TDK Reveals Prototype of 200GB Blu-ray Disc

Digital recording media maker TDK claimed to have reached a landmark on Aug. 31 in the development of recordable media by announcing the prototype of a 200GB Blu-ray laser disc.

A 200GB Blu-ray laser disc doubles the capacity of TDKs existing 100GB Blu-ray prototype. One of TDKs new 200GB blue laser discs could store approximately 18 hours of high definition video (encoded at 24M bps), a TDK spokesperson said.

The initial Blu-ray disc standard allows for 25GB single-layer Blu-ray discs and 50GB dual-layer discs. However, a recent signal processing innovation stretches the physical limits of optical media, realizing 33.3GB capacity for each of the discs six layers, a TDK spokesperson said.

TDK, of Garden City, N.Y., is one of about 14 companies that makes Blu-ray discs.

Blu-ray, also known as BD (Blu-ray Disc), is a next-generation optical disk format jointly developed by the BDA (Blu-ray Disc Association), a group of consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers that includes Apple, Dell, Hitachi, Hewlett-Packard, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi Electric, Panasonic, Pioneer Electronics, Philips, Samsung, Sharp Electronics, Sony, and Thomson.

The format was developed to allow recording, rewriting and playback of HD (high definition) video, as well as the storing of large amounts of data.

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The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a single-layer disk and 50GB on a dual-layer disk.

Blu-ray is currently supported by more than 170 of the worlds consumer electronics, personal computer, recording media, video game and music companies, according to the BDA.

The war between HD DVD and Blu-ray is heating up. Click here to read more.

The format also has broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to todays DVD format. Seven of the eight major movie studios already have announced titles that will appear in the Blu-ray format, including Warner Bros. Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, Fox, Disney, Sony, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Lions Gate Entertainment.

As with the 100GB disc, and other Blu-ray Disc media, TDKs 200GB blue laser disc is single sided.

"The ultra-ambitious technology roadmap for Blu-ray has now been confirmed as realistic, with landmarks such as this proving the long-term value of the format against its rivals," said Bruce Youmans, TDK vice president of product research & development.

The company said it expects the discs to be made commercially available in several months.

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