Beijing, November 29:

Nearly 20 leading Chinese makers are to stop making DVD players from 2008 as part of China’s plan to replace the foreign technology with a new home-grown standard, state media reported today.

Members of the EVD (Enhanced Versatile Disc) Industry Alliance, including China’s biggest TV maker, TCL, are determined to make the EVD player a success in the market place, the China Daily reported. The Chinese government has been pushing EVD in a bid to reduce the country’s relia-nce on foreign technology as Chinese DVD player manufacturers currently have to pay hi-gh copyright fees to foreign p-atent holders, report stated.

Chinese makers will set the average selling price of EVD players at 700 yuan ($89), which is roughly the same as a DVD player.

More than 50 EVD models will be put on public display next week, it said. Antaeus Gr-oup, a company dedicated to promoting the new standard, has also set up a joint venture with Chinese TV and film distributors to enrich EVD-based offerings, while it is also looking for overseas support.