Verbatim Australia has announced their new Mini DVD+R Double Layer media. Measuring only 8cm in diameter, these discs can hold up to 2.6 GB of data or 55 minutes worth of DVD quality video.
Verbatim, a pioneer in developing advanced DVD and Double Layer technologies, today announced their new Mini DVD+R Double-Layer (DL) disc. Measuring only 8cm in diameter, the new discs provide nearly one hour of continuous video capture time on a single side or 2.6 GB of storage capacity- almost twice the capacity of current mini DVDR discs. Five-packs of Verbatim Mini DVD+R DL media will be available in July 2006, when the first new Mini +R DL-compatible camcorders are launched. The media can also be recorded with drives supporting the +R DL format.
Verbatim's Mini DVD+R DL media is shipping in 5 pack jewel cases and will hit store shelves later this month. More information can be found here. Add a comment
DigiTimes has reported that CMC Magnetics, Ritek, Prodisc and Optodisc are having problems raising funds and have requested extensions for loan payments.
CMC and Ritek each applied for floating ECBs (euro convertible bonds) worth US$200 million, while Prodisc and Optodisc applied for the issuing of new shares to raise additional capital of NT$2.0 billion and NT$1.0 billion, respectively, from target investors, the sources indicated. Except for NT$1.0 billion that Prodisc has raised, all the other fundraising have been stalled due mainly to strict government reviews of the applications, the sources pointed out.
The article also mentions that the shortage of funds may have a negative impact on the R&D of next-generation blue-laser discs. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
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    The guys at CD Freaks have taken a look at ASUS's new 16x DVD±RW, the DRW-1608P3. Here's what they had to say about this Pioneer DVR-111 based drive:
    Following our extensive tests we found that this drive is a very good Multi DVD burner. The ASUS DRW-1608P3S is called "Multi DVD Burner" since it supports recording on all available media formats including CD-R/RW, DVD±R/±RW, DVD±R Double/Dual Layer, and DVD-RAM. It is able to read and write DVD-RAM using a fast 5x CLV method.
    We too have a review of the DRW-1608P3 in the works. In the mean time, head on over to CD Freaks and check out their review. Add a comment
    Nero has announced a new summer promotion. Those that buy Nero 7 Premium will get the "MP3 Power Pack" for free.
    Nero, leaders in digital media technology, announces that its powerful Nero 7 Premium software suite will be sold with the "MP3 Power Pack" during a summer special.

    In addition to quickly ripping music tracks into the standard MP3 format without any difficulty, this module also allows users to convert music files in the high fidelity and compressed mp3PRO format. The summer promotion version of Nero 7 Premium will be available at retail stores and online under www.nero.com by the end of June 2006.
    With the "MP3 Power Pack", Nero owners will be able to do unlimited MP3 and mp3PRO encoding/decoding. More information can be found on Nero's website. Add a comment
    According to an article at IGN, Sony's Playstation 3 console will support HDMI 1.3. Recently finalized, the new 1.3 spec features 48-Bit color and "lip sync support" which will automatically synchronizes audio and video tracks.
    The new 1.3 spec HDMI standard will be incorporated in the PlayStation 3. Ken Kutaragi, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, applauded the 1.3 spec finalization, saying "PlayStation3 will be the most advanced computer platform for enjoying a wide range of entertainment content, including the latest games and HD movies, in the home. By introducing the next-generation HDMI 1.3 technology, with its high speed and deep color capabilities, PS3 will push the boundaries of audiovisual quality to the next level of more natural and smoother expression on the latest large flat panel displays."

    Assuming game developers choose to take advantage of 36- and 48-Bit color, the ability to output such a broader color spectrum could give the PS3 a solid technologic advantage over the Xbox 360, which will not be able to transmit such signals over component cables. If the promised, but still not officially announced, Xbox 360 DVI wire comes out, it too will not have the bandwidth to carry the high-Bit color that HDMI 1.3 supports.
    If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
    According to an article at IGN, Sony's Playstation 3 console will support HDMI 1.3. Recently finalized, the new 1.3 spec features 48-Bit color and "lip sync support" which will automatically synchronizes audio and video tracks.
    The new 1.3 spec HDMI standard will be incorporated in the PlayStation 3. Ken Kutaragi, president and group CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, applauded the 1.3 spec finalization, saying "PlayStation3 will be the most advanced computer platform for enjoying a wide range of entertainment content, including the latest games and HD movies, in the home. By introducing the next-generation HDMI 1.3 technology, with its high speed and deep color capabilities, PS3 will push the boundaries of audiovisual quality to the next level of more natural and smoother expression on the latest large flat panel displays."

    Assuming game developers choose to take advantage of 36- and 48-Bit color, the ability to output such a broader color spectrum could give the PS3 a solid technologic advantage over the Xbox 360, which will not be able to transmit such signals over component cables. If the promised, but still not officially announced, Xbox 360 DVI wire comes out, it too will not have the bandwidth to carry the high-Bit color that HDMI 1.3 supports.
    If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
    The Japanese website, AV Watch, has posted some pictures from the 8th annual Data Storage EXPO. On display were prototypes of TDK's 6x BD-R and 100GB BD-R media. Here's part of their report, translated from Japanese:

    With the TDK booth of data storage EXPO, besides the fact that last year the exhibition of the BD-R disk of similar 4 layers /100GB was done as a technical exhibition of the BD-R disk, the sample of the BD-R disk which corresponds to 6 time fast record was displayed.

    But with Blu-ray Disc Association, the stage which standardization has not ended concerning BD-R of 4 time fast record "standard deciding, if the device appears and only does, when it can put out the product even directly. But timewise circumstance of decision, we would like to sell 4 time fast BD-R disk within 2006", that we have done, the possibility standard of 4 time fast disk deciding within year was suggested.
    If you'd like to read more, AV Watch's entire report can be found here. Add a comment
    Here's an interesting bit of news. At a recent shareholders' meeting, Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida announced that the company is still interested in developing a unified DVD format.
    Toshiba Corp. (6502.T) said on Tuesday it would still like to develop a unified format for advanced optical DVD discs, but two competing -- and incompatible -- products are likely to hit the market at first.

    Toshiba is a leading proponent of next-generation HD DVD optical disc technology, which competes with the Blu-ray standard promoted by Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). (6758.T) and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (6752.T), a maker of Panasonic brand electronics.

    "We have not given up on a unified format. We would like to seek ways for unifying the standards if opportunities arise," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida told an annual shareholders' meeting.
    This late in the game, we're not going to see a unified format. Both sides have already invested a lot of time and money developing and promoting Blu-ray and HD DVD. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
    Here's an interesting bit of news. At a recent shareholders' meeting, Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida announced that the company is still interested in developing a unified DVD format.
    Toshiba Corp. (6502.T) said on Tuesday it would still like to develop a unified format for advanced optical DVD discs, but two competing -- and incompatible -- products are likely to hit the market at first.

    Toshiba is a leading proponent of next-generation HD DVD optical disc technology, which competes with the Blu-ray standard promoted by Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news). (6758.T) and Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (6752.T), a maker of Panasonic brand electronics.

    "We have not given up on a unified format. We would like to seek ways for unifying the standards if opportunities arise," Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida told an annual shareholders' meeting.
    This late in the game, we're not going to see a unified format. Both sides have already invested a lot of time and money developing and promoting Blu-ray and HD DVD. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment