EZ-D

EZ-D is a DVD technology developed by Flexplay Technologies and General Electric to create time-limited DVD discs which become unplayable after a pre-determined period.

The EZ-D disc contains a layer made of a modified form of Lexan. The new co-polymer degrades once exposed to air, becoming opaque rather than transparent. The EZ-D is supplied in an airtight cover and, once opened, the layer starts to react. After 48 hours, the disc is unplayable. Environmentalists criticized the technology for creating additional waste.

The intended market for the EZ-D discs was short-term hire and promotional deals. Since the disc was capable of being used in any standard DVD player, the manufacturers hoped it would succeed where other time-limited DVD technologies, such as DIVX, failed. Test marketing began on August 2003 and was canceled early when consumers rejected the concept (partly due to environmental issues).

Flexplay Technologies still hopes to find a market for the innovation.

=External links=

*[http://www.flexplay.com/ Flexplay Technologies] *[http://www.ez-d.com/ Buena Vista Home Entertainment s EZ-D site] *[http://www.flexplay.com/how-flexplay-works.htm How EZ-D DVDs Work] *United States patents [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6511728&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,511,728], [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6537635&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,537,635], [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6641886&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,641,886], [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6678239&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,678,239], [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6709802&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,709,802], [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6756103&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,756,103], [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6780564&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,780,564], [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6838144&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,838,144], and [http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-ParserTERM1=6839316&u=/netahtml/srchnum.htm&Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&r=0&l=50&f=S&d=PALL 6,839,316] by Flexplay Technologies