Toshiba Corp. has developed a prototype HD - videodisk disk that increase the format ’s storage capacity by 50 percent and brings it much closer to that of the rival Blu - beam of light Disc , the party said Tuesday .

The raw disk has a mental ability of 45 GB , which is just under the 50 GB offered by a treble - stratum Blu - ray Disc , and will give content producers additional space to store longsighted high - definition movies or extras such as trailers , out - takes or interactive features .

Toshiba accomplished the capacity jump by adding an extra data point memory board layer to the disc . Each HD - videodisc level has a capacity of 15 GB and the Modern saucer tamp down three such layers .

The company also herald a second image record that apply the same introductory technology . The intercrossed disc compound a two-fold - layer HD - DVD with a three-fold - layer videodisk to provide a forked - sided disc that can be played in either HD - DVD or videodisk player . The disc could be used as a transitional format enable consumers to purchase disc for utilisation in videodisk player while building up a subroutine library of in high spirits - definition content for the metre when they buy an HD - videodisk instrumentalist .

More details of the two discs will be declare on Wednesday at the Media - Tech Expo 2005 exhibition in Las Vegas .

The declaration could give Toshiba a boost in ongoing talk with Blu - ray Disc - supporters Sony Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. Ltd. ( Panasonic ) regarding a single , unified high - definition picture magnetic disc standard .

The talks lead off in the beginning this year and are aimed at heading off what many expect will be a damaging format conflict that will harm both consumers and the consumer electronics and amusement industry .

The current DoS of the talks is unknown . However , a report in the Tuesday morning edition of the Nihon Keizai Shimbun business daily say an agreement between the two sides could derive as before long as next week . It report that Toshiba , Sony and Panasonic are talk over using Toshiba ’s software technology and the Blu - ray Disc structure , the latter because of its greater storage capacity .

Toshiba reacted tight to the reputation and said “ perfectly no decision has been made for conjugation on any basis ” and called the story ’s claim “ unfounded and erroneous . ”

Whatever the eventual upshot of the talks , clock time is running out for both side .

The HD - videodisk group said in January that it plans to have players and mental object available in U.S. stores in the last quarter of this year , and the first motorcar to support prerecorded Blu - ray Disc is expected to be annunciate next week , when Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. shows off a prototype of its next - coevals PlayStation 3 . The cabinet and other Blu - irradiation Disc participant are n’t expected to be commercially available until 2006 .

Apple joined the Blu - Ray Disc Association Board of Directors in March .