WARNER, TOSHIBA BEGIN SPIN ON DIGITAL VIDEO DISCS.

Byline: Dave McNary Daily News Staff Writer

Warner Bros. and Toshiba have launched a marketing push for digital video disc players and software, ignoring skepticism over whether the format will catch on among consumers.

``We believe that DVD is the next big thing in consumer electronics,'' said John Powers, director of DVD marketing for Warner Home Video, during a presentation Thursday in Universal City by the studio and marketing partner Toshiba. ``The response so far has been terrific.''

Toshiba is now selling $599 and $699 players in Los Angeles and six other markets and Warner, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and New Line have started selling DVD movies for $24.98 each - among the first titles in the format to hit the market. Pioneer began marketing the first DVD players a month ago and devices from Sony are expected to hit store shelves soon.

The discs used for DVD have seven times the capacity of a CD-ROM and image quality equal to that of a laser-disc player. Hardware and software producers reached a landmark agreement on technical specifications two years ago.

Warner's titles, which include ``Batman Forever,'' ``Twister'' and ``Space Jam,'' include a French language track, French and Spanish subtitles, background on the cast, the making of the film and the theatrical trailer.

Robert Quick, a field training manager with Toshiba, said DVD will meet retailers' need for a breakthrough product to generate store traffic, much like compact discs a decade ago, rather than more recent formats as digital audiotape and mini-disc, which never received mass market acceptance.

``We're seeing the same type of enthusiasm,'' he said. ``This is really it.''

Intel Corp.'s Gregory Berkin predicted that DVD drives will become standard equipment in any personal computer costing $2,000 and up within a year, enabling PC users to view DVD movies and other software expected to come on line this year.

``The technology is going to be in millions of PCs,'' he said. ``The demand is going to be there.''

Powers said future DVD content may include director commentary, behind-the-scenes footage, screen tests, director's cut versions, interviews with the cast and crew and Internet access. ``We'll have to see how the market responds to these first products,'' he said, noting that Disney, Paramount and 20th Century Fox, among other entertainment companies, have yet to disclose specific plans for the format.

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: (Color) Warner Bros.' movie ``Twister'' is one of several films on digital video disc.