High-Definition Digital Versatile Disc (HD DVD)

A high-density optical disc format designed by Toshiba for the storage of data and high-definition video with an improved picture quality of 1080p. HD DVD is derived from the same underlying technologies as DVD, but can store about 3.25 times as much data per layer as its predecessor (maximum capacity: 15 GB per layer instead of 4.7 GB per layer).

The technology was envisaged to be the successor to the standard DVD format and entered a format war with rival Blu-ray Disc to determine which of the two formats would become the leading carrier for high-definition content to consumers. In February 2008, Toshiba abandoned the format, announcing it would no longer develop or manufacture HD DVD players, leading almost all other HD DVD supporters to follow suit, thus effectively ending the format war.