DVD Consortium to be transformed into DVD Forum

April 25, 1997

DVD Forum

The DVD Consortium, now consisting of the 10 companies (Hitachi, Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Philips Electronics N.V., Pioneer Electronics Corporation, Sony Corporation, THOMSON multimedia, Time Warner Inc., Toshiba Corporation, and Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC)), announced today that it will change itself into a more open organization renamed as "DVD Forum." The Consortium has achieved its initial objectives of establishing the DVD format and the licensing of the format and logo. With this achievement, it will transform itself into a group of enlarged membership open to third parties, such as software firms and users of DVD products, in addition to the original 10 companies which possess relevant technologies.

The DVD Forum will be dedicated to the promotion of the DVD format and the establishment of new DVD standards by collaboration among interested parties with relevant technologies. The DVD Forum will announce its charter, organization and activities by the end of May 1997 and invite third parties to join the Forum.

The DVD Forum will initially be chaired by Toshiba Corporation. Interested parties should contact Toshiba for more information at the following: