Much cool. However no information yet on lead time to market, and most importantly if existing +RW drives will be able to burn these with only a firmware upgrade.
It wont be the future of recordable DVD R. With its limitations of 8.5GB and the fact that 23GB Blue laser systems are available in japan already, it wont be long until the DVD-R alliance DVD Forum back a blue laser or some sort of other HD DVD format. WHy invest in 8.5GB when sony will have a 50GB version of blue laser available by mid 2005. It will be end 2004 before these dual layer discs come out. In my opinion, its too little too late.
Nothing is the future of any technology....in 18-36 months it all progresses. Why would you want 8.5GB discs? Because they are backwards compatible with current DVD-ROM's and standalone players.
Why would you NOT want to wait for different light wave technology? Because as always with new generation tech it will take 18+ months for the drives and media to become affordable, and another 9-18+ months beyond that for it to become mainstream cheap. I still have my 2X CDR here. Paid $800 for it. Jumped on that good deal when they came down from $7500. Blanks used to be $15. Why would ANYONE use CDR's with DVDR's out? Because they are more wide spread, cheaper per-cookie for the media, and sometimes 700MB is just enough.
Oriphus, I've read many of your posts. Must you constantly act as a lacky for the DVD-R alliance. Do you work for them?
I dont work for them, i just much prefer the -R format as do all the original DVD users. Also, Dual layer discs are being releases as -R too by Pioneer. However, i think its probably a bit late to start into the launch of this whenever HD TV requires much more than a DVD-R can provide, dual or single. Therefore, Blue Laser systems seem to be a way fo the future. In terms of affordability, they currently cost around $2000, bu that is expected to come way down in the next year or two. The Blue laser systems should be affordable by 2005. The dual layer discs will only be coming out in 2005. Therefore, as a HDTV users, a HD DVD solution is what i and a lot of people craze, not a simple expansion on what already is a poor amount of storage space.
Whatever pushes reg dvd-r prices down is always a good thing IMHO!
As for the blue laser systems. Doubtful they will be in most home computers within the next five~seven years due to the cost. If you're willing to wait that long then so be it.
My $800 2x unit was made in late 1995. Philips cdd2000. I used to do cd service bureu premastering, etc, back in 92-93. 1x units were $8K when they first came out.
Are you serious Orphius? Why buy 8.5 GB? Three simple words:
1:1 DVD-9 Backups
BTW in case you're thinking that DVD9s are 9 GB and this new stuff is not the same, that's not the case. DVD9s are not really 9GB and ALL dvd9s will fit on a dual layer +R.
The only wild card here is price. If the price is right, this will be awesome.
Oh, and while blue laser and next gen things are all nice things for the future dual layer solves an immediate problem. We dont have "original" blue laser / HD material to backup but a ton of dvd9s. I doubt dual layer +R technology is years away.
