Pax Optical

Some suggest the conflict between Blu-ray Disc (BD) and HD DVD can be resolved by simply offering devices compatible with both formats. I’m not so sure. It’s easy to paint a rosy picture of peaceful coexistence, but compromise comes at a price. Pax Optical Hugh Bennett EMedialive, Apr 3, 2007 “I came not to bring …

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Blu-ray Disc and the Meaning of Backwards Compatibility

Change is unsettling. But, like it or not, change is once again upon us—this time with the arrival of next generation Blu-ray Disc (BD). Naturally, consumers and even professionals are apprehensive about this new format but, even so, BD’s promoters are doing an embarrassingly poor job of understanding and answering concerns. For example, manufacturers and …

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18X DVD Recording – Why Bother?

Good grief. Just when recordable DVD hits the accepted speed limit we find a couple of joyriders stepping on the gas. Manufacturers already have tremendous difficulty delivering consistent and compatible lower-speed products and we know that next generation Blu-ray is due out in the spring. 18X DVD Recording – Why Bother? Hugh Bennett EMedialive, November …

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Socrates, Pascal, and Multilayer Blu-ray Discs

Socrates tells us that the unexamined life isn’t worth living. The same can be said for business. With scores of product launches and decades of market experience behind it, the optical storage industry has had ample opportunity for introspection. But, sadly, I see little evidence that past experience has entered the minds of manufacturers who, …

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Recordable & Rewritable Blu-ray Disc: How Far, How Fast?

As Blu-ray Disc’s (BD) entrance draws near, I’m increasingly asked about its writable formats. How long will it take to record a BD disc? How much will its writing speeds increase in the future? How quickly will it get there? And, frankly, is there a way for the industry to avoid past problems and intelligently …

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Just Scratching the Surface: Writable Optical Disc Protection

Let’s face it — writable CDs and DVDs are tough but they can be damaged. Scratches, scrapes, fingerprints, dust, and just plain crud can play havoc with reading and, especially, with writing. Dealing with these everyday realities in ways that keep discs realistically priced and marketable remains a challenge for product designers. Just Scratching the …

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Enter the Backulator

Question: What do you get when you cross a data backup system with an automated optical disc duplicator? Answer: A “backulator!”

BeAll Releases 4.85GB Extended Capacity DVD-R Discs

Who doesn’t need additional data storage space? BeAll Developers answers the call with its new EX (Extreme eXtended) DVD-R disc featuring an enhanced capacity of 4.85GB. Priced at a premium over standard media, 4X DVD-R EX is currently available while 16X is still in the works. BeAll Releases 4.85GB Extended Capacity DVD-R Discs Hugh Bennett …

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Pioneer BDR-2203 Internal Blu-ray Disc Writer Review

Although Blu-ray Disc (BD) recorders have been available for years, it’s only now that they are becoming affordable, fast and practical enough to interest a broad audience. Pioneer’s new BDR-2203 internal BD writer kit is leading this charge with its reasonable price, solid performance and genuine utility. The BDR-2203 ($249) is a straightforward retail bundling …

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The Ins and Outs of Blu-ray Disc Replication and Licensing

It takes more than just imagination and hard work to put together a Blu-ray video disc. Outside of the usual authoring mechanics, content owners and publishers must not only make physical production decisions but also contend with numerous legal and financial obligations to the technology, patent, trademark, and other intellectual property holders.

Blu-ray Disc Licensing for Small Publishers, Duplicators, and Independent Studios

Whether we acknowledge, like, or even understand them, we all have obligations. Traditionally, legal responsibilities for videographers, photographers, filmmakers, and service bureaus fall along the lines of managing copyright interests as well as privacy and publicity rights. Distributing digital audio, video, text, and still images, either electronically or on physical media, often involves equally important …

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