Sony announced today that they have developed "Postscribed ID for DVD." With this new technology, companies will be able to embed ID data, like serial numbers, into DVD's during the manufacturing process.
"Postscribed ID for DVD" makes read-out of individual IDs embedded in DVD discs possible using standard DVD-ROM drives, without the need for firmware updates or any other software installation. Furthermore, the newly developed technology does not infringe the powerful error correction features present in the DVD format. This allows the same CD-ROM-based serialization services to now be offered on DVD-ROM media.
By using a high-power laser diode, new reflective layer material, and extremely accurate location control technology, the area between pits on the disc surface is modified to embed the ID data. This in turn allows for compliance with the powerful error correction technology built-in to DVDs and adheres to the DVD Format (DVD Specification for Read Only Disc). The EFM signal used for direct recording of serialized ID data is based on advanced technology for preventing any impact on pre-recorded data when recording the ID onto the disc, effective write-strategy and a special reflective layer.
If you'd like to read more about "Postscribed ID for DVD", Sony's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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LaCie recently announced that they've started to ship their new Portable DVD±RW Drive with LightScribe. Designed exclusively for LaCie by Sam Hecht, this new drive sports 8x DVD±R, 4x DVD±R DL and 5x DVD-RAM writing speeds and is available with either a USB 2.0 or FireWire interface.

LaCie announced today the shipping of its new Portable DVD±RW Drive with LightScribe. The stylish, slim drive was designed exclusively for LaCie by award-winning designer, Sam Hecht, and was created with a focus on pure design. With no feet, switches, or breaks in its clean simple shell, the design-inspired drive is as powerful as anything you would find in today’s marketplace. Measuring in at less than one inch tall, and one pound in weight the FireWire or USB 2.0 bus-powered LaCie Portable DVD±RW Drive offers true mobility for Mac, Windows or Linux operating systems.
The LaCie Portable DVD±RW Drive with LightScribe is available now at the suggested retail price of $99.99 for USB 2.0 and $149.99 for FireWire. If you'd like to read more, LaCie's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
At the Intel Developer Forum, Intel announced that they and other companies are working on the USB 3.0 specification. This new technology will offer speeds 10x that of USB 2.0 as well as lower power consumption and improved protocol efficiency.
Intel Corporation and other industry leaders have formed the USB 3.0 Promoter Group to create a superspeed personal USB interconnect that can deliver over 10 times the speed of today's connection. The technology, also developed by HP, Microsoft Corporation, NEC Corporation, NXP Semiconductors and Texas Instruments Incorporated, will target fast sync-and-go transfer applications in the PC, consumer and mobile segments that are necessary as digital media become ubiquitous and file sizes increase up to and beyond 25 Gigabytes.

USB (Universal Serial Bus) 3.0 will create a backward-compatible standard with the same ease-of-use and plug and play capabilities of previous USB technologies. Targeting over 10x performance increase, the technology will draw from the same architecture of wired USB. In addition, the USB 3.0 specification will be optimized for low power and improved protocol efficiency. USB 3.0 ports and cabling will be designed to enable backward compatibility as well as future-proofing for optical capabilities.
A completed USB 3.0 specification is expected by the first half of 2008. If you'd like to read more, Intel's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Aleratec has announced that they've started shipping the 1:4 DVD/CD Tower Publisher HLS with faster drives and a new version of their Disc Publishing Software Suite. With these upgrades, Aleratec's new Publishing Tower can duplicate discs in even less time than its predecessor.

Aleratec, Inc., leading developer and manufacturer of Aleratec Award Winning "Prosumers' Choice" solutions for the Blu-ray, DVD/CD, USB duplicating, and DVD/CD publishing markets announced today it is shipping the 1:4 DVD/CD Tower Publisher HLS with a more powerful Aleratec Disc Publishing Software Suite and the industry's fastest DVDRW LightScribe recorders. The Publishing Tower supports up to four simultaneous DVD/CD copies, recordings, or produces up to four Silk Screen Quality LightScribe labeled discs. The 1:4 DVD/CD Tower Publisher HLS is a DVD/CD duplicator with LightScribe technology that simultaneously laser burns custom labels directly on DVD/CD discs like its predecessor, except it can duplicate discs even faster. Customers can create their own custom labels, with text and graphics, using the unique Aleratec Disc Publishing Software Suite, included free with purchase.
The 1:4 DVD/CD Tower Publisher HLS is available now for an estimated retail price of $739. More information can be found on Aleratec's website. Add a comment
Pioneer and Mitsubishi Chemical announced today that they have developed a new type of BD-R disc that uses organic dye in the recording layer. This new media corresponds to the "Low to High" (LTH) recording system which is included in the Blu-ray Disc Recordable Format Ver 1.2 specifications. Here's part of Pioneer's press release, translated from Japanese:

Both corporations advanced the cooperation development of the pigment type blue ray postscript type disk from 2004. This time, the Mitsubishi chemical media took charge as for the pioneer of the appraisal of the trial manufacture disk and the verification from viewpoint of compatibility of drive and of the further improvement and disk trial manufacture of the organic pigment record material, the design of the disk structure with simulation took charge. It succeeded in the development of 2x fast record organic pigment system BD-R by fusing the technology these both.

In addition both corporations, ever since the announcement of cooperation development 2005, advanced the standardization propulsion activity of the organic pigment type record media, but this spring, the recording type which corresponds to organic pigment system BD-R (Low to High system) was adopted for Blu-ray Disc Recordable Format Ver.1.2.
Pioneer and Mitsubishi Chemical claim that this dye will lower production costs as companies using it will be able to produce discs using modified CD-R and DVD-R manufacturing equipment. The big catch here is that discs using the LTH system will not be compatible with existing Blu-ray writers. While Pioneer is working on a new drive that can write to these discs, it is unknown whether support can be added to older drives via a firmware update. If you'd like to read more, Pioneer's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment

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Sonic announced today that RealNetworks has licensed their AuthorScript DVD burn technology and integrated it into the new version of RealPlayer. With support for AuthorScript, RealPlayer users will now be able to burn personal content and online video to CD or DVD.
Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ: SNIC) today announced a multi-year, global licensing agreement with RealNetworks for Sonic AuthorScript, the company's media formatting and CD/DVD burning engine. RealNetworks has integrated the AuthorScript DVD burn technology into the new version of the RealPlayer, enabling users to reliably burn personal content and online digital media entertainment files that are not DRM protected to CD or DVDs that play on the more than one billion DVD players installed worldwide.

Users of the standard free version of the new RealPlayer can easily burn downloaded video content, including Flash video, to Video CDs for viewing on many commercial DVD players. Those interested in creating customized DVDs of their favorite online content can upgrade to the "Plus" version of the new RealPlayer for a one-time fee of $29.99 and gain access to Sonic's custom DVD burning technologies. The new DVD burning functionality forms an important bridge between the PC and the TV, enabling RealPlayer Plus users to view their online content in the comfort of their living rooms.
The new RealPlayer and premium RealPlayer Plus are available now and can be downloaded from www.realplayer.com. If you'd like to read more, Sonic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Traxdata sent out a press release today, announcing their new double-sided 8x DVD-R media. With a capacity of 9.4GB, these double sided discs can hold four hours of DVD-quality video, 16 hours of VHS-quality video, or over 120 hours of MP3 audio.

Traxdata, a leading optical and flash media storage vendor, has today announced the availability of its double-sided DVD-R 8x media enabling uses to store a massive 9.4GB on the one disc.

This equates to up to four hours of DVD quality video, 16 hours of VHS quality video, or more than 120 hours of MP3 audio, so users can utilise the double-sided disc to back-up or store their personal pictures, movies, data files, software and music, on the most cost-effective media per gigabyte.

Double-sided discs are highly compatible with nearly all DVD drives and recorders as well as a majority of DVD-ROM, DVD video players, and game consoles, so there is no need for any extra hardware in order to begin using this media. Burn the disc in the same way as a normal DVD, except to burn the other side you simply flip the disc over as prompted.
Traxdata's dual-sided DVD-R media is available now in cake boxes of 50. Full details can be found here. Add a comment