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Infinity Storage Media has a hybrid disc with both Blu-ray and DVD data layers. This means that it'll play on your ancient budget DVD player but it'll also play in high-def in a Blu-ray player.
While recently unsealed documents suggests that Microsoft knew about Xbox 360 disc scratching problems all along, Microsoft has finally stepped forward to respond to the allegations.
Unsealed documents in a lawsuit over an Xbox 360 that repeatedly scratched a dude's games reveal that Microsoft knew all about the problem, but rejected all three possible solutions prior to the 360's launch.
Even though the blank media companies have been touting 200GB Blu-ray discs for years, mostly as part of the psy-ops war against HD-DVD, the largest discs today's players and burners can handle are dual-layer 50GB blanks that burn at up to 8x. A new 450 mw blue laser diode unveiled by Sanyo, however, will enable players to read and burn four-layer 100GB discs at up to 12x speeds. Actual drives with the new laser are still probably a year or two away. [Computerworld]
Just last month we were reporting 42GB research DVD technology, but Panasonic's scientists have blown that figure out of the water with a 400GB optical disc. The trick's been done by making a 16-layer deep Blu-ray disc, and a player with sufficiently clever optics that it can pick up the light scattered by all those layers. The player is also compatible with standard Blu-ray, and for now it's limited to playback only, designed to demonstrate the technology. But apparently in the future you'll be able to burn 400GB Blu-ray discs, which is mind boggling. [Impress]
CDs and DVDs tend not to last long in my house... but since I just fling them in a pile in the cupboard, that's entirely my fault. The Sanwa CD-RE1AT might be just the ticket, though: it works on 8cm or 12cm CDs, DVDs and BDs. With a push of a button it removes dust, fingerprints and "oily spots" from discs, and with the "repair" button it solves skipping problems and coats the discs with a protective layer, without grinding. Available now for US$79. If only it found missing CD case inserts too, it'd be perfect. [Akihabaranews]
Manufacturers are powering up on their Blu-ray disc development, now the format war's over: just two weeks ago we had the 6x speed ones, and now Delkin have these archive-quality discs. According to Delkin they're the first BDs "guaranteed to preserve data safely for over 200 years" and they use some sort of patented phase-change tech to make the discs resistant to UV degradation. They're also 25GB, 4x speed burnable, and have an anti-scratch coating. You're only going to want to preserve really important stuff on them though: a ten-pack will cost you US$250. Now, to find a Blu-ray player that'll last two centuries... [Reghardware]
Panasonic is doing its part to see Blu-ray make even more of a success with its new LM-BR25MD and LM-BR50MD disks for home disc-burning. Both are single-sided, write-once BD-Rs, compatible with Blu-ray Disc Recordable Format version 1.3, and they're 25GB and 50GB-sized. They'll be released in Japan in July, at a price of US$15 for the single-layer 25GB disk and US$37 for the dual-layer 50GB version, but you'll have to wait to find out when they'll be coming to the US. Full press release below.
We get lots of pitches for products, but the guys at Disc Makers finally found one that pierces through the clutter and reaches into the heart of our everyday worries. Here's what we got:
When it comes to the fine art of presenting movies on discs, Criterion's treatment of films, in quality and extras, finds itself unparalleled. And that's why it is amazingly good news that they're finally going Blu-ray.
