Features - Storage Innovations:

SONY SHIPS 23GB BLUE LASER MEDIA FOR PROFESSIONAL DATA STORAGE

Sony Electronics has elevated optical storage technology to new heights by shipping Professional Disc for DATA media, an innovative recording technology that uses blue lasers instead of standard red lasers to write more data onto a disc.

Featuring an extraordinary 23.3GB storage capacity per single-sided disc, Professional Disc for DATA media provides the storage capacity needed to fulfill the rigorous demands of data-intensive applications, such as medical imaging, broadcast, audio/video editing, graphic design and enterprise content management. The new format -- available in both write-once and rewritable versions -- also boasts fast 11MB per second read and 9MB per second write speeds for quick file storage and retrieval.

"Professional Disc for DATA technology marks a new era for disc storage," said Masaki Hattori, director of marketing for Sony Electronics' Media and Applications Solutions Division. "Our customers have been clamoring for an innovative optical storage platform that offers massive capacity, while still retaining the high-speed, random access benefits of disc. Sony Professional Disc for DATA media is the embodiment of these attributes."

Sony-branded Professional Disc for DATA media takes advantage of the shorter wavelength provided by a blue-violet laser and a high-performance lens to write up to four times more data on a disc than what is possible with red laser-based CD, DVD and magneto optical (MO) technologies. The Professional Disc for DATA laser's shorter wavelength allows for more data to be stored in a smaller area.

"Blue laser optical storage technologies, such as Sony's Professional Disc for DATA format, overcome the capacity and performance limitations of current professional disc storage formats," said Wolfgang Schlichting, research director for removable storage at IDC. "The advanced imaging and editing requirements of broadcast and medical companies will particularly benefit from the 23GB capacity of Professional Disc for DATA."

Understanding PDD Technology

Professional Disc for DATA media features a narrower track pitch than CD, DVD and MO technologies. The track pitch of an optical disc is comparable to line spacing on a sheet of paper. Narrower line spacing results in more information per sheet. The same holds true for optical media. A narrower track pitch, enabled by the blue-violet lasers, results in a higher recording density and more storage capacity per disc.

Because of the high storage capacity for Professional Disc for DATA media, Sony paid special attention to disc durability during the development process. The result is a newly designed, anti-static polycarbonate resin cartridge that covers the disc, protecting it from damage and data loss or errors during the write/read process. The cartridge also decreases media sensitivity to dust, fingerprints and other contaminants for extended resilience. Based on internal testing, Sony Professional Disc for DATA media has an estimated lifespan of over 50 years and can be rewritten (erase/write/read cycles) more than 10,000 times.

Extended PDD Technology Roadmap

Sony is planning at least three generations of Professional Disc for DATA technology, with the aim of doubling capacity and performance from one generation to the next. Second-generation Professional Disc for DATA technology is expected in 2005, featuring a 50GB storage capacity on a singlesided, double layer disc with a transfer rate of 18 MB per second. Planned for release in 2007, third-generation Professional Disc for DATA drives and media are projected to reach a 100GB storage capacity using double-sided media and a transfer rate of 36 MB per second.

Professional Disc For DATA vs. Blu-Ray

While Professional Disc for DATA media uses a blue laser similar to Blu-ray technology, the two are disparate formats targeted at different markets. According to Hattori, Professional Disc for DATA is for businesses seeking a professional data storage solution. Blu-ray, on the other hand, is a high-end consumer recording technology that is available only in Japan for now. Professional Disc for DATA and Blu-ray discs are not interchangeable.