8.5GB DVD+R discs

[admin]

Hopefully, when dual layered burners are available, there will be a handful of dual layered media (particularly cheaper branded ones) around, since there should no reason for any delays (I hope a 6 month period from announcement to shipment should be enough).

What does everyone think the price will be for dual layered media? I think $US 10 won't be unexpected, although you may be able to get blanks at $US 6-8 if you shop wisely. I think the movie industry will think this is good enough to prevent copying DVDs from being too much of an incentive, especially if you consider the renting cost of the original DVD.

[Oriphus]

Actually, thats a very good question. Im going to try and find that out from Ritek. I'll get back to you on it.

[ormonde]

It will be interesting to see if the dual layered capability for most DVD burners will be in the form of a firmware update–allowing them to be backwards compatible, or will we have to buy a new drive to benefit profitability for the manufacturers.

[HDTiVo]

Unless it was specifically advertised to be so, what makes anyone think any burner would be upgradeable in any way to dual layer?

[ormonde]

"what makes anyone think any burner would be upgradeable in any way to dual layer?"

It has been suggested that this might be a possibility in other threads. I'm not saying that I believe them outright.

[Oriphus]

Well, to burn a Dual layered disc, the intensity and the focusing of the laser has to be changed, in layman terms, a firmware update may be able to do this depending on the laser and its specifications, etc... Apparently it may be possible on a DVR107, we will wait for the firmware pro's, such as Gradius to come up with something. If he does, i expect all of you to make a nice donation to say thanks

[Oriphus]

Ritek are apparently working on Dual Layer media at the min, but prices and ETA for delivery are not yet available. i'll update you whenever i know anything more. Ritek apparently were concentrating on the 8x+R recording at a high quality with loads of re-tests and re-desgins of the dye to get it spot on before they started on the Dual layer.

[admin]

A lot of drives showcasing dual layered burning technology today are actually 8x drives with experimental firmware.

For firmware changes to dual layer, the drive must be 8x, as only it's laser has enough intensity to write to dual layered media. As I mentioned in the newsletter a couple of issue ago, just because it's possible for a new firmware to enable dual layer writing, it doesn't mean that there will be an official firmware to allow this, and hence, make drive manufacturers lose a lot of profit in the process.

[ormonde]

"it doesn't mean that there will be an official firmware to allow this, and hence, make drive manufacturers lose a lot of profit in the process."

This is what I've always suspected. So realistically, there will probably be a whole new line of drives.

[Oriphus]

The key in that sentence was "Official Firmware". If you get my meaning...

[admin]

Precisely

[Oriphus]

lol - must be that high IQ test

[Quality's Proof]

I caught the catch phrase, also, generally, speaking. Doom 9 has an interesting article about the 4X duaal layer factory firmware for A 06 Pioneer in the January archived NEWS. A month later a different magazine tried to print a retraction......we'll have to hold Pioneer's feet to the fire on their official f......up.

[Quality's Proof]

Now, did you catch what my news flash is?

[Oriphus]

"Pioneer has demonstrated dual layer burning during the CES, the technology exhibition in Las Vegas. The company succeeded recording to two layers DVD-R in October 2003 and now firstly publicly demonstrated the technology. In the booth of the RWPPI (RW Products Promotion Initiative) they wrote 100 MB to each layer. The discs were read back by a normal DVD player.

Intresting however is that the company used a Pioneer A06 burner with only a modified firmware. According to the company only a firmware modification is needed in order to make a DVD-R drive write dual layer discs. The disc was written at 2 speed. The DVD-R dual layer specifications have not yet been passed by the DVD Forum."