The race is on, it seems, to be the first company to release a DVD-18 product into the market. DVD-18 is the technical term used for double-sided dual-layer discs and currently there are a number of companies preparing releases using this new DVD format, including of course Artisan Entertainment with their release of the Stephen King TV-min sieries The Stand.

We now have information from DVD International, one of the smaller publishers of the format, with plans to release the first DVD-18 into the market on September 28. It is a title called Aquaria, a peaceful video wallpaper featuring 20 hours of footage of tropical fish combined with four different audio trakcs, including two 5.1 Dolby Digital soundtracks. “Aquaria” will carry a suggested retail price of $24.98, not a bad price for a “virtual aquarium” that doesn’t need cleaning or scrubbing.

“Aquaria” should make great relaxation and meditation material with its hours of continuous footage and imagery, combined with the soundtracks that range from mediation music, relaxation music, gentle beach surf and aquarium bubbles. And, no, this is not a joke!