Features - Storage Innovations:

FUJIFILM DEVELOPS 16X DVD-R TECHNOLOGY

Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc, announced the development of a patented, organic dye that will eventually allow DVD-R recording capabilities at speeds spanning 1X to 16X.

The unique dye coating will ultimately make it possible to record the equivalent of a full-length, 2-hour movie in less than 5 minutes.

Recent reports from media analyst firm Giga Stream suggest that by 2005, the DVD-R market will expand globally to 1.3 billion pieces shipped. The new Fujifilm dye coating technology will not only provide the basis for media in future recording devices, but will also maintain backward compatibility with existing legacy DVD-R technology.

Additionally, Fujifilm displayed how this new dye coating can be used in the manufacture of a Blue-Violet LASER write-once optical disc, with recording capacity of 23.3GB. The environmentally friendly organic substrate is well suited for mass production and is designed to utilize already existing spin-coating manufacturing technology.

"Fujifilm has embraced the evolution of digital technology - and heralded several advances in coating innovation that have led to new recording products as well as storage categories," noted Steven Solomon, senior vice president and general manager of the Recording Media Division at Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc. "The convergence of consumer demand and technological capabilities is the root of great new products."

Fuji Photo Film U.S.A is also showcasing at their booth a broad portfolio of optical, flash and magnetic tape products for storing and archiving video, digital image and computer data.