HistoryBefore the advent of DVD in 1995, Video CD (VCD) became the first format for distributing digitally encoded films on standard 12 mm o!tical discs" (#ts !redecessor, CD Video, used analog video encoding") VCD $as on the mar%et in 199&"'() #n the same year, t$o ne$ o!tical disc storage formats $ere being develo!ed" *ne $as the +ultimedia Com!act Disc (++CD), bac%ed by ,hili!s and -ony, and the other $as the -u!er Density (-D) disc, su!!orted by .oshiba, .ime /arner, +atsushita 0lectric, 1itachi, +itsubishi 0lectric, ,ioneer, .homson, and 2VC"3e!resentatives of the -D cam! a!!roached #B+, as%ing for advice on the file system to use for their disc as $ell as see%ing su!!ort for their format for storing com!uter data" 4lan 0" Bell, a researcher from #B+5s 4lmaden 3esearch Center, got that re6uest and also learned of the ++CD develo!ment !ro7ect" /ary of being caught in a re!eat of the costly videota!e format $ar bet$een V1- and Betama8 in the 199s, he convened a grou! of com!uter industry e8!erts,including re!resentatives from 4!!le, +icrosoft, -un +icrosystems, Dell, and many others" .hisgrou! $as referred to as the .echnical /or%ing :rou!, or ./:".he ./: voted to boycott both formats unless the t$o cam!s agreed on a single, converged standard"'5) ;ou :erstner, !resident of #B+, $as recruited to a!!ly !ressure on the e8ecutives of the $arring factions" #n one e8am!le of a significant com!romise, !ro!osal -D 9, $here both layers of the dual5 nm) and 4uthoring (>&5 nm), $here 4uthoring discs may be recorded $ith C-- encry!ted video content but :eneral discs may not"'25)4lthough most DVD $riters can no$adays $rite the DVDB3C3/ and DVD- transmission for DVD*Video21udio issued.01106;*11 created to study future blue laser formatDVD*1udio recordin& specification 0er A.> issued. DVD2R introduced.:ybrid DVD*1udio format considered by DVD Borum0113DVD Borum re5ects hybrid DVD*1udio formatDVD Borum releases iDVD specifications to pro0ide more interacti0ity for DVD*Video.011'DVD :i&h*Definition formats Dlu*ray and :D*DVD compete for e0entual market dominance.DVD =ni0ersal players a0ailable which can play DVD Video$ DVD 1udio$ !1CD$ CD and more.DVD recorders prices fall. DVD blank media DVD*)$ DVDF)$ DVD*)6 and DVDF)6 prices fall.