Jim Taylor

In 1995, Jim Taylor attended a conference to demonstrate his work with interactive laserdiscs and to investigate upcoming “digital video disc” technologies. He was so impressed with the potential of DVD that he wrote a couple of articles and posted them on the website for Videodiscovery, where he was the director of software development (and webmaster). He then started the DVD FAQ to answer the questions swirling around the internet. In 1996, McGraw-Hill was looking for someone to write about DVD. They found Jim’s articles and asked him if he would write a book. Unaware of how much work it takes to write a technical book (and how much more work it takes to create a demo disc to go with it), Jim agreed. He figured it would either make him rich or famous, but probably not both. DVD Demystified did not make him rich, but it did become “the Bible of DVD,” and Jim followed up with various updates, assisted by co-authors Mark Johnson, Charles Crawford, Chris Armbrust, and Michael Zink.

Jim Taylor is now CTO and Head of Product Development for DECE, the cross-industry group responsible for UltraViolet, the online equivalent to DVD and Blu-ray. Called a "minor tech legend" by E! Online, Jim created the acclaimed Internet DVD FAQ and the UltraViolet FAQ, speaks and writes about digital video and audio technology, holds several patents, was listed as one of the 21 most influential DVD executives by DVD Report, and was named one of the Pioneers of DVD by One to One magazine. Jim has worked with interactive media for over 35 years, developing computer software, educational and entertainment media, and related technology, along with teaching workshops, seminars, and university graduate courses. Jim was previously Chief Technologist and GM of the Advanced Technology division of Sonic Solutions. Prior to joining Sonic in 2001, Jim was DVD Evangelist at Microsoft.