[Update: JVC had unveiled at CES a three layer disc - two DVD layers and one Blu-ray layer. They are working on a four layer disc - two Blu-ray layers and two DVD layers.]

In a move seemingly designed to combat Blu-ray’s higher capacity, Toshiba announced the availability of a 45GB HD-DVD. They got the extra capacity by introducing a third 15GB layer. How far they’re going to get with this is still too early to tell, because we know that Sony has plans for Blu-ray discs of up to 200GB that also use many 25GB layers. So currently Sony has a 2 layer 50GB format and Toshiba has a 3 layer 45GB format. Advantage: still Sony. Personally, I think the less layers the better - easier to manufacture and costs less.

Toshiba also announced a hybrid disc that bonds a dual layer HD-DVD with a dual layer DVD. This kind of thing isn’t quite new - we’ve already heard of a dual layer HD-DVD / DVD combo before. Regardless, I think this is a great idea. I can buy an SD movie today that’ll also be an HD movie when I get that HD-DVD player. Great stuff.

More details about these two formats will be announced Wednesday at the Media-Tech Expo 2005 exhibition in Las Vegas.

Link: Macworld - Toshiba expands HD-DVD capacity to 45GB
Link: Twice - Toshiba Unveils 2 New HD-DVD Disc Options

And eCoustics has a commentary about the whole format war mess, postulating that if there is a merger between formats, that we won’t see any products until 2008.

Link: eCoustics - Blue - How Long Is the DVD Bridge?