DVD sized disc with 1TB - 5TB of data

DVD sized disc with 1TB - 5TB of data
A Jerusalem-based company wants to solve your craving for higher-than-Blu-ray capacities on discs the size of DVDs within the next few years. Mempile has developed a disc around the same size as a standard DVD disc (although a little bit thicker) which it says could store up to 1TB of data, or up to 5TB when the move is made to blue lasers after it reaches its red laser goals. For comparison, a dual-layer Blu-ray disc stores 50GB, HD DVD can reach 30GB and the standard DVD stores up to 8.5GB.

The 1TB of data would be stored on 200 layers of 5GB each, but do not think of the layers as being the same as layers in today's widely available optical discs. Mempile's solid discs use a specially developed variant of the polymer polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)—a mixture of Perspex, Lucite, and Plexiglass—known as ePMMA. In DVD and Blu-ray, layers are stacked and stuck together.



Mempiles discs are comprised instead of "virtual layers" and during recording a photochemical reaction is used to modify the plastic, writing a "1" or leaves it unchanged to represent a "0". This 3D approach allows for much higher data storage than the 2D used by DVD technology. Right now, the technology is limited to "write-once" but the company hopes that read/write drives will be available in the future.

The company's prototypes for now reach around 600GB - 800GB capacity. The company claims that the discs have a lifespan of 50 years and that the technology could be brought to the market within three years.

Source:
Ars Technica

Written by: James Delahunty @ 4 Sep 2007 20:01
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  • 30 comments

  • Pop_Smith

    Something like this, if it gets to market (and with a reasonable price) in the next few years, could totally eliminate the Blu-Ray/HD DVD "War".

    Either that or with how much is being pumped into both sides already I could see a big shot company or two ($ony for Blu-Ray and Micro$oft for HD DVD) buying and updating the specs of there format to use this technology.

    Who knows, personally I hope this tech takes off and wipes out HD DVD and Blu-Ray before either really gets off the ground. Both formats are still way in their infancy so something like this, in my opinion, really could wipe out both of the mentioned formats.

    Peace

    4.9.2007 20:28 #1

  • Unfocused

    Wow! I can put my porn collection on 1 disc!

    4.9.2007 20:49 #2

  • kingy1213

    could thay use this tec in hard drives because there is no point having a 5TB disk and your computer has anly got 1TB of data on it.

    4.9.2007 22:11 #3

  • akaangus

    Sounds pretty kickass...

    Quote:
    The company's prototypes for now reach around 600GB - 800GB capacity    If they can get 600GB TODAY, why would anyone buy a Blu Ray burner? Apparently what you burn can't even be played on a standalone, making data the only use anyways.

    The only issue would be pricing then

    4.9.2007 23:08 #4

  • sk8flawzz

    hmmmm i hope one side would buy out this technology and just take over the war..if both got ahold of it..dammit

    4.9.2007 23:30 #5

  • xtago

    The largest Blu-ray disk is 200gig right now, with 8 layers.

    see what happens I guess.

    I still prefer a crystal reader/writer, 1 crystal 1000TB or more data space.

    4.9.2007 23:47 #6

  • maseo2

    wow a secure high compacity format nintendo can buy and use for the next gen hidef version of wii

    5.9.2007 03:17 #7

  • hughjars

    Originally posted by xtago: The largest Blu-ray disk is 200gig right now, with 8 layers. - No you can have 25gb single layer Blu-ray discs or 50gb dual layer Blu-ray discs, that's the choice and the "largest" available right now or in any credible future.

    200gb is only found in a lab.

    Just like the 4 layer 100gb disc is stuck in the lab.

    They are having enough difficulties in manufacturing sufficient yields of reliable dual layer 50gb Blu-ray discs nevermind these silly flights of imagination for 'more' at some undisclosed point in the future......

    ......and that's 'more' as in it will require brand new hardware and won't just play on any existing Blu-ray player.

    In other-words it might as well be a brand new format for all the relevance it has to any part of Blu-ray (whether it be owners, manufacturers, studios etc etc) today.

    As interesting as these 600gb, 800gb, 1tb & 5tb estimates are there is a world of difference between a purpose designed video media
    (which is what HD DVD and regular SD DVD are)
    and a bulk data storage media
    (which is what Blu-ray was primarily designed to be & what it appears these super-capacity discs are).

    It may well be that they are great for backing up vast amounts of data but wholly unsuitable for real-time video playback.

    5.9.2007 05:32 #8

  • pisho

    we get it hughjars, blu-ray sux and not even this new format could potentially ever hope to compete with the almighty HD DVD

    5.9.2007 06:29 #9

  • MightyOne

    Companies are claiming various types of media with HUGE data storage, just like above.
    I remember reading about a year ago about some type of Holligram chip that could possible store a ton of data...

    Whatever the case be, the consumer cannot just change that fast. Even if the technology is there and is better. I don't think consumers are going to want to change media types on a yearly basis because things are rolling out too fast. There must be a standard made and kept for some time.

    As in above...3 years will be too late...many will have adopted to a newer format and not going to run out and re-purchase - and replace their archived info because of larger media. Only when required.

    Too many options can wreak havoc.

    5.9.2007 06:44 #10

  • BludRayne

    I'd hate to drop that fragile disc and lose 1 tb of porn.

    5.9.2007 08:15 #11

  • maxsixer

    How fast can it load???

    Its stupid having a disc with that much space, its stupid having a disc with 60gigs on it, navigating through a mass amount of txt files on a DVD takes ages, imagine a TB! and how many extras do you need on a dvd movie theyre always crap anyway.

    An ultra fast memory stick with a few TB on it and a HD player that can use it would be the shizniz, nothing beats drag and drop

    5.9.2007 11:31 #12

  • camaro17

    Originally posted by pisho: we get it hughjars, blu-ray sux and not even this new format could potentially ever hope to compete with the almighty HD DVD
    we get it edited by ddp, your an edited by ddp because blu-ray does not suck. blu-ray invented the "blue laser" technology and then the edited by ddphd dvd come along and steals its glory....and brainwashes people telling them hd dvd's are better edited by ddp microfoft....if blu-ray looses sony's gonna be pissed...first betamax...then umd...and now blu-ray has almost good enough competition

    5.9.2007 12:19 #13

  • SuckRaven

    Just think if they put raw, uncompressed MPEG-2 on there for an uber HD movie. Think of all the layer transitions you will have to sit through. =) WOW! Just a thought.

    5.9.2007 12:27 #14

  • windsong

    "A Jerusalem-based company wants to solve your craving.."

    Stopped reading right about there.

    5.9.2007 14:37 #15

  • pisho

    Quote: Originally posted by pisho: we get it hughjars, blu-ray sux and not even this new format could potentially ever hope to compete with the almighty HD DVD


    we get it PISS HOE, your an idiot because blu-ray does not suck...
    I hope you know i was being sarcastic camaro17

    5.9.2007 15:31 #16

  • Unfocused

    Originally posted by MightyOne: and replace their archived info because of larger media. Only when required.

    Too many options can wreak havoc.    Well spoken. It wasn't that long ago that I moved my mp3 collection from CD to DVD. It was a shorter time ago that I moved it from DVD to external HDD's due to the sudden drop in prices.

    5.9.2007 16:16 #17

  • ddp

    camaro, 2 week ban for that.

    everybody else, NO more flames as next ban will be a permanent 1.

    5.9.2007 17:57 #18

  • club42

    Quote:An ultra fast memory stick with a few TB on it and a HD player that can use it would be the shizniz, nothing beats drag and drop
    I wish they would all focus on that rather than optical media.
    Just think how slow it would be to do anything with these. I would love for technology to catch up enough to see optical disks go.

    5.9.2007 18:36 #19

  • ZippyDSM

    Quote:Originally posted by xtago: The largest Blu-ray disk is 200gig right now, with 8 layers. - No you can have 25gb single layer Blu-ray discs or 50gb dual layer Blu-ray discs, that's the choice and the "largest" available right now or in any credible future.

    200gb is only found in a lab.

    Just like the 4 layer 100gb disc is stuck in the lab.

    They are having enough difficulties in manufacturing sufficient yields of reliable dual layer 50gb Blu-ray discs nevermind these silly flights of imagination for 'more' at some undisclosed point in the future......

    ......and that's 'more' as in it will require brand new hardware and won't just play on any existing Blu-ray player.

    In other-words it might as well be a brand new format for all the relevance it has to any part of Blu-ray (whether it be owners, manufacturers, studios etc etc) today.

    As interesting as these 600gb, 800gb, 1tb & 5tb estimates are there is a world of difference between a purpose designed video media
    (which is what HD DVD and regular SD DVD are)
    and a bulk data storage media
    (which is what Blu-ray was primarily designed to be & what it appears these super-capacity discs are).

    It may well be that they are great for backing up vast amounts of data but wholly unsuitable for real-time video playback.    Be fair now the HDVD higher capacities are stuck in the lab as well :P

    5.9.2007 19:25 #20

  • Pop_Smith

    Quote:Be fair now the HDVD higher capacities are stuck in the lab as well :PIts true, isn't the largest stable HD DVD a Triple-Layer 51GB?

    Peace

    5.9.2007 19:50 #21

  • ZippyDSM

    Quote:Quote:Be fair now the HDVD higher capacities are stuck in the lab as well :PIts true, isn't the largest stable HD DVD a Triple-Layer 51GB?

    Peace    Yes and it might require a frimewre overhaul for the first and 2nd gen players, altho for now size is not the issue its price.

    BR is to costly and BD live is draconian with the potential of the "community" to undermine it by flooding it with keys.

    If BR can some how knock 40% off players and blanks they win, until then its a slow fight that is looking to be replaced in a few years 0-o

    I wont buy in until the waters are safe, at 100 or 2 I will get my feet wet.

    5.9.2007 20:12 #22

  • Unfocused

    Originally posted by ZIppyDSM:

    I wont buy in until the waters are safe, at 100 or 2 I will get my feet wet.    I hear that! When I know that my investment will last at least as long as my investment into DVD technology did, then I'll jump from the StandardDef boat.

    In retrospect, I remember all those commercials for DVD that boasted how much clearer the picture was over VHS... I already require glasses, too much clearer and I'll need a set of HD eyes. Maybe the Nikon Implants that William Gibson repeatedly mentions might do the trick...

    5.9.2007 20:39 #23

  • ZippyDSM

    Originally posted by Unfocused: Originally posted by ZIppyDSM:

    I wont buy in until the waters are safe, at 100 or 2 I will get my feet wet.    I hear that! When I know that my investment will last at least as long as my investment into DVD technology did, then I'll jump from the StandardDef boat.

    In retrospect, I remember all those commercials for DVD that boasted how much clearer the picture was over VHS... I already require glasses, too much clearer and I'll need a set of HD eyes. Maybe the Nikon Implants that William Gibson repeatedly mention might do the trick...    LOL
    ^^

    For all the fanboys out their.
    http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles...Console-Rundown
    Oh god I can't stop laughing!!!

    5.9.2007 20:45 #24

  • kyo28

    All these new technologies sound impressive, but most of them are years away or still in a very experimental phase and may never see the light of day. Of course, it's good that the research is being done but I wonder how far we'll be 5 years from now and how many of these projects will see the day of light in a commercial way.

    5.9.2007 23:19 #25

  • hughjars

    Originally posted by zippyDSM: Be fair now the HDVD higher capacities are stuck in the lab as well :P - No, they're not Zippy.

    The 51gb triple layer discs have been formally submitted to the DVD Forum for approval which is nothing like the same.

    They exist, they work and they are under final review for 'regular' production by the industry's regulatory body, the DVD Forum.

    That's a world away from being stuck in the lab......that is, in fact being a few months away from going to market.
    I was told by amirm on avs to expect news of this by the end of the year.

    (and whilst Amirm is - quite openly - a 'Microsoft guy' and may have been sometimes a little 'off' on his claims about Blu-ray he has never once been found to have lied or outrageously twisted HD DVD info.)

    6.9.2007 04:32 #26

  • ChromeMud

    I wish for non-fading ink and a stable disk structure that can last atleast 100 years.
    The trouble with layers in disks is that the deeper the layers the more likelyhood of errors and losing data over time because of scratches,warping or chemical decomposition in the disk structure or ink.
    I like the sound of twin lasers though.That would really help in tracking the data in 3D space rather than in 2D as current players do.

    6.9.2007 10:38 #27

  • dragonbaz

    cant i have a copy of your dvd collection m8 ? sure have you got a disk lmao this size thing is getting crazy

    8.9.2007 07:50 #28

  • moufoglou

    Originally posted by SuckRaven: Just think if they put raw, uncompressed MPEG-2 on there for an uber HD movie. Think of all the layer transitions you will have to sit through. =) WOW! Just a thought.it would be sweet, think of all the "videophiles" calling crappy the compressed video,just like they do now with the mp3...lol
    unfortunately the data rate is as slow as for a DVD, so this isn't possible with these disks.
    And yes, you will have to leave the recorder "burning" the disk overnight for a full disk.
    for more: http://www.tfot.info/news/41/follow-up-m...-questions.html
    and http://www.tfot.info/articles/56/mempile-terabyte-on-a-cd.html

    8.9.2007 20:33 #29

  • borhan9

    This is insane to get this kinda storage i would love this. this would be great if you are running servers and want to back up your servers data.

    10.9.2007 16:00 #30

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