Some Optical hardware news...

[CityK]

Lots of stuff on the near horizon
April
- Verbatim and Ricoh DVD+R9 media . Ritek begins production
- Philips and BenQ writing DVD+R9 @ 2.4x and DVD+R @ 8x
- Sony DRU-700A - will be identical with the upcoming LiteOn drive: 8x for DVD±R and 2.4x for DVD+R9

Julyish
-New drives from Philips and BenQ are expected with recording speeds of 16x for DVD+R, 8x for DVD-R and 2,4x for DVD+R9
- LiteOn 16x DVD+R probably be out in June
- Pioneer (probably DVR-A08) will write DVD+R9 at 2.4x and DVD±R at 16x
- Verbatim indicates its very unlikely 16x media will be ready. Ritek will begin production
- Ritek begins HD DVD production

Much much later
- first dual layer DVD-R. it's possible that first retail products will be capable of 4x speed (Jan 05?).

 

[CityK]

Crap, forgot about the TDK Blu Ray media news - they've dispensed with the (ala early DVD-RAM style) cartridge. They expect 2006 to be the big breakthough year for Blu Ray....(coinciding with mandatory HDTV in USA)

 

[Handruin]

Thanks CityK, I've added this to the front page.

 

[Tannin]

Dual layer as far away as that? Last I heard it was supposed to be 2nd quarter this year - i.e., Real Soon Now.

 

[CityK]

That's for the DVD minus format Tony. The DVD plus format does indeed become available next month (DVD+R9)

The 9 identifies it as a dual layer disc, while single layer discs are somethimes referred to as DVD-5 .... (more info here)

 

[Pradeep]

Crap, forgot about the TDK Blu Ray media news - they've dispensed with the (ala early DVD-RAM style) cartridge. They expect 2006 to be the big breakthough year for Blu Ray....(coinciding with mandatory HDTV in USA)

2006 it will be mandatory for stations to broadcast in digital, but HD has not been mandated. Meaning you may well see a digital Standard Definition picture.

 

[CityK]

Whoops, quite right Pradeep. Thank you for catching my faux pas.

What I had intended to convey was that once DTV becomes mandatory, HDTV should be a lot more prevalent, and that demand for media which can accomodate HDTV content will will really open up, which of course is where Blu Ray fits into the picture.

 

[Tannin]

Ahh. Thankyou, CityK. That resolves my confusion.