Sony Announces Upcoming 1.3GB CD Products

jedi_jeffrey writes: "Check out the Sony 1.3 Gig High Density CD/CDRW -- They say it can't be copied :-)" Higher-capacity CDs might be nice, but many comments in the attached Talkback forum (like this one) gripe with reason about incompatibility, particularly given Sony's track record with closed-standard storage devices, and the much larger capacity of DVD.

Comments

Missing the point.

[GoRK]

Take heed.

This format is 99% likely NOT TO BE backward compatible. Your AudioCD player, PSX, Dreamcast, (insert your own consumer device here) will NOT be able to read these discs.

The format is a nice idea and will probably make a pretty good showing. To the people griping about "well we already have DVD-RW DVD-RAM et al." remember that this format isn't designed to replace DVD. DVD requires not only a different disc format but also a different redbook/orangebook/whitebook spec. The 1.3GB CD's will be different media but still work with normal CD-style stuff (e.g. CDDA) which you can't do with DVD.

I really hate this whole idea though and I wish they would have spent all that money on figuring out how to maximize the storage capacity of existing CD equipment (Like the new 99 minute! CDR's coming out soon - these use the thinner spiral of 80Min CD's along with a better and more reliable method of manufacturing the disc which allows for the media to be overburned reliably to 99 minutes.)

Consumer CDROM readers and many commercial players already have accurate enough laser assemblies and motors that by virtue of tweaking the firmware, you could easily handle thinner track width and/or smaller pits/lands on a disc.

Which is another interesting point. After sony introduces this format, It's likely that we'll see a plethora of firmware upgrades to every CDROM reader under the sun to support this stuff and the format will take off and soar.

We'll have to wait and see.

~GoRK

Re:Missing the point.

[Cy Guy]

Wow, lots of points.

Like many others I think this new disk is irrelevant. For 1.3G they could just produce a double sided CD which would be backward compatible with every current device, provided you are will to flip the disk over. Also, I think the failure of 2 and 3 disk CD-ROM drives has shown that merely doubling the capacity isn't sufficient to get people to scrap their old hardware.

Regarding firmware upgrades, I know a lot of people that bought cheap Smart & Friendly CD-RW drives. Since Smart & Friendly is now out of business, I assume I will be out of luck when it comes to firmware upgrades.

Regarding alternative products, I thnk for recordable media, the recordable DVD formats have a significant headstart, so I think one of these (or a hybrid standard) will eventually win out.

As for pre-recorded media, in addition to DVD, there is a lot of work going on with flourescent disk layering (FMD), including Constellation 3D's 50G disks which are supposed to be available (at least for high-end uses) by the end of the year.

Paranoia.. :)

[Lonesmurf]

Did anyone else realise that this new media is about the size of a Dreamcast GD-ROM (which is 1.2GB)? Perfect for making those pirated copies of DC games on one disc.

And who is making these discs that are used to pirate games? Why, Sega's arch-rival.. SONY!

Co-ink-ee-dink? I think not!

What a world we live in.

Rami James
Guy who sees possibilities.
--

The next obsolete storage media

[Dungeon Dweller]

This will be like many of the iomega products, flopticals, and the superdisk.

Almost obsolete when it comes out, not that great to begin with, closed so no one else can make them, and people won't even remember it a year from now.

Here's to beta!

This is irelivant technology from the outset.

[Forge]

This is a flop waiting to happen. It has 2X the capacity of a CD and far less than a DVD. It is copy protected ( fat chance ) and requires new hardware to work.

What is the market for this thing ? How is it going to sell ?

Software authors will continue to use CD-ROM for anything that fits because copy protection is impractical for stuff users must install.

Movie people will still use DVD because frankly they own that format and have an installed base. Never mind that 1.3 Gig is too small for high res film.

That leaves users who want to make copies of there own stuff but alas CDR drives are down in the $170 range and blanks are rapidly approaching diskette price. $1 and less in bulk.

In order for this to move into the market it needs to be faster than CDRW and in the same price range even then there is a pretty good chance it will flop like LS120 and 2.8 meg floppies before it.

Dose anyone else remember 2.8 meg floppy ? Has anyone actually used a 2.8 meg diskette ? I have and it was the OS/2 setup disk for a high end PS/2. No 3rd parties ever adopted it as far as I know of. Compaq had the same prob with LS120 for some years until now it's irrelevant ( zip is cheaper too ).

In the removable storage business incremental improvements don't matter and less than DVD is no improvement at all. Sorry Sony, better luck next time.