- A high-capacity replacement for current DVD technology
has been announced by NEC and Toshiba. But the replacement will be incompatible
with a rival technology proposed by nine other companies in February.
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- NEC and Toshiba said in a joint statement that the new
technology "will allow manufacturers to continue to use existing DVD
plants and equipment and so minimize the investment required for the transition
to next-generation DVD players and drives."
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- Blu-ray was developed by Sony, Sharp, Hitachi, LG, Matsushita
(Panasonic) Thomson, Philips, Pioneer, and Samsung. Both technologies are
set to debut in 2004.
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- Both technologies use a blue laser for recording and
playback, which has a shorter wavelength than the red lasers currently
used in DVDs.
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- It should be possible to make blue laser players that
can also play existing DVDs. But neither of the two proposed standards
will require manufacturers to do so, says Chris Buma, of the consumer electronics
department at Philips.
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- Existing problems
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- Blue laser light has a wavelength of 405 nanometres,
whereas a red laser has a 650-nanometre wavelength. The shorter wavelength
means more data can be squeezed onto a conventional 12 centimetre-sized
disk.
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- The Toshiba-NEC technology would increase data storage
capacity from the current 4.7 to 8.5 gigabytes to between 15 and 30 gigabytes,
although a 40-gigabyte disk is also planned.
-
-
- Thirty gigabtyes translates to more than 12 hours of
television quality video. But Blu-Ray discs are expected to hold between
40 and 50 gigabytes of data.
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- The competing standards will compound existing problems
with the latest recordable DVD technology. There are three different standards:
DVD+RW DVD-RW and DVD-RAM. Few players currently offer compatibility across
the board.
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- Dave Holes of the UK's Consumer Association says that
further incompatibility will only make matters worse for buyers. "Everyone's
been pinning there hopes on there being a single standard," he told
New Scientist.
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- Both new technologies will be submitted to the DVD Forum,
the regulator charged with approving optical disc storage standards. The
forum represents more than 230 companies.
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- http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99992740
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