400 GB Blu-ray 16 layers

[navychop]

Per this article, Pioneer is developing the 16 layer 400 GB Blu-ray disc. It seems to be compatible with existing players, but to what degree is unstated.

"Pioneer uses a technique that reduces crosstalk from adjacent layers. The result is a 16-layer optical disc that plays high-quality signals from every layer."

More info 7/13/08.

I tried to highlight the link in blue, but that feature does not seem to be working right now.

 

[vurbano]

oh I will be buying one of those.

 

[gadgtfreek]

It'd be nice if this ended up being backwards compatible. Hopefully we'll learn more 7-13th.

Heres the PIO press:

http://pioneer.jp/press/release193.html

 

[navychop]

Gee. I might get my Blu-ray server back up system one day after all.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Man, 400gig discs would sure allow some compression room for movies . Now we'll all have to by new tv's :haha

 

[diogen]

A snowflake has a better chance to survive in hell then existing BD players reading anything outside 2 layers on any disc: the OPU is not capable of anything else (and can't be made using software only). Backwards compatibility means new players will be capable of reading old 2-layer BD discs. Just like today's BD players are backwards compatible with DVD, i.e. capable of playing DVDs.

The chance to see those new 400GB discs/players outside engineering samples is even lower than that snowflake chances for success...

And before you ask, yes, it's my opinion...

Diogen.

 

[navychop]

I'm pretty sure they mean current players will be able to read two of those layers, not all 16. And what you said about future players.

 

[vurbano]

A snowflake has a better chance to survive in hell then existing BD players reading anything outside 2 layers on any disc: the OPU is not capable of anything else (and can't be made using software only). Backwards compatibility means new players will be capable of reading old 2-layer BD discs. Just like today's BD players are backwards compatible with DVD, i.e. capable of playing DVDs.

The chance to see those new 400GB discs/players outside engineering samples is even lower than that snowflake chances for success...

And before you ask, yes, it's my opinion...

Diogen.

i agree

 

[mike123abc]

Perhaps BD 3.0. 2 copies of a movie could be put on the BD. One for the old 2.0 and lower BD players, and perhaps deeper color depth and/or higher resolution put in a few of the new layers. New players could read the new layers, and the old player continue to work.

But, I somehow doubt they will ever do anything practical like that. I do not think that the studios will go for 4k resolution with 32 bit color depths/channel.

 

[meStevo]

Perhaps BD 3.0. 2 copies of a movie could be put on the BD. One for the old 2.0 and lower BD players, and perhaps deeper color depth and/or higher resolution put in a few of the new layers. New players could read the new layers, and the old player continue to work.

But, I somehow doubt they will ever do anything practical like that. I do not think that the studios will go for 4k resolution with 32 bit color depths/channel.

You said the magic word.

Practical, and what you just described probably won't happen for a long time if ever.

 

[gadgtfreek]

Just hit 500gb's.

Pioneer Produces 500GB Blu-ray Disc - TrustedReviews

If at first you succeed, just go and raise the bar anyway...

Since seems to be the motto at Pioneer since it has followed up its ground breaking (and potentially Blu-ray compatible) 16 layer 400GB optical disc (below) with a 500GB version less than one month later.

A mammoth 25 layers were jammed onto the disc this time around and it also has the same potential to be made Blu-ray compatible - though whether a disc with the capability to handle around 20+ 1080p flicks has really any use other than as a storage medium is open to some debate (2160p Fuller HD anyone?!).

"While Blu-ray discs (BD), offering both 25GB and 50GB, are sufficient for users' current demands, we envision the need for a technology that can support far greater capacities as HD streaming in particular becomes commonplace and users build larger files of digital content," said Pioneer Multimedia Division Product Manager Brendan Sheridan. "The multi-layered method is compatible with Blu-ray devices providing a long term future for the technology and is more easily produced when compared to competing technologies such as holographic storage."
Sheridan admits the disc is only a research project at present though talks are ongoing with the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) about formalising the standard. Public availability? Between two and four years it claims - though I'm guessing it will take a brave man to risk a 500GB coaster...

 

[nonrev]

:sleeo

 

[navychop]

Four or five hundred GB would be great for storage. And would make 3D with multiple language tracks easily obtainable. Gee- the storage medium of choice for future holovision movies?

I'd love to see it. But I'm not putting my nickle down on it ever seeing the light of day. Not until more is known, and from independent sources.