Dual Layer DVD+R Developed

Lucretian writes "And they said it couldn't be done... It appears that Philips has found a way to burn a dual layered DVD+R. Unlike other dual layered disks that have been developed, this one is also designed to be backwards compatible with current DVD players. Phillips will be demonstrating this new technology at CEATEC this coming week at the DVD+RW alliance booth. The DVDs will hold 8.5GB of data (4 hours of video) and are set to be released as soon as next year."

Comments

It will be expensive

[The One KEA]

This latest DVD burning technology will undoubtedly be quite expensive, for both the drives and the media. Especially the media, since it will probably take Phillips a while to manufacture enough media for these devices.

OTOH, it will certainly make it easier for the home movie crowd.

Seriously

[chendo]

Why haven't they agreed on a standard format for DVDs yet? I can't keep track of the -s and +s.

Re:Seriously

[kzinti]

Why haven't they agreed on a standard format for DVDs yet?

What do you mean? They've agreed on many, many standards. So many standards we can each have one! Just take your pick...

No!

[cperciva]

These disks cannot store 4 hours of video. Definitely not. In fact, it's absolutely impossible to store compressed video onto DVDs.

We need these larger disks for backup purposes. Not just that, but we need these disks for backup purposes so that we can evil catch terrorists and corporate criminals.

Remember, these aren't on the market yet. And if they could be used for storing video, they might never reach the market.

Two things

[ejaytee]

First, the movie industry will not like this at all, because virtually every movie will fit onto a single recordable DVD at full bitrate.

Second, the Philips technical paper does say (as expected) that a new drive is required, with an objective lens that can focus into the two recording planes on a disc.

My new DVD+R/W drive has just made reservations for the basement suite next to the 2X CDROM drive.

Re:Two things

[goombah99]

Yep, until now the floodgates of dvd copying have been held back by the fact that movies are ubiquitously about 4.5GB insize and a single DVD-r cant hold that much. Sure you could copy it to your hard drive, but that gets full quickly (at least on a laptop). Or you could compress it, but then for people with home theaters this sucks in quality.

you could burn it onto two CDs but this cost money, is a hassle to actually do correctly, and is a hassle to play back correctly or in a timely fashion when you want to view it.

So until now actually making copies of DVD movies has had significant prohibitive obstacles which are now about to be erased. Of course this will not happen overnight since the price of these things and the media will still be a barrier. But Notice has been served. DVD copying is about to become a real issue.

The next challenge is ...

[Skapare]

The next challenge is to make a Linux distribution like Knoppix big enough to use that whole DVD.

Price & Standards

[TennesseeJeff]

Well, it looks like this will drive down the price of current single-layer DVD-R's (hopefully).

It also appears to comply with standard to play/read in all current DVD players/readers.

Backups will take fewer disks! Now what about the speed?

Re:dual layer double sided?

[The One KEA]

Those are stamped discs, not burned discs. Stamped discs are made using a radically different process where the pits and grooves on a DVD are actually built up in layers and stamped onto the backbone of the disc (the plastic part). Stamped dual-layer DVDs have existed for some time now; Phillips is saying that they invented burnable dual-layer DVDs.