Yes, it's a Sony; Blu-ray Disc that is.

[bejiita]

Holy disc shit, Sony-man, Y248,000 to Y286,440!

[Taro Toporific]

The world's first movie recording on a preformatted holographic disc.
--Optware demonstrated playing back digital movies stored on its Holographic Versatile Disc(tm)--
YOKOHAMA, Japan, August 23, 2004 Optware Corp., the developer of Collinear Holographic* Data Storage System, announced today that it had achieved successfully world's first recording and play back of digital movies on a holographic recording disc with a reflective layer using Optware's revolutionary Collinear Holography. This is a major milestone for commercializing holographic data storage system.....discs the same size as today's DVDs to store as much as one terabyte of data (200 times the capacity of a single layer DVD), with a transfer speed of one gigabyte per second (40 times the speed of DVD).

[Bedi]

Damn thats cool!

[Blah Pete]

Here is another related story:

http://www.physorg.com/news785.html

10-10 Terrabyte burner for $570 - $750, media $45. I would expect those prices to come down similar to CD-R, DVD-R once all the manufacturers jump in. The burner price is less than what the first generation CD and DVDs were.

Full, uncompressed HDV on the desktop?

[Taro Toporific]

HD-DVD picks up Hollywood support
IDG News Service -- 30/11/2004 11:22:54
The group supporting the HD-DVD optical disc format for high-definition video has received a boost in its battle against the rival Blu-ray Disc format with pledges of support from a number of Hollywood studios.
The format will be used by Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema, the HD-DVD group said on Monday. It will also be used by HBO, Warner Bros. announced the same day. ...more...

[Mulboyne]

CBS Marketwatch: Disney backs Blu-Ray
After the market closed Wednesday, Disney announced that it will support Sony Corp.'s Blu-Ray high-definition DVD format, defying several other movie studio's that are backing Toshiba's competing HD-DVD product. Sony's recent $5 billion agreement to buy Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, owner of a library of more than 4,000 movie titles, was seen by many as a way to bolster acceptance of Blu-Ray.
Last week, however, Time Warner's Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, Viacom's Paramount Pictures and NBC Universal's Universal Pictures all said they would support HD-DVD. Disney said Wednesday it would not make Blu-Ray discs exclusively, but would continue to make discs in the current format.
Bob Iger addressed the issue at the CSFB event, saying Disney would want to introduce some discs in the new format and "see what emerges." It would prefer to have the industry ultimately stick to one format. Asked about consumer adoption to a new DVD format, when many consumers only made the switch from VHS fairly recently, Iger acknowledged that the migration will "take time." In the end, however, Disney is counting on a consumer base that is "getting more and more technologically interested," Iger said. "And we're raising generations of kids now on digital technology and computers and interactivity...So I think [high-def DVD] is going to surprise the marketplace in terms of enthusiasm."

[Mulboyne]

Kyodo via Yahoo: Toho, Toei back Sony's 'Blu-ray' next-generation DVD format

Major Japanese filmmakers Toho Co. and Toei Co. will support the "Blu-ray Disc" technology developed by companies led by Sony Corp. and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. as the next-generation DVD format, the Sony-Matsushita camp said Tuesday. In a battle to win support from Hollywood studios, considered key to which technology will be the next-generation DVD format, both Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD have acquired nearly an equal share of the U.S. DVD software market. Walt Disney Co., Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. and other companies back the Blu-ray Disc format, while HD DVD supporters include Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures.

[Mulboyne]

Kyodo via Japan Today: Apple Computer backs Blu-ray next-generation DVD format

Apple Computer Inc said Thursday it will support the Blu-ray format for next-generation DVDs, which is being promoted by an alliance of companies led by Sony Corp and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co.

[kotatsuneko]

whens the oem data drives out, thats the important thing (tho seeing as even TY havent got round to putting out dual layer consumer discs, god knows when decent/affordable media will be out for data freaks..)

btw is it just me, or is it JUST TOO SOON for DVD to be redundant ALREADY?

[cstaylor]

btw is it just me, or is it JUST TOO SOON for DVD to be redundant ALREADY?

DVD encryption is too easy to break, plus MPEG-2 is looking a little long in the tooth when compared to newer formats.

[FG Lurker]

TDK touts 100GB recordable Blu-ray Disc
The Register, May 19, 2005

[...] TDK has announced a four-layer BD [Blu-ray Disc].

The disc uses TDK's Durabis coating, announced last January, which finally allows BDs to be used without a protective cartridge, though they remain rather less resilient to scratches than DVDs.

Getting discs up to 100GB and beyond - 200GB appears to be the limit - was always part of the Blu-ray plan. TDK has talked about making 100GB BDs in the past. Alas, today's announcement, made in Japanese-language newspaper Nihon Keizai Shimbun, gives no indication as to when these discs might actually appear on the market.

(Full Story)

Interesting. Paper launch, but interesting.

[kotatsuneko]

seeing as 16x media by majors didnt really hit the market until almost a year after the drives were available, and then at stupid prices, while bluray seems nice, the media is unlikely to be affordable [dual layer media costs take the piss as it is..] plus hardware uptake slow. the whole hd/blu ray thing is tiresome too.. unbelivable that companies couldnt see the harm they were doing to each other in not dedicing on 1 format with affordable media. i for one hardly ever buy movies anymore, chances are i`ll never watch them more than twice, ever and lifes too short to waste cash on them anyhow, i`d rather see films in the cinema, and use dvd for stuff i missed first time round..

[Big Booger]

gives no indication as to when these discs might actually appear on the market.

When they are ready to ship, then they can give press releases.

[Taro Toporific]

Toshiba says its all Sony's fault, they started it
Techspot.com / Sun 28 Aug 2005, 02:43 PM
And now that we are definitely NOT going to have a single, integrated DVD format, the name calling begins. Like two children stuck in the back seat of a car on a family trip, Sony and Toshiba can't resist some good old fashioned bitching........more...

[Charles]

It's not going to be that bad, I've already heard of plans to produce dual format DVD drives.

[Taro Toporific]

Maxell to offer 300GB holographic discs 'late 2006'
Future 1.6TB units make Blu-ray look like cassette tape
The Register, Thursday 24th November 2005 17:16 GMT
Maxell [Hitachi] will ship its first holographic storage system late next year, the company has pledged.
The storage specialist will initially offer a removable system based on 300GB media and capable of transfering data at a rate of 20MBps, Maxell said. However, the company said the technology, designed by InPhase Technologies, is capable of achieving 1.6TB per disk - and that's uncompressed capacity - with a 120MBps bandwidth....more...

[Neo-Rio]

The storage specialist will initially offer a removable system based on 300GB media and capable of transfering data at a rate of 20MBps

Which is pretty damn good considering that DVD holds about 4.7GB

However, the company said the technology, designed by InPhase Technologies, is capable of achieving 1.6TB per disk - and that's uncompressed capacity - with a 120MBps bandwidth.

this makes me angry. Of course, they wouldn't make as much money out of product upgrade and release cycles if they just jumped to the full 1.6TB and didn't start at 300GB and work their way up there over a period of years.

Still, 300GB is a LOT of space.

[FG Lurker]

However, the company said the technology, designed by InPhase Technologies, is capable of achieving 1.6TB per disk - and that's uncompressed capacity - with a 120MBps bandwidth.

this makes me angry. Of course, they wouldn't make as much money out of product upgrade and release cycles if they just jumped to the full 1.6TB and didn't start at 300GB and work their way up there over a period of years.

Quite possibly there are manufacturing issues that make it much more expensive to produce the higher capacity drives and/or discs. If not someone else will rapidly figure it out and produce a better version.

Still, 300GB is a LOT of space.

If they can make it reliable we will finally have a backup solution that can handle a decent amount of data without being insanely overpriced. At 300GB per disc, a reliable version of this might finally kill off tape.

[IkemenTommy]

So much for BluRay.
As long as they won't make this technology closed-proprietary, there should be enough contributing manufacturers to make it more mainstream and affordable for our benefit.

[Mulboyne]

Game Informer

Over the holiday, unconfirmed Japanese reports flew around stating that Blu-Ray discs would have North and South America in the same region as Japan and the rest of Asia. Currently Japan and Asia are a seperate region from North and South America.

[Ol Dirty Gaijin]

DreamWorks, Paramount drop Blu-ray

Reuters via The Age


Viacom's Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks Animation SKG will release their next-generation DVD titles exclusively on HD DVD ahead of what they say could be the biggest holiday season ever for DVDs.
Paramount had sold titles in both the new high-definition formats - HD DVD and Blu-Ray - but settled exclusively on HD DVD after deciding that it offered better quality, lower-priced players and lower manufacturing costs, Kelley Avery, president of Paramount Home Entertainment, told Reuters.
"This has been the biggest summer on record for movies, it will be the biggest fourth quarter for popular movies for consumers," Avery said. "At the same time, we have HD DVD players that are truly affordable."
HD DVD and Blu-Ray are waging a battle to dominate the next generation of DVD players that promise better pictures, sound and in some cases more content in the multibillion-dollar home-entertainment arena.
So far, most of the major Hollywood studios are selling Blu-Ray titles, and HD DVD sales have lagged. But some HD DVD supporters hope to broaden their appeal to consumers based on cost. The lowest-priced, stand-alone HD DVD player sells for $US299, compared with $US499 for the lowest-cost Blu-Ray option.

[Mulboyne]

AFP: Sony's Blu-ray seen winning DVD format war: Japanese media

The Blu-ray format has gained the upper hand in the battle for next-generation DVD supremacy, Japanese press said Sunday, after Warner Bros. said it would only support the technology developed by Sony. The announcement dealt a hard blow to the HD-DVD format, promoted by a group led by Japanese electronics giant Toshiba, which the press said may now be hard-pressed to regain momentum among consumers. "With Warner Bros siding with the Blu-ray group, the battle over the next generation DVD standard is gradually becoming a one-sided game," said the Asahi Shimbun. Warner Bros., which previously supported both formats, announced on Friday that it would release its films exclusively in Blu-ray beginning later this year, "in response to consumer demand". Blu-ray will enjoy exclusive support from four of the six major Hollywood movie studios, with only Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures supporting HD-DVD...Toshiba is now expected to further promote installation of HD-DVD drives in personal computers, targeting users who watch movies on their PCs, the Nikkei business daily said. "The core of its turn-around plan is to capture those who watch DVDs on personal computers, a popular practice in the United States," the newspaper said...more...

[American Oyaji]

I would like to see Blue-Ray get this, if only as vindication for the Betamax issue.

[Kuang_Grade]

Toshiba is now expected to further promote installation of HD-DVD drives in personal computers, targeting users who watch movies on their PCs, the Nikkei business daily said.

Yeah, that audience certainly has shown a strong bent towards paying for media, esp at 2x-3x higher prices than standard def DVDs.

[FG Lurker]

I would like to see Blue-Ray get this, if only as vindication for the Betamax issue.

Sony shot themselves in the foot over Betamax and they have managed to repeat this fuckup over the years in much the same way. Trying to maintain too much control and force proprietary standards down the throats of the public.

I despise Sony. Besides the proprietary angle (Betamax, Memory Stick, MP3 players that don't play MP3s, etc etc etc), the overall quality of their products is horrific and their warranty service even worse. "It's a Sony"? "It's a Piece of Shit".

[American Oyaji]

Sony shot themselves in the foot over Betamax and they have managed to repeat this fuckup over the years in much the same way. Trying to maintain too much control and force proprietary standards down the throats of the public.

I despise Sony. Besides the proprietary angle (Betamax, Memory Stick, MP3 players that don't play MP3s, etc etc etc), the overall quality of their products is horrific and their warranty service even worse. "It's a Sony"? "It's a Piece of Shit".

I was drunk when I wrote that previous piece. I don't know WHAT I was thinking.

[ttjereth]

I hope someone comes out with a third format which beats both and both sides of the current "next gen battle" lose millions of dollars.

[Mulboyne]

Variety: Blu-ray could win high-def battle

The two remaining studios backing HD DVD could switch sides soon, ending the high-def format war instantly. Daily Variety has confirmed that Universal's commitment to backing HD DVD exclusively has ended. And Paramount has an escape clause in its HD DVD contract allowing it to release pics on Blu-ray after Warner Bros.' decision to back that format exclusively...more...

[Charles]

Well I'm for BlueRay because I'm always against Microsoft. The HD DVD format was an attempt by Microsoft to squash Java (again). They wanted their MS BDi interactive format instead of the BD-J format Java apps.
Also BD ROM video is based on the open H.264/AVC codec instead of the (Microsoft proprietary of course) VC-1 codec used in HD DVD.
But I think everyone is rooting for BlueRay because it's already been cracked.

[ttjereth]

Well I'm for BlueRay because I'm always against Microsoft. The HD DVD format was an attempt by Microsoft to squash Java (again). They wanted their MS BDi interactive format instead of the BD-J format Java apps.
Also BD ROM video is based on the open H.264/AVC codec instead of the (Microsoft proprietary of course) VC-1 codec used in HD DVD.
But I think everyone is rooting for BlueRay because it's already been cracked.

Sooooo choose between the bastards at Microsoft or the bastards at Sony... great options.