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Reuters
Friday, October 3, 2003; 12:56 PM

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch Philips Electronics said on Friday it had developed a new technology with Japan's Mitsubishi Kagaku Media that nearly doubles the storage capacity of data on recordable DVD discs.

Philips, Europe's largest maker of consumer electronics and lighting, said its new dual-layer technology raised the capacity of recordable DVDs (DVD+R) to 8.5 gigabytes from 4.7 gigabytes for single-layer DVD discs.

The company said in a statement users would be able to record four hours of DVD-quality video or 16 hours of VHS-quality video, without the need to turn over the discs.

Philips said it would demonstrate the new technology at the CEATEC Japan 2003 industry show, which will be held from October 7 to 11 in Makuhari, near Tokyo.

Mitsubishi Kagaku Media is a unit of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Japan's largest chemical firm.