Sony & Panasonic team up for new 300GB discs by 2015

[Wendell R. Breland]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

We already have another conusmer disc-based format and three formats on the shelves

Have not bought a movie on DVD since 2003 but there used to be two versions available for many titles (anamorphic and P&S). Some titles had anamorphic on one side and P&S on the other. At any rate, it is like you say, it is not a simple choice between BD & DVD for many titles. And if the studios should ever release titles in anamorphic on BD then we will have another choice to make.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by djgeneral

http://variety.com/2013/digital/news...it-1200569762/

To me, it’s kind of amazing (and, at the same time gratifying, as it points to good interest in regards to the consumer 4K movement) that these professional blogger articles are glossing over the stated intent of the basic agreement between Sony and Panasonic and pretty much concentrating on its potential application for 4K home media. I mean, not a word on a main competitor to the 300 GB disc project…namely LTO tape, and the comparative advantages and disadvantages of each storage solution, i.e. a disc-based format allows easy access to file-based content and one is less forced to migrate every 5-7 years as often seen with LTO tape, etc.

Anyway, since the trades and tech bloggers seem focused on 300 GB Blu-ray discs for 4K home media (seemingly downplaying the efficiency of advanced compression schemes), these are some alternative views, the later being from an Apple fanboy who ends the article with the infamous “Blu-ray is just a bag of hurt” phrase.

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/...o-save-the-cd/
http://blogs.computerworld.com/stora...t-apple-doesnt

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by radagast

Would you agree that IF this new format is eventually used for 4K content, that it should have 30fps or 60fps instead of Blu-ray's 24fps?

Not "instead", especially if you’re talking movies (as essentially only a couple Directors with almost unlimited studio-backed resources are currently involving themselves in HFR feature motion pictures, not to mention that many post houses are hoping it (HFR) DOESN’T succeed because they will then be forced to make some upgrades), I would agree that support of 4K @ 60 Hz in addition to traditional 4K @ 24 fps would show good foresight.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by partridge

...4K tv's are new and very, very expensive and you probably need a very large set to appreciate the extra detail anyway, will 4K sets even be available in sizes under 60"? That will rule out the vast majority of homes.

http://www.amazon.com/Seiki-Digital-...3504939&sr=1-3 ….and it comes with free batteries!

[img eL]

It's great to see Sony & Panasonic continuing a half century of optical disc research & development. In the meantime I hope that when the BDA (Blu ray Disc Association) meets for adding new specifications that BDXL for commercial use is part of the new specifications.

[Penton-Man]

Originally Posted by img eL

It's great to see Sony & Panasonic continuing a half century of optical disc research & development. In the meantime I hope that when the BDA (Blu ray Disc Association) meets for adding new specifications that BDXL for commercial use is part of the new specifications.

More than a few folks believe that those discs (BDXL 128 GB) can comfortably fit 10-bit 4:2:0 4K movies encoded with HEVC Main 10 Profile at Level 5.1…..this is of course all pending on what is highlighted in red -> https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread...re#post7629209 (from 5/31/2013) gets sorted out with at least a basic *understanding* from all who are claiming rights.

[img eL]

BDXL disc's would be great for 1080P movies. You could fit long movies on one disc with better Audio & Visual Quailty, Fit more episodes, seasons of shows. Fit all the extras on one disc, etc.

[Penton-Man]

Why stop at 128 GB for that? 200 GB discs were successfully developed and tested even by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, as per repeated personal communications between me and then President Worldwide Ben Feingold (who played a critical role in Sony's Blu-ray push back in the day - http://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...-53119447.html )

For documentation as to around when it all began, scroll down and see the introduction in the paper entitled “Use of grating in reading multi-layer disc to reduce amount of interlayer cross-talk” here - http://spie.org/Documents/Conference...dline-2008.pdf

If I recall correctly, seems to me TDK also developed their own brand of 200 GB Blu-ray disc years ago too.

[radagast]

What I haven't found any information about, is what kind of beam is going to be used. A long time ago I read an article about a company that was developing a disc with a very high capacity. It didn't use a laser, but a very narrow focused particle beam. I think the company went belly up before they finished the product.

[radagast]

The company was Norsam.