For the last few years, the market has been plagued with "fake" DVD media.
Produced by second or third tier manufacturers, these discs use a MID code, or M-Code, from better known brands. TDK, Imation and
Verbatim have finally decided to do something about this. According to DigiTimes, they plan to ask Japanese authorities to ban the import
of blank DVD media with pirated MID codes.
International brands of optical discs in the Japan market, including TDK,
Imation and Verbatim, plan to ask Japanese authorities to ban the import of blank DVD+R/-R discs that pirate their M-Codes, which would
affect some second-tier makers of optical discs in Taiwan because they are producers of a large portion of such DVD+R/-R discs, according
to industry sources in Taiwan.
The M-Code is a manufacturer identification code built into an optical disc to allow burners to
read the parameters expressed in the code so as to automatically adjust writing speeds and power use to reach optimal recording, the
sources explained. Each brand has its own M-Code and only its OEM makers are licensed to use its identification code, the sources pointed
out.
While CMC and Ritek have already responded, stating that they are using fully licensed M-Codes, the ban is
expected to have a negative impact on two or three of Taiwan's other manufacturers. If you'd like to read more, the entire article an
be found here.
