Plasmon Exhibits Working Blue Laser DVD Drive 229
tedgyz writes "CDR-Info has an article describing the first working prototype of a blue-violet laser optical disk drive. The drive boasts 30GB of storage, dubbed Ultra Density Optical (UDO). The article has technical details and images of the drive and media." We've been hearing about the advantages of blue light for seemingly years now. It's cool to see a product prepare for market that actually uses it.
Soon (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Soon (Score:2, Funny)
Old7
Re:Soon (Score:2)
WAIT, I'll just make sure that I'm the first one in line for GREEN LASER, w00t! Who's with me?!
As a side note... (Score:4, Interesting)
Check out the telerobot! (Score:2)
We can't stop with blue! (Score:5, Funny)
We can't stop with blue light! We need to branch out into purple, yellow, even magenta! Soon all the colours of the world will be under our umbrella, and we will be all powerful!
ultraviolet (Score:4, Informative)
Re:We can't stop with blue! (Score:2)
Re:We can't stop with blue! (Score:2)
Re:We can't stop with blue! (Score:2, Funny)
*bump, ba-bump, ba-bum*
Awfull read/write speed? (Score:3, Insightful)
At 4MB/sec and a total capacity of 30 gig, it would take 2 hours and 8 minutes to burn the media.
And half that time to read it all?!?
Re:Awfull read/write speed? (Score:5, Informative)
Not as fast a tape drives for writing (you can get 22 MB/s with compression 2:1, 11 MB/s real), but the random access capabilities of this type of media would put a tape to shame.
Their aimed at replacing MO drives, I currently don't know anybody with one of these at home, as they are still expensive (about $1500 USD). The people using these I am guessing are very interested in long-term archiving without degradation.
Seeing how this is a first generation drive, I guess this is "1x" speed, when the get the 60GB (2nd gen) and 120GB (3rd gen) drives out, if they double this in each generation, that would give you a "4x" (16 MB/sec - equivalent to a 109x CD-R) 120GB drive, this would still take 2 hrs 8 min to fill at "4x", but a 30 GB disc would only take 32 minutes.
Re:Awfull read/write speed? (Score:2)
Re:Awfull read/write speed? (Score:2)
MO is everything Iomega's Zip format wishes it was - assortment of large capacities, sturdy and reliable discs, not much bigger than a floppy.
The thing that makes it so great is that a 2.6Gb MO drive can take el cheapo 230Mb MO discs as well as the super expensive 2.6Gb discs and all the flavours in between, so I can choose the right size media for the job.
Now, if only more people had MO drives... Alt
Re:Awfull read/write speed? (Score:2)
Because if it takes 5 minutes to burn a full 700MB CD,
This would amount to 35 minutes to burn 4.7 GB of data.
So the DVD-Drive is actually half as slow?!?
I'm sure I'm missing something here...
Until I have it in my computer.... (Score:2, Flamebait)
Re:Until I have it in my computer.... (Score:2)
Oh, and mainframes. Don't have one of them either.
I think it's fair to say that since the product has actually been demonstrated, that yes - they do have a product to make & sell.
Re:Until I have it in my computer.... (Score:3, Interesting)
It's a done deal, now we're just waiting to see who wins the race to get them out first.
Just as DVD-R approaches affordability... (Score:5, Interesting)
Great. Can't sit around forever I guess, though.
It'd be nicer if optical media had kept pace with hard drive storage. At least it's now starting to catch up - I spotted in the article that "Future generations of drives and media will increase the usable capacity of discs to 60GB and 120GB. Backward read capability will be maintained throughout the whole product roadmap."
120GB on a single disk? Optical media may be really useful once again - providing it's cheap enough, soon enough.
Re:Just as DVD-R approaches affordability... (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Just as DVD-R approaches affordability... (Score:2)
My CDs are on average, 700mb, lets say 0.7Gb for convenience.
I probably have about.. 300gb total capacity over all of my network. That'd take me around 430 cds to cover all of that.
Now, if I had those 120GB disks, and we assumed that when they were affordable, they'd be as much use as my CD, I'd have approx 51600GB storage on my network!! Hmm.
I wonder if our growth in need for hard drive capacity is leveling off, and if not - when it will. I'm in no doubt i
Re:Just as DVD-R approaches affordability... (Score:2)
30Gig does not excite. (Score:2)
Re:30Gig does not excite. (Score:2)
My most recent bootable DVD-R for imaging fits 4 platforms, Win2kSP3, Office2000 and some other bricabrac on a single disc. Archiving old user data is much easier, and they're happier to have it archived to a single media.
30G would be a worthwhile upgrade over 4.7G as well, since its about the same jump as CDR-DVDR.
Good job they're coming out with 120Gb discs... (Score:2)
As much as I need coasters in my house, I'd rather one AOL disc per version over 10 or so.
Uses (Score:2, Funny)
It supports the new UDO disks and it is developed for professional data storage markets, covering archiving, document imaging, call centers, email archiving, GIS, medical, telecom, banking, insurance, legal and government.
... and for the non-professional data storage of personal pictures, pr0n pictures, legal music, pirated music, movies, and pr0n videos.
Re:Uses (Score:2)
Sounds like a Jellyroll Morton tune... (Score:3, Funny)
This is good news for the moral community (Score:5, Funny)
Blue is the color of capitalism. It is also the color of patriotism and masculinity (as opposed to red, which is very close to the feminine color of pink.) It warms the heart to know that I can now watch my John Wayne collection on a moral device that is consistent with the ideals that I donned my country's uniform for in Grenada and Panama.
Re:This is good news for the moral community (Score:3, Funny)
Critics may say that some people will try to use the new blue laser dvds to watch their old "red laser" content, thrust at them by the marketing engines of the sinful pornography industry, but we are working on new DMCA protected schemes so that you wi
Re:This is good news for the moral community (Score:2)
100 million dead people (Score:2)
Try making a similar joke about fascism.
standard??? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:standard??? (Score:2)
let the format wars begin! (Score:2)
Not only that... (Score:2, Funny)
Blue Light Special!! (Score:4, Funny)
(you heard it here first, get used to it)
How do they handle scratches and dirt? (Score:2)
Cartridges (Score:2, Insightful)
Lets hope that the big software makers like Sony/Matsushita et al. decide to use cartridges when they release their (possibly blue laser) HD-DVD players next year (presumably).
Nothing is worse than having media skip from a mere fingerprint or a slight scratch- especially when you are watching a movie!
The price of coasters just went up (Score:2)
First prototype? (Score:2, Informative)
How resistent to dust and scratches? (Score:4, Insightful)
One thing that would put me at ease is a kind of media that is completely hermetically protected by a transparent plastic shell. Perhaps a stationary disk while the reader is the one to rotate. That way you wouldn't even need the hole for the rotating spindle.
OTOH, with 30 GB, I can imagine I could put my whole collection of classical CD music on 5 UDOs, uncompressed. Or they will think about some abherration such as AudioDVD, so that the whole 30 GB will be just enough for some 60 minutes of music....
Re:They come in cartridges (Score:3, Informative)
Re:How resistent to dust and scratches? (Score:3, Informative)
That's not entirely correct. The way CDs/DVDs work is that they actually focus the laser ray with a little but powerful lens, a few millimeters above the CD/DVD. Small optical obstacles that are somewhat removed (distanced) from the focal point, which is the surface of the media will interfere much less with the signal than it would do if on the surface itself.
That's exactly why dual layer DVDs can work! You focus the laser a
But does it ... (Score:2)
Come with a black face plate?
That white color would look terrible in my "stealth" case
I may be nitpicking, but... (Score:5, Insightful)
This is not DVD. It's an optical disk drive, which uses much of the same technology as DVD, but is definitely not the same specification. You would not be able to read a blue-laser disc in any 100% DVD-compliant drive.
Optical discs that can hold more than CD's are not necessarily them DVD's.
Mini-DVD's (Score:3, Interesting)
Rus
DataPlay (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:DataPlay (Score:2, Funny)
I thought she was scheduled to appear on an album cover wearing this technology.
[rim shot]Double sided (Score:2)
Rus
Can't wait for this (Score:2)
First Working Prototype? (Score:2)
Sony [pcworld.com] already has a shipping blu-ray unit. Granted, it's only available in Japan, but thta's what your local neighborhood import shop is for... This [avland.co.uk] is just a list of specs and pictures... Check out all those inputs!
KMart (Score:2)
I'll believe it when I see it on the shelf... (Score:2)
How about Penny-sized CDs [slashdot.org]
Or were these just another round of VC scams?
yeah... (Score:2)
We've been hearing about the advantages of blue light for seemingly years now. It's cool to see a product prepare for market that actually uses it.
Interesting that you say that... You see, for me, It's been cool to see a product prepare for market that actually uses it for seemingly years now.
blue laser diode!! (Score:2, Funny)
Please, everybody, buy these drives! Drive the price down so I can get it three years from now.
Time to Market? (Score:2)
Are we likely to see the initial (expensive) drives for sale a year from now?
This will really put the fear into Hollywood since it'll allow DVDs to be copied with ease.
Burst out in song (Score:2)
KING:
Oh, better far to live and die
Under the brave black flag I fly,
Than play a sanctimonious part
With a pirate head and a pirate heart.
Away to the cheating world go you,
Where pirates all are well-to-do;
But I'll be true to the song I sing,
And live and die a Pirate King.
For I am a Pirate King!
And it is, it is a glorious thing
To be a Pirate King!
For I am a Pirate King!
ALL:
Black Lite lasers (Score:2, Funny)
All I want (Score:2)
Blue Light Special (Score:2, Redundant)
You can say that again! K-Mart rocks! I just can't resist those blue light specials.
Blue laser (Score:2)
Re:Blue laser (Score:2)
The benefit of higher-frequency photons is that they can be focused into a smaller area. The higher the frequency, the smaller the wavelength. The smaller the wavelength, the
30gb on the unit? (Score:2)
Why is blue so great? (Score:2)
Okay, I'm forgetful and I'm too lazy to google. I forget--what are the advantages of the blue laser?
Why have DVD in article title? (Score:3, Informative)
It would be nice if the people releasing submissions would check the article titles for accuracy.
Support HD-DVD (Score:2)
Most people of course are in support of the new Blu-Ray discs but just like Beta\VHS and DVD-A\SACD there are competing formats that may delay the technology.
Click here to support ONE HD-DVD FORMAT [dvdsite.org]
Not the first (Score:2)
Special Thanks Are In Order (Score:2)
Remember, it's not the length of your wave, it's the motion
Re:FIGHT THE POWER!!! (Score:3, Funny)
riiiigggghhhhttt.......
Re:FIGHT THE POWER!!! (Score:2)
Re:It a lot a space, its a lot slower... (Score:2)
Re:It a lot a space, its a lot slower... (Score:2)
-its a ton more storage. a ton. as in roughly 50 times more
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:3, Insightful)
I've had 3 Seagate 18Gb Ultra SCSI drives die in the last 6 months.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:5, Interesting)
I worked at a data center with thousands of drives, some of them in a 30+ drive RAID set. In the five years I worked there, not once did we lose data due to drive failure.
For home, IDE/ATA RAID is becomming more and more of a reality. When serial ATA comes to saturation, I forsee lots more built-in hardware raid functionality due to easy cable management.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
I bet dollars to doughnuts that if they did, they are somewhere in Chapter 11 or worse right now.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
Plus, I said "way down on the list" because it's a damned rare occurance that total system failures occure. If it's a single machine, you should have some sort of backup machine sitting ready to go (cluster type thing) anyways, since a backup restore could be hours away.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
And those sites were simply inaccessible for a period of time, not destroyed utterly, like they were in 2001.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
Here is the thing . . . the R part of RAID stands for Redundant. Business continuity is only as secure as the weakest link. All the RAID technology in the world isn't worth squat if a 3AM office fire burns up all your servers. Of course, backups are no good if you don't have offsite storage for disaster situations.
In reality, a combination of all the technologies is the best practice:
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
works well, Raid is pretty sweet
It even sounds tough. "Lets setup our RAID storage stuff" hah.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:3, Informative)
RAID is nice; daily backups are better. Both together, plus a revision controlled and journalling file system is best
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
so do both, and your data will stay new;
with Raid you get speed;
and with backups saftey, indeed,
So doing both works just fine,
Your data will be perfect 100% of the time.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
I believe that formatting is good;
And I'd go back to correct it, if I could;
But even mispelled, it sounds pretty nifty
god, this is sad....
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
1) Enable recovery from user error. ie, a user deletes stuff they shouldn't have. A backup from last week can be used to retrieve it.
2) Recovery from catastrophic failure. eg. UPS failure, drive controller failure, or fire in the server room.
3) Recovery from a failed drive without downtime.
RAID solves neither of (3) but not (1) or (2). A backup solves (1) and (2) but not (3)
If you think about it, RAID is useful, but is certainly not a good backup strategy. In fact, it is
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
My post was in reply to the guy that said "Well with this new medium as backup, I won't need the RAID!"
Does anyone ELSE want to remind me why RAID isn't a replacement for a backup, and completly miss the point?
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
(Now I have a Machine Gun.)
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
rsync comes to mind. You could even schedule it to run every couple of minutes if you really needed to.
I think a WAN raid filesystem would be kinda flakey. I mean, it's pretty easy to lose connectivity temporarily over the Internet.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
I doubt all the drives were of poor quality or defective.
1. Check your power supply. If the 5V rail in particular is erratic or just too weak (say 10% too low) then that is likely the problem. Most people don't think about this, but it can kill most computer components.
2. Use S.M.A.R.T. capibility to determine the drive's temperature and see if it is getting too hot and needs cooling. This can also kill a drive.
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:2)
Heat can be a factor like the other guy said, but I have these two 10k 9GB SCSI drives in a linux box, along with three other drives in a mini-tower case with one fan, and they get so hot you can't touch them. They've been running for over three years now without a problem. =) Not saying you SHOULD have the drives poorly cooled... but it makes me wonder how hot a drive needs to be before it's too
Re:Not when you see the price (Score:3, Interesting)
I'm betting at least $60 a disc when they first hit market.
Cool stuff though, and I'd love to have a re-writable version of this for a real backup solution without mucking around with DLT tapes like I do now. (at home)
Re:So what's comes after "Ultra" (Score:2)
Re:So what's comes after "Ultra" (Score:2)
"They went plaid!!"
==>Lazn
Re:So what's comes after "Ultra" (Score:2)
mega ultra
super mega ultra
ludicrous (spaceballs)
Re:So what's comes after "Ultra" (Score:2)
ULTRA
ULTRA WIDE
ULTRA 2 WIDE
ULTRA 160
ULTRA 320
You see, SCSI encountered this little issue a few years back...
Re:So what's comes after "Ultra" (Score:2)
Re:media cost? (Score:2)
I regularly see 100 packs of DVD-R discs going for less than $200 on eBay.
The scam started with floppy disks, in my Apple ][+ days, 5.25" discs were $6-7 a pop, then it carried to 5.25 HD, 3.5, 3.5 HD, CD-R, CD-RW, and so on.
Re:Nooo! (Score:2)
And as to the harddrive platter idea - try getting dust inside your HD and see how long it lasts. The only reason optical media is more vulnerable is because it isnt hermetically sealed in with the reading electronics.