The 31st RWPPI General Meeting was held on June 16th at the head office of Pioneer Corporation.

Starting with elections for FY6, Mr. Koki Aizawa (Pioneer Corporation, Executive Officer & Deputy General Manager, External Relations Division - RW Coordination Center); Mr. Magohiro Aramoto (Sharp Corporation, Corporate Management Advisor); and Mr. Masatoshi Shinakai (TDK Corporation, Corporate Officer & General Manager, Recording Manager & Solutions Business Group) were respectively elected as Representative, Vice-Representative, and Auditor for their continued terms at RWPPI for another full year through mutual vote by the members attending.

After being reappointed as the Representative, Mr. Koki Aizawa made the opening speech saying "The recordable DVD market has made leaping increases in the market size today far exceeding our expectations we began with. Many PC writers as well as DVD Recorders in the domestic AV world are adopting the DVD-R/DVD-RW formats for recording and playback compatibility, whereby positioning it as the quickest defacto standard. I earnestly must say that such results are due to our member company's hard efforts in achieving such success. Furthermore, through the continuation of effective promotions at worldwide exhibitions, supporting market expansion, and winning trust from our end-users with the evermore importance of our Round Robin Test Activities, I hope to be even more successful…" ending the speech.

Mr. Koki Aizawa

This was followed by the Vice-Representative's speech, Mr. Magohiro Aramoto "We are now in our 6th year since the start of our activities, bringing back wistful memories when the organization started with efforts to reach the \100,000 mark for DVD Recorders. I am happy to note that recorders sold nowadays by each manufacturer are better performing both in price and operability invigorating the market. With the realization of Digital Terrestrial Broadcasting coming just around the corner, one can foresee the popularity of Hi-Vision compatible Recorders on the rise, where such current models are already using DVD-R / DVD-RW formats to justify again, that the RWPPI promoting format is the ultimate defacto standard. To remain on the winning side among the members, Sharp intends to continue harder efforts in promoting products with this format." Ending the speech with strong anticipation.

Mr. Magohiro Aramoto

Next, Mr. Sahashi of PIONEER AFM CORPORATION, entrusted with RWPPI's financial matters, made the 5th Financial Year Report and Audit Results. This was followed with the 6th FY Activity and Budget Plans Report by RWPPI's Secretary General, which was unanimously approved by the attending member company's clap of hands.

Succeeding the above approval, the Report on CeBIT Asia 2005 and invitation to CeBIT Bilisim Eurasia were made by the Secretariat. CeBIT Asia totaled 433 exhibitors, with an estimate of 53,300 visitors. RWPPI exhibited at this major event with displays of new technology, and new products for both hardware and optical storage discs. Direct solicitation of the supreme "Compatible," "Convenient," and "Reliable" characteristics of the DVD-RW & R recording formats with live demonstrations left high impressions to the visitors in China, mostly composed of people related to research, engineering, development, and students.

After CeBIT Asia, the plans to exhibit at CeBIT Bilisim Eurasia in September and the Round Robin Test seminar report held early June in Taiwan were made. Every year, many visitors from Central Europe, East Europe, Russia, and the Middle East converge at CeBIT Eurasia, where RWPPI aims to effectively and strategically promote at this essentially expanding recordable media market. Exhibiting IT, PC, and AV products in this multi-market show, RWPPI will focus on appealing strong impressions of its activities to the industry related people, as well as the end-users.

The RWPPI Round Robin Test (RRT) Physical Working Group (WG) introduced the RRT activities to the Taiwanese hardware and software manufacturers on June 1st. Positive exchanges of opinions were made between the local optical storage manufacturers and engineers attending this session. On the following day of June 2nd at COMPUTEX Taipei, a special seminar was held, where over 100 persons related to PC writer manufacturers and optical storage manufacturers gathered to hear the detailed report of the RRT activities by the RWPPI.

In continuation, the new DVD Recorder products were introduced each from Pioneer and Sony.

Starting with Mr. Azuma of Pioneer, their new product "DVR-555H" and 3 other models were introduced. An original survey directed to the end users having interest in DVD Recorders was conducted with the intent to incorporate basic functional needs related to "Recording," "Operability," and "Dubbing" in the new machines. As a result of enforcing these needs, increased high picture quality for long time recording modes improved; compatibility to record on Dual Layer DVD-R disc; easily operable navigation system was installed; and high-speed dubbing at 16x DVD-R and 6x DVD-RW were realized. Furthermore, by directly connecting your digital camera with a USB cable to the DVR-555, it enables you to burn and store digital pictures on DVDs. Mr. Azuma emphasized such "new enjoyment to end-users with these new features on DVD Recorders" to end his introduction.

Mr. Azuma of Pioneer

Next new model to be introduced was by Mr. Kinoshita of Sony with their "Sugoroku" DVD Recorder series for this autumn. To enhance realization of simultaneous recording of 2 programs at the same time slot, and automatic recording functions were introduced for their "RDR series" higher end models. He also strongly emphasized placing greater importance of digital terrestrial broadcasts as a reality this year, where creation of markets for Hi-Vision compatible models will become more evident, to which Sony too will have a product to match such demands with their "RDZ-05" model. Further to add to their line-up, the all-in-one VHS DVD recorder was introduced. Mr. Kinoshita also introduced detailed explanations with live demonstrations of the easy to use "XMB -Cross Media Bar" in their RDZ-05 Recorders as a new feature, that is already well known in their PSX models.

Mr. Kinoshita of Sony

Mr. Akiyoshi Kodama, Secretary General, and Executive Director of the Japan Video Software Association (JVA) as the last topic in the meeting introduced a special lecture on "Contents and Copyrights - Latest Topics".
Mr. Kodama was involved with the development of the LD Player in the early beginnings, and later moved on to the contents manufacturing business. As an experienced person in both the hardware and software related businesses, he emphasized the importance of sustaining mutual and deeper understanding between both hardware and contents manufacturers.
In the lecture and centering on the historical visual contents business in the domestic side, the outline of the JVA copyright protection activities were introduced. Extortion of pirate copies, illegal broadcasting, file exchanges, and other illegal problems occurring daily were raised, where he explained how JVA copes with these changing issues, and where speedy adjustments to these changes plays a key factor.
At the end, Mr. Kodama provided insight on newly proposed visual contents business of the Video-On-Demand influences in the industry and such increasing developments. He ended the speech stressing the importance for both hardware manufacturers and contents manufacturers to go hand-in-hand in creating a business for their mutual benefits, and wishing great success to all members.

Secretary General and Executive Director of the Japan Video Software Association Mr. Akiyoshi Kodama

Reference: Presented by Ongen Publishing Co., Ltd. - Phile-web Editorial Department.
Phile-web news "Enhancing DVD Compatibility Check Activities for this Fiscal Year: RWPPI opens its 31st General Meeting"
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