Despite the intentions of both groups, however, the success of the negotiations is far from certain, with the clock ticking on the planned launch of DVD players based on the new formats by the end of the year.
Toshiba, while admitting it is in talks with Sony and others on an unified format, said it has not changed its plan to launch HD DVD-based DVD players and notebook computers equipped with HD DVD drives in the fourth quarter of 2005.
Sony has proposed using Blu-ray's disc structure and HD DVD software technology, while Toshiba has suggested using the HD DVD disc structure, which is closer to that of current DVDs, and employing Sony's multi-layer data-recording technology, business daily Nihon Keizai said.
In HD DVD discs a memory layer is sandwiched between two substrates, while in Blu-ray a layer to hold data is put on the surface of a substrate and covered by thin protective layers.
Although the companies have yet to forge a detailed agreement, the talks are expected to produce a workable solution since both sides are likely to be eager to avoid a repeat of the war over the VHS and Beta formats for videocassettes, the newspaper said.