Digital Multilayer Disk

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Digital Multilayer Disk (DMD) is an optical disc format developed by D Data Inc. It is based on the Fluorescent Multilayer Disc, which was created by the now bankrupt company Constellation 3D. This format can store between 22 and 32 GB of binary information. It is based on the red laser technology, so DMD discs and players can be easily made in the existing plants with little modifications. Discs are composed of multiple data layers joined by a fluorescent material. Unlike actual DVDs and CDs, DMD do not have metallic layers, so they are nearly transparent. Each one is coated with proprietary chemical compositions, and those chemicals react when the red laser shines on a particular layer. That chemical reaction generates a signal, which is then read by the disc reader. Like putting more pages in a book and adjusting the font size of the letters, HD-DMD can dramatically increase the storage capacity of a single standard disc. This simple, yet robust technology makes cost effective 20, 50, and even 100 GB discs a reality.

[edit] Advantages

• A high definition movie requires about 13 GB of storage with compression, so it can fit in a HD-DMD single disc, and there is enough space to add some extra contents such as out-takes, additional scenes, etc.
• Because HD-DMD only requires a stable, reliable red-laser to read information from the disk, the manufacturing processes for both disks and drives is much simpler and much less expensive than other alternatives, such as those based on blue laser technology.
• HD-DMD technology does not ‘stretch’ the limits of science. In the case of technologies based on blue laser, these approaches focus on squeezing more information onto a single layer. And there simply isn’t any more room on the layer to squeeze more data, thereby limiting the capacity of disks using blue laser. To continue with the book analogy, the blue laser alternatives are shrinking the font size to squeeze more words on a page, where as HD-DMD is adding more pages to the book. The primary advantage is that HD-DMD is not constrained in the number of pages it can add to the book, while there is a limit to how small the font size can be for alternatives base on blue laser.
• HD-DMD is highly scalable. In other words, cost effective 20GB, 50GB, 100GB+ disks are possible with little additional research & development required.
• HD-DMD enables dramatic improvements in piracy protection, by taking advantage of the multiple layers of information.
• Now, DData is working on some advances in the development and production of optical heads for disk drives, variable bit-rate encoding, as well as advances in disk production processes

[edit] When will this technology be available?

Now, boutique cinemas and other viewing venues in key markets have the first HD-DMD products. Digital Multilayer Disk players, that is, HDTV capacity players require the higher storage capacity of HD-DMD to store sufficient audio and video data to fully utilize the capabilities of HDTV receivers and projectors, enabling full length movies, at high definition, on a single disk. In select US markets you can also find HD-DMD products. HD-DMD will become more broadly available to consumers in 2007.

[edit] External link

• D Data Inc.

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