In an October 10 general meeting, the membership of the American Independent Media Manufacturers Association (AIMMA) voted to support HD DVD as the next-generation high definition DVD format of choice.

AIMMA is a senior executive-level organization comprised of thirty-seven North American media manufacturing owners and operators. Membership is open to all North American media manufacturers regardless of size or medium manufactured. AIMMA member companies comprise the majority of the non-theatrical replication and duplication capacity in the region?s market. The group met in Long Beach, October 9 and 10 in conjunction with the MediaTech Showcase.

The AIMMA meeting included presentations by speakers representing both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Member discussion focused on the economics and efficiencies of transitioning to either format, including equipment costs and installation timing.

"Given that the HD DVD manufacturing process uses essentially the same equipment as existing DVD production, the format is far more compatible with the companies in our organization than the Blu-ray Disc format," said Ray Zerrusen, AIMMA president and president of member company OEM. "In a marketplace facing increasingly squeezed margins, HD DVD is the logical choice for our membership, providing a lower cost of entry and shorter ramp-up timing" he continued.

To learn more about AIMMA, visit www.aimma.org.