Time Warner, Toshiba - Expected to gain backers for video disc
        {The Boston Globe, 24-Jan-95, p. 35}
   Time Warner and Toshiba are ready to announce today that they have won
 support for their video disc format from Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.,
 Pioneer Electronics Corp. and Thomson SA, according to a person close to the
 negotiations.  Time Warner and Toshiba together are in a race against an
 alliance of Sony and Philips Electronics to win the backing of electronics and
 entertainment companies for he new video compact disc.  The high-capacity
 discs, which look like music compact discs, could store movies, music and
 possible multimedia computer video games.  Time Warner and Toshiba said they
 will hold a press conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., to demonstrate their
 new digital video disc format and talk about the future of the new product.
 It will be the product's first public showing.  "The issue comes down to
 capacity versus complete motion video," said Jonathan Thompson, spokesman for
 the Electronics Industries Association, a trade group.  "The Sony system is
 basically positioned as a shorter storage disc while Toshiba has higher
 storage and more capacity to do other things such as video games and
 interactive products.  Both are pretty close to production, from what I
 understand."  Sony and Philips, which previously allied to create the music
 compact disc, have said they will begin making the video discs by the end of
 the year.  Their disc s one-sided and can hold as much as 135 minutes of a
 video movie.  The Time Warner-Toshiba disc is two-sided and holds up to 270
 minutes, depending on how the disc is used.  Sharper pictures and subtitles
 would shorten playing time.  While the backing of movie studios and major
 electronics companies could boost one format over the other, the final
 decision is likely to be made by consumers, Thompson said.  "Sony has
 basically indicated that they will go forward with their format regardless of
 what other companies do," said Thompson.  "If so, both alliances will be
 putting forth the technology and let the marketplace fight it out."