June 6, 2005
TDK ANNOUNCES 100GB BLUE LASER DISC TECHNOLOGY
Leading Media Company Realizes Historic
Advancements in High Definition Blue Laser Technology
GARDEN CITY, NY, June 6, 2005 – TDK, a
world leader in digital recording solutions, has developed
a prototype recordable Blu-ray Disc with revolutionary 100GB
capacity. By far the most advanced optical media ever developed,
the prototype 100GB bare Blu-ray Disc doubles both the capacity
and recording speed of the current Blu-ray Disc specification.
Blu-ray’s industry-leading capacity means a single disc
can store a vast assortment of content without making quality
compromises. A single, prototype 100GB Blu-ray Disc can store
approximately *9 hours of high definition video.
* Recorded at 24Mbps
Recently unveiled in Tokyo, Japan, TDK’s new prototype
Blu-ray Disc records data at 72 megabits per second, double
the 36Mbps rate of the current Blu-ray Disc specification.
The increased speed has been accomplished through recent advancements
in disc recording layer formulations. The initial Blu-ray
Disc standard allows for 25GB single layer Blu-ray Discs and
50GB dual layer Blu-ray Discs. To achieve 100GB capacity,
the prototype Blu-ray Disc incorporates four 25GB layers.
Like all Blu-ray Disc media, TDK’s prototype 100GB Blu-ray
Disc is single sided.
Hideki Hirata, TDK Engineering Manager, noted, “Anticipation
surrounding the release of the bare Blu-ray Disc format continues
to grow. Although there’s been considerable speculation
regarding next-generation Blu-ray Disc capacities, TDK is
the first to successfully achieve 100GB in a working, prototype
disc. TDK’s development of a prototype 100GB Blu-ray
Disc with double the recording speed of the current specification
validates the company’s position as a leader in extending
the capabilities of optical media.”
TDK Advancements Unlock Blu-ray Disc’s Potential
TDK technologies are redefining state-of-the-art optical media
specifications and performance. The company’s advanced
sputtering technology played a key role in enabling the creation
of the prototype100GB Blu-ray Disc. Additionally, TDK’s
new inorganic film formulation provides absolute stability
with narrow track pitches and high recording densities, such
as those employed by the Blu-ray Disc format. The formulation’s
optical qualities are so stable that TDK has already been
able to achieve 6x (216Mbps) recording speed in the lab with
blue laser media.
TDK Technologies Make Bare Blu-ray Disc a Reality
Because Blu-ray Disc media’s data tracks are quite narrow
even in comparison with DVD media, precise, stable interaction
between the laser and the recording material is especially
critical to ensuring error-free recording and playback. That’s
why TDK developed DURABIS, an innovative hard coating technology
that makes bare Blu-ray Disc media a reality by protecting
the disc surface against common contaminants such as scratches,
fingerprints and dust adherence.
DURABIS increases the scratch resistance of Blu-ray Disc
media by a factor of 100, as demonstrated in rigorous testing.
Because the DURABIS coating technology rapidly discharges
static electricity, the discs also resist the accumulation
of dust.
TDK’s creation of DURABIS has eliminated the need for
cumbersome cartridges to protect the media’s recording
layer and is allowing the development of bare Blu-ray Disc
media. Eliminating the need for a cartridge will minimize
manufacturing costs. What’s more, with DURABIS coating
technology allowing the production of bare Blu-ray Discs,
the format will allow for the same user experience as with
today’s CDs and DVDs.
As a member of the Blu-ray Disc Association Board of Directors,
TDK has played a key role in the development of Blu-ray, the
next generation optical media format that will not only change
the way we experience home entertainment and computing, but
will also create unprecedented business efficiencies.
About TDK
TDK Corporation (NYSE: TDK) is a leading global electronics
company based in Japan. It was established in 1935 to commercialize
“ferrite,” a key material in electronics and magnetics.
The company today is a leader in the development of next-generation
technologies such as Blu-ray Disc recording media, an optical
disc ideally suited for high-definition video recording. TDK
offers a full line of recordable DVD and CD media, digital
camcorder tapes, professional data storage solutions and much
more.
# # #
For more information contact:
Matthew Pennacchio
FM Group Public Relations
(631) 385-1304 ext. 404
matthew.pennacchio@fm-group.net
TDK is a trademark or registered trademark
of TDK Corporation.
DURABIS is a trademark of TDK Corporation.
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