The 3" DVD format, known popularly as Mini-DVD, is exploding all around you in the near future. As we described in
our late November article, Cyberhome has already released a DVD player, model CH-MDP2500, dedicated to the Mini-DVD format (available in
blue or
red for $119.99; you can see those pictured at the bottom). I've seen these, and they truly are small and light, and easy to carry in a belt pouch or even in a coat pocket. It's aimed primarily at kids, to compete with Hasbro's "VideoNow" device, but it's a cinch that many adults will want these because they are much easier to deal with when traveling than even the smallest portable DVD player for standard-sized discs.
Now reports out of the CES show say that Samsung is getting into the act, with at least one model of Mini-DVD player due out around March. DVD manufacturers Audiovox and Coby are right behind, with their own dedicated Mini-DVD players in the works. And the hardware side of things isn't the only place where the DVD industry is eager to join the Mini-DVD expansion: 3 new major studios - Paramount, Fox, and Universal - are also getting into the act!
As we talked about in the previous story, Warner Brothers is leading the charge with around 30 titles available at launch this past December. A little more than half of them are feature films, most of which are split over two Mini-DVDs because there isn't enough room on a single disc for the entire movie at the proper quality level. There's also a few sports-related titles, covering topics like basketball and surfing. But Warner's intial launch wave include 13 TV-on-DVD titles, a list we covered in detail in the November post.
Now Warner Home Video is set to follow up with a second wave of releases in March, which marks the general roll-out of the format to a wider array of sellers. Not all of the titles are ready to be discussed yet, but Warner mentioned at CES the Cartoon Network show
Codename: Kids Next Door, and a TV show with a noticably more grown-up bent:
The O.C.!
Paramount is also getting into the act, and you can look for kidvid titles from them including the super-popular
SpongeBob SquarePants and
Dora the Explorer franchises. Fox is joining the party as well, and
Strawberry Shortcake will be there to bring the young ladies' attention to this concept. Universal Studios will also make Mini-DVDs, but no TV titles have come to light so far. But its not just the majors who are involved with this format: anime companies led the charge on this in early 2004, with Funimation releasing discs with
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yu-Gi-Oh, Dragonball GT, and others. ADV has also supported the format, and Media Blasters is just two weeks away from releasing
Invader Zim - Mini-DVD #1: The Nightmare Begins and
Invader Zim - Mini-DVD #2: Bestest Friend/NanoZim.
The format is heading for higher and higher ground soon, supported by the simple fact that these discs can be used in the dedicated Mini-DVD players - which cost the same as the cheapest portable players but are way easier to carry around, being around the size of a Gameboy Advance SP - and then also used in your standard DVD player as well, so the same feature can be viewed on your home theater with no loss of quality. You can already find freestanding displays of the discs and players in retails stores, including Best Buy, where you'll find "free, take one" brochures like the one below, that shows off the 4"x4.5"x1" Cyberhome CH-MDP2500 Portable Mini-DVD Player and all the existing Warner titles. It shows how the player comes with a free copy in the package of
Scooby-Doo's Original Mysteries, and a coupon where you can mail off a $4.95 shipping/handling fee and get for no other charge your choice of any two of the following:
The Flintstones, Teen Titans, Jonny Quest, Black Beauty, or
Tom & Jerry: Whiskers Away.
To find out more about the format, the Cyberhome player, and Warner's titles, visit Warner Home Video's
dedicated Mini-DVD website. Stay tuned and we'll bring you more info about the Mini-DVD phenomenon as developments occur.
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