TDK has reached a landmark in the development of recordable Blue-Laser technology, achieving a groundbreaking capacity of 200GB. TDK's new technology doubles the capacity of TDK's existing 100GB Blu-ray prototype.
One of TDK?s new 200GB Blue-Laser Discs could store approximately 18 hours of high definition video (encoded at 24Mbps).
The initial Blu-ray Disc standard allows for 25GB single layer Blu-ray Discs and 50GB dual layer Blu-ray Discs. However, the latest signal processing innovation stretches the physical limits of optical media, holding 33.3GB on each of the disc's six layers. As with the 100GB disc, and other Blu-ray Disc media, TDK's 200GB Blue-Laser Disc is single sided.
Taro Ikushima, Product Manager Commercial Products Europe, said: "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. TDK was the first to develop a prototype 100GB recordable Blu-ray Disc, and yet again, our landmark achievement in creating a 200GB disc further cements the company's position as a true pioneer in advancing the capabilities of optical media."
TDK's research and development into new technologies is bringing new possibilities to next generation optical media specifications and performance. The company?s advanced material technology was influential in playing a key role in enabling the creation of the 200GB Blue-Laser Disc development. The company's 100GB prototype disc uses four layers of 25GB to reach 100GB capacity. For the most recent 200GB technology development, TDK has stretched the physical margins of the Blu-ray Disc format to hold up to 33,3GB per layer while staying within the tolerances of the BD playback specifications.
TDK's advanced material technology played a key role in enabling the creation of the 200GB Blue-Laser Disc. Additionally, TDK's new inorganic film formulation provides stability with narrow track pitches and high recording densities, such as those employed by the Blu-ray Disc format. The formulation's optical qualities are so stable that TDK has already been able to achieve 6x (216Mbps) recording speed on a 25GB write-once Blu-ray Disc prototype, according to TDK.
Because Blu-ray Disc media's data tracks are quite narrow even in comparison with DVD media, precise, stable interaction between the laser and the recording material is especially critical to ensuring error-free recording and playback. That's why TDK developed DURABIS, an innovative hard coating technology that makes bare Blu-ray Disc media a reality by protecting the disc surface against common contaminants such as scratches and fingerprints.
DURABIS increases the scratch resistance of Blu-ray Disc media by a factor of 100 in comparison with non treated disc surface, as demonstrated in rigorous testing. Because the DURABIS coating technology rapidly discharges static electricity, the discs also resist the accumulation of dust.
Specially formulated for Blu-ray Disc media, DURABIS2 is a hard coating technology.
TDK also announced that it is to begin shipping 50GB recordable and rewritable Blu-ray Disk (BD) media across Europe in time for IFA.
Recommended Retail Pricing is set at 35 Euro for a 50GB BD-R (write once) and 45 Euro for a 50GB BD-RE.