Panasonic To Ship Blu-ray Disc Drive On June 10th

[Ian]

Pansonic has announced that they'll be shipping their first Blu-ray Disc drive on June 10th:

http://panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/offici ... 421-5.html
http://panasonic.co.jp/corp/news/offici ... 421-1.html

Writing Speeds:
BD-R: 2x
BD-RE: 2x
DVD±R: 8
DVD+RW: 8x
DVD-RW: 6x
DVD±R DL: 4x
DVD-RAM: 5x
CD-R: 24x
CD-RW: 16x

Read Speeds
BD-ROM: 2x
DVD-ROM: 8x
CD-ROM: 32x

Access Times
BD-R/RE: 210ms
DVD-RAM: 220ms
DVD-ROM: 170ms
CD-ROM: 160ms

Is it just me or is Pioneer's Blu-ray drive already being seriously outclassed?

[Ian]

I-O DATA's version of the drive is 105,000 Yen.. or $899US!!!

http://www.iodata.jp/news/2006/04/06_pr005.htm

[dodecahedron]

there we go again ... no cartridge

[MonsterMan]

there we go again ... no cartridge

I thought that Blu-Ray didn't need those thanks to TDKs super-hard-and-better-than-Armor Plated-DVDs coating ?

[Ian]

Actually, I think Matsushita (Panasonic) developed the coating. That's why they were against combining HD DVD and Blu-ray. They would have lost out on a ton of licensing fees.

[dodecahedron]

i'd thought originally Blu-Ray was supposed to be cartridged ? but i could be wrong.
in any case it wouldn't have lasted (just like with DVD-RAM).

Actually, I think Matsushita (Panasonic) developed the coating. That's why they were against combining HD DVD and Blu-ray. They would have lost out on a ton of licensing fees.

why ? if the format were combined they would'nt get anything for the use of their technology ? whereas now they get royalty fees from every Blu-ray manufacturer who uses this ?

[dolphinius_rex]

Cartridges are not needed for this media type... I suspect Holographic media will need it though.

Why do you want cartridge based media so badly?

[Spazmogen]

So, when do our test units arrive?

I'd volunteer to test it, but I'm sure my P3 1ghz just won't make the system requirements.

here's the product webpage: http://www.iodata.jp/prod/storage/blu-ray/2006/brd-um2/


Geez. only 24x CD-R speed.

Does it write to 99 minute discs too?

[dodecahedron]

Cartridges are not needed for this media type... I suspect Holographic media will need it though.

Why do you want cartridge based media so badly?

for data integrity.

"not needed" is a relative term.
are cartidges "needed" for DVD-RAM ?
why did DVD-RAM initially come in cartridges and now it doesn't ?

[Ian]

why ? if the format were combined they would'nt get anything for the use of their technology ? whereas now they get royalty fees from every Blu-ray manufacturer who uses this ?

Yes to both.

[dolphinius_rex]

Cartridges are not needed for this media type... I suspect Holographic media will need it though.

Why do you want cartridge based media so badly?

for data integrity.

"not needed" is a relative term.
are cartidges "needed" for DVD-RAM ?
why did DVD-RAM initially come in cartridges and now it doesn't ?

Personally, I feel the cost-to-value ratio is too tipped on the cost side for it to be worth it. Cartridges are expensive! DVD-RAM has come down to ~$3 disc now, and will probably hit ~$2 eventually. The Cartridge more then doubles the cost of the media. Bluray and HDDVD media will probably eventually get down into the $3-$5 range per disc I expect as well. But Holographic media will be very hard to bring down to that level of pricing, as it is much MUCH harder to make. For data integrity on DVD-RAM, just use Hardend Coat DVD-RAM. Verbatim offers it, and Maxell probably does in Japan as well (I'll have to bug them about it!)

[dodecahedron]

well, that's how you feel, i don't.
i'm sure i'm not the only one who would spend the extra bit of money for a disc in a cartridge - much safer. think about all the things that can harm a burn disc that won't happen whe it's in a cartridge!
of course not for everything i burn, but for important data - definitely.
sadly, the price wars etc. kill this. it's not easy to find nowadays a drive that will support cartridged DVD-RAM.

[Pradeep]

You have to remember that as soon as you go to a cartridge format, you kill compatibility for laptops. Also, it can no longer be backwards compatible with DVD/CD, unless you place them in a carrier cartridge. For important stuff, take the disc straight from the burner, and place in jewel case.

[Ian]

Wow, Logitec's version is 120,000 Yen or $1,042US

http://pc.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/2006 ... ogitec.htm

[Ian]

Buffalo wants 105,000 Yen for the internal version of theirs...

http://buffalo.jp/products/new/2005/000246.html
http://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/ ... uffalo.htm

[Alektron]

Do these internal drives use SATA or PATA connected to the motherboard? I think it's foolish to use PATA for Blu-ray. It should be SATA1/SATA2.