But it looks like that Toshiba is looking to get DVD players much closer to Blu-ray in terms of other features as well. During the most recent DVD Steering Committee meeting held on June 11 in Los Angeles, the organization approved the DVD Download/DL logo, which is speculated to describe Internet connectivity to extend content stored on a DVD. No further details have been made public about the logo.

The DVD Steering Committee also approved updated specifications Chinese HD DVD format (C-HD DVD) and has not yet cancelled further discussions on the general HD DVD format yet. In addition to several specification approvals passed in the February 27, 2008 meeting the Committee also passed the HD DVD-Video Product Requirement & Guideline Version 1.2 in the June 11 meeting.