Japan's Ricoh finds way of reading both Blu-ray and HD DVD formats

For some technical details go to this EE article:

Optical device could help read most disk formats

Will be shown at the International Optoelectronics Exhibition '06 outside Tokyo on July 12-14.

The EE article says device will be offered to OEM's at the end of this year, .....

Now combine that with this:

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TDK this week confirmed its plan to develop a Blu-ray disc with a storage capacity of 200GB. Let's put that into perspective - how big is the hard drive in the PC or laptop you're currently using? It's around three times the size of the storage available on my current machine.

If successful, the company's R&D team will produce a disc with four times the capacity of today's biggest BDs and double the size of protoype next-generation BD-Rs TDK has already shown off. TDK unveiled a 100GB prototype in May 2005, which contained four data-storage layers, is recordable and supports a write speed of up to 216Mbps, double that of 50GB BD-Rs.

Now this:

TDK: Ok, we're done with the 200GB recordable Blu-Ray

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TDK: Ok, we're done with the 200GB recordable Blu-Ray

Posted Apr 28th 2006 9:33AM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Storage

That was fast. It took 'em years to develop recordable DVDs, then another couple more for the dual layer variety, but now but a few weeks after TDK announced their hard workin' intentions to develop 8-layer 200GB recordable Blu-ray discs, they've got it bagged. Balls to the fact that we still don't have the players; the interesting thing about these discs, however, is that the data isn't stored on thin layers of dye, no no. Apparently when each layer of bismuth peroxide and germanium oxide is heated to 690K by laser, microscopic air bubbles form and create the bits we've come to know and obsess over. Oh sure, these discs are probably going to be horrendously expensive in the beginning, but isn't it nice to know we're already good to go on capacities large enough to archive years of home movies? [Warning: link is Japanese and requires subscription.]

[Via Newlaunches]

Tags: 200gb, bd-re, bdr, blu ray, BluRay, recordable, tdk

Since this TDK disc is 8 layers....wonder if the RICOH reader can read all eight layers?

Sony prohibits their licensees from manufacturing HD-DVD equipment. That issue will have to be resolved.

martin needs the 200 Gig disc to keep all of his graphics....at the ready.

I don't follow your logic>....

Sony prohibits their licensees from manufacturing HD-DVD equipment. That issue will have to be resolved.Enforcement of patents is sometimes flaky in the asian markets. If sony doesn't come to the table places like south korea and thailand will probably wink at infringements.

It isn't like here in the United States of lAwyers.

Problem solved.

My understanding of the situation is -

Sony owns the Blu-Ray technology, and licenses it to a consortium of manufacturers.

One of the conditions Sony imposes on the licensees is that they cannot manufacture equipment for the competing HD-DVD technology.

I don't think the restriction applies to content providers (i.e., movie studios), who can sell discs in both formats if they choose to do so.

Blu-Ray is the better format, but I'm concerned that Sony's restrictions are anti-competitive. A dual-mode player would be a good thing.

Adding some more detail:

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TDK commences shipments of "bare" type (cartridge-less) Blu-ray Disc**********************************************

Updated Dec. 13, 2005

Press Release

TDK commences shipments of "bare" type (cartridge-less) Blu-ray Disc
Mass-production samples of BD-R (write-once type) and
BD-RE (rewritable type)
TDK achieves high capacity of 25GB on single-layer, 50GB on dual-layer
Blu-ray Discs at 2X recording speed
Introduces original DURABIS 2 hard coating technology, high-density recording disc technology

Blu-ray Disc BD-R (write-once type) / Blu-ray Disc BD-RE (rewritable type)
Upper left: BD-R25 (25GB/single-sided, single-layer) Upper right: BD-R50 (50GB/single-sided, dual-layer)
Lower left: BD-RE25 (25GB/single-sided, single-layer) Lower right: BD-RE50 (50GB/single-sided, dual-layer)

December 13, 2005

TDK Corporation has commenced shipments of mass-production samples of so-called bare-type (i.e., cartridge-less) versions of its BD-R (write-once type) and BD-RE (rewritable type) Blu-ray Discs. The four new products include the BD-R25 (single-side, single-layer, 25GB) and BD-R50 (single-side, dual-layer, 50GB) write-once types and BD-RE25 (single-side, single-layer, 25GB) and BD-RE50 (single-side, dual-layer, 50GB) rewritable types.

Mass production at TDK's Chikumagawa Techno Factory, which specializes in optical discs, will commence upon issue of licensing for the bare disc.

With today's digital society and its burgeoning volume of data, as well as the rapid diffusion of digital high-definition broadcasting, demand has grown for discs that achieve larger capacity and higher-speed recording while at the same time are easy to use. The BD-R and BD-RE introduced by TDK are bare (cartridge-less) discs that fully satisfy these needs for larger capacity and higher-speed recording with high reliability.

In April 2003, TDK had launched sales of the BD-RE120N (rewritable type, enclosed-type cartridge) for recording use. This was followed in November 2004 by the BD-RE135N (rewritable type, open-type cartridge), which received acclaim for its stunning high-definition images.

At the Data Storage Expo in June 2005 and CEATEC in October, TDK unveiled prototypes of cartridge-less, single-sided, single-layer 25GB and dual-layer 50GB Blu-ray Discs, which demonstrated that from the technological standpoint such products had been perfected.
For the Blu-ray Disc, which achieves significantly higher density recording, scratches or dirt can have fatal consequences to the data, so it was initially introduced utilizing a protective cartridge. The BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray Discs launched this time make use of DURABIS 2, TDK's originally developed hard coating technology. This achieves a recording surface with extremely high resistance to scratches and dirt (particularly fingerprint smudges), thus enabling anxiety-free use of a cartridge-less disc.

For the forming of the cover layer above the disc's recording layer, an original high-precision spin coating is utilized, realizing smoothness at the nano-level while achieving stabilized recording and playback characteristics.

The BD-R write-once type, moreover, makes use of an inorganic material in the recording layer, entirely different from the organic dye used in previous types of write-once type discs. Because the recording layer is not affected by light, it realizes a disc with outstanding archivability. Furthermore, the BD-RE rewritable type utilizes a high-sensitivity phase-change material that realizes stabilized characteristics, in the form of a low error rate, even after 10,000 overwrites.

In addition, the single-sided, dual-layer disc realizing 50GB capacity harnesses high-precision stacking technology resulting from years of work at optical disc development, to achieve precision forming of its respective functioning layers. The upper layer (Layer 1) and lower layer (Layer 0) are combined in terms of high sensitivity and recording layer transparency ratio, realizing stabilized recording and playback characteristics.

The commitment of TDK's advanced optical disc technology has resulted in creation of the world's first 25GB and 50GB high-capacity discs capable of 2X recording speed. TDK is confident that the BD-R and BD-RE, freed from the confines of a cartridge, will offer their large capacities with greater facility, thus greatly expanding the potential of optical recording.

Product name (type), Product type (recording layer, recording capacity)

Blu-ray Disc BD-R (write-once type)
BD-R25 (single-layer, 25GB)/ BD-R50 (dual-layer, 50GB)

Blu-ray Disc BD-RE (rewritable type)
BD-RE25 (single-layer, 25GB) / BD-RE50 (dual-layer, 50GB)

Main features of BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray Disc

Use of DURABIS 2 coating designed for bare (cartridge-less) Blu-ray Discs provides significantly greater resistance to scratches and dirt (particularly fingerprint smudges), ensuring safe use even without a cartridge.
Since the area of the laser spot on the Blu-ray Disc is small (about one-fifth that of the DVD), scratches or dirt on the recording surface can have a much more severe effect than on DVDs, causing interference with the irradiation of the laser beam and, in worst cases, even loss of irreplaceable data. For the recording surfaces on the BD-R and BD-RE, the DURABIS 2 coating specially developed for the bare Blu-ray Disc is utilized. Along with significantly higher resistance to scratches, it is also extremely resistant to dirt (particularly fingerprint smudges), ensuring safe use even without a protective cartridge. (Figs. 1, 2 and 3.)
Original high-precision spin coating creates a cover layer with nano-level smoothness, realizing stabilized recording and playback.
The Blu-ray Disc is constructed of a 1.1mm thick substrate with a 0.1mm thick cover layer. For the laser beam to penetrate the cover layer to the recording layer, the cover layer assumes the function of a lens, so to speak. For this reason, in the Blu-ray Disc, which uses a blue-violet laser with significantly shorter wave length, the precision and smoothness of the cover layer, from the standpoint of accurate laser irradiation, is extremely important. To form this cover layer, TDK utilizes an originally developed high-precision spin coating. The thickness precision is controlled at the nano-level, and an outstanding cover layer with extreme smoothness is formed. As a result, the load on the focus servo circuit used to correct laser beam position is reduced, making possible more stabilized recording and playback. (Figs. 4, 5)
The BD-R write-once type utilizes a recording layer of inorganic material. Since it is unaffected by exposure to light, it boasts outstanding archivability.
Previous types of write-once type discs such as the CD-R, DVD-R and others utilized organic dye for their recording layer. The BD-R write-once type is based on a completely new concept for the recording layer utilizing a two-layer structure composed of silicon (Si) and copper alloy (Cu) inorganic materials. When heated by the recording laser beam, these melt and the Si and Cu alloy become a composite forming recording marks. Because the material is inorganic, it is not affected by light, thus realizing a disc with outstandingly high reliability in terms of archivability. (Fig. 6)
The rewritable BD-RE utilizes a high-sensitivity phase-change material in the recording layer that realizes stabilized characteristics even after as many as 10,000 rewrites.
In the BD-RE rewritable type disc, exclusively designed high-sensitivity phase change recording material and a layer structure for high-density recording are utilized to realize excellent recording/playback characteristics and overwrite characteristics. Even after 10,000 rewrites, stabilized characteristics are realized. (Fig. 7)
High-precision stacking technology precisely overlays disc layers having respective functions. Stabilized characteristics on the upper (Layer 1) and lower (Layer 0) are realized in a single-sided, dual-layer (50GB) disc.
The single-sided, dual-layer disc realizing a tremendous 50GB capacity was achieved through the high-precision stacking technology developed from TDK's years of accumulated experience in optical discs. The respective recording layers, Layers 0 and 1, each composed of recording and dielectric layers, plus a spacer layer and a cover layer, are formed with high precision in thickness that totals 0.1mm (100μm). By this, both Layer 0 and Layer 1 are matched in terms of precision and recording layer transparency ratio, realizing stabilized recording and playback characteristics. (Figs. 8, 9)

BD-R, BD-RE Blu-ray Disc Information

[ Fig. 1 : Structural diagram of the Blu-ray Disc (single-sided, single-layer)
using DURABIS 2 coating ]

DURABIS 2 coating is formed by spin coating atop the cover layer.

[ Fig. 2 : DURABIS 2 coating boasts awesome resistance to scratches ]

Here is a comparison of disc surfaces after rubbing with a steel wool pad.
The disc using a DURABIS 2 coating is practically free of scratches.

[ Fig. 3 : DURABIS 2 coating boasts awesome resistance to fingerprint smudging ]

Artificial fingerprints were affixed to the disc surface and viewed with a microscope
The DURABIS 2 coating resists fingerprints and even when they adhere,
they form small particles and do not interfere with laser penetration.

[ Fig. 4 : Comparison of cover layer thickness distribution ]

The diagram at the left is a measurement of the thickness of the cover layer of the Blu-ray Disc from the inner (20mm from the center) to the outer sections (60mm from the center). Here it can be seen that with the previous method of spin coating, the inner section was thinner and the outer section thicker, whereas TDK's new spin coating method results in the forming of a uniform, high-precision coating 100 μm thick.

The cover layer of the TDK Blu-ray Disc formed by the original spin coating method realizes precision on the nanometer level. This is why the blue-violet laser can achieve accurate irradiation of the recording layer.

[ Fig. 5 : Comparison of focus servo signals ]

				Because the cover layer of the TDK Blu-ray Disc is extremely uniform in thickness and possesses superb smoothness, an outstanding focus servo signal can be obtained. This makes possible stabilized recording and playback (RF signal).
TDK Blu-ray Disc (Stable waveform)		Disc having cover layer with poor precision (Waveform is unstable)

[ Fig. 6 : A write-once type recording system ]

1. When the recording laser makes contact, its heat melts the Si and Cu alloy, which become mixed.
2. When the mixture cools, the hardened Si and Cu alloy become a composite, in which the recording mark is formed.

[ Fig. 7 : Eye pattern after repeated recordings (BD-RE) ]

				Even after 10,000 overwrites, the rewritable BD-RE realizes stabilized characteristics.
10 recordings		10000 recordings

[ Fig. 8 : Structural diagram of the write-once type single-sided, dual layer Blu-ray Disc ]

Layer 0 and Layer 1 incorporate two recording layers

[ Fig. 9 : Eye patterns on Layer 0 and Layer 1 ]

				Both the two layers show clean eye patterns, attesting to the disc's outstanding characteristics.
Layer 0		Layer 1

Main specifications

Item	Unit	BD-R25	BD-R50	BD-RE25	BD-RE50
Type	-	Write-once		Rewritable
Recording capacity	GB	25 (single-layer)	50 (dual-layer)	25 (single-layer)	50 (dual-layer)
Recording wavelength	nm	405 (blue-violet laser)
Disc diameter	mm	120
Disc thickness	mm	1.2
Cover layer thickness	mm	0.1
Track pitch	μm	0.32 (groove recording)
Data transfer rate	Mbps	36(1X) / 72(2X)
Reflectance	%	12-24	4-8	12-24	4-8
Linear velocity	m/s	4.9(1X) / 9.8(2X)

* Dimensional specifications are nominal.

* TDK logo is a trademark or registered trademark of TDK Corporation.
* DURABIS is a registered trademark of TDK Corporation.

For further information, contact Mr. Koike in the Corporate Communications
Tel.: 81-3-5201-7102

Collecting more info:

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Blu-ray vs HD DVD: State of the Division

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Blu-ray vs HD DVD: State of the Division

Posted Sep 19th 2005 2:10PM by Ryan Block
Filed under: Features, Home Entertainment

Blu-ray
vs HD DVD: State of the Union Division

Well, as far as HD DVD vs. Blu-ray goes, it looks like we've pretty much passed the point of no return now; with each passing day it seems less and less likely that a compromise will be reached on a next-gen format. The ongoing peace talks between the two camps, which have been on-again, off-again for months now, seem to have finally dissolved. It's disappointing, but however you feel about the fact that the HD DVD and Blu-ray factions squandered countless chances to make it right and come together, it looks like in just a few short months they're going to be duking it out mano a mano right in our livingrooms. There may not be a lot we can do to fight back — apart from refusing to adopt either format out of sheer spite of their pigheadedness — but no matter what we might as well at least arm ourselves with the knowledge necessary to understand the nature of the situation at hand.

Here's the background:

Philips's development of the Laserdisc in 1969 yielded many of the technologies Sony carried over and adopted when they partnered with Philips to create a little something called the CD way back in '79. Both companies were hard at work together once again in the early 1990s on a new high-density disc called the MultiMedia Compact Disc (MMCD—original name, guys), but their format was eventually more or less abandoned in favor of Toshiba's competing Super Density Disc (SD), which had the vast majority of backers at the time, such as Hitachi, Matsushita (Panasonic), Mitsubishi, Pioneer, Thomson, and Time Warner.

The two factions cut a deal, brokered by IBM president Lou Gerstner, on a new format: DVD. Toshiba wound up on top after the dust settled in 1995/1996, and Sony and Philips, who weren't cut in on the standard (and royalties) nearly as much as they'd have liked, immediately started work on a next gen system. The Professional Disc for DATA (aka PDD or ProDATA), which was based on an optical disc system Sony had already been developing in the side, would eventually become the Blu-ray disc. Toshiba, not to be outdone by the pair, also started work on a next gen system, the Advanced Optical Disc, which eventually evolved into the HD DVD. After thirty-five years of optical audio/video disc development we're back where we were years ago: two money-grubbing factions fighting each other and threatening to wreak havoc on the consumer electronics industry. Apparently history really does repeat itself.

So here's the technical nitty gritty before we drop the graphs n' charts on ya. Both systems use the same kind of 405nm wavelength blue-violet laser, but their optics differ in two ways. Since the Blu-ray disc has a tighter track pitch (the single thread of data that spirals from the inside of the disc all the way out-think grooves on a 12-inch vinyl single vs. an Elvis Costello full-length album), it can hold more pits (those microscopic 0s and 1s) on the same size disc as HD DVD even with a laser of the same wavelength.

The differing track pitch of the Blu-ray disc makes its pickup apertures differ, however - 0.65 for HD DVD vs. 0.85 for Blu-ray - thus also making the two pickups technically incompatible despite using lasers of the same type. HD DVD discs also have a different surface layer (the clear plastic layer on the surface of the data - what you get fingerprints and scratches on) from Blu-ray discs. HD DVD use a 0.6 mm-thick surface layer, the same as DVD, while Blu-ray has a much smaller 0.1mm layer to help enable the laser to focus with that 0.85 aperture.

Herein lies the issues associated with the higher cost of Blu-ray discs. This thinner surface layer is what makes the discs cost more; because Blu-ray discs do not share the same surface layer thickness of DVDs, costly production facilities must be modified or replaced in order to produce the discs. A special hard coating must also be applied to Blu-ray discs, so their surface is sufficiently resilient enough to protect the data a mere 0.1mm beneath - this also drives the cost up. The added benefit of keeping the data layer closer to the surface, however, is more room for extra layers.

Still with us? No? Blu-ray discs are more expensive, but hold more data - there, that's all.

So now that you know why Blu-ray discs cost more and why Sony/Philips and Toshiba are all harshing on one another so much, we can get to the really important stuff: the numbers, and who's supporting who.

Capacity
Blu-Ray		HD DVD
ROM single layer: ROM dual layer: RW single layer: RW dual layer: Highest test: Theoretical limit:	23.3 / 25GB 46.6 / 50GB 23.3 / 25 / 27GB 46.6 / 50 / 54GB 100GB 200GB	Single layer: Dual layer: - - Highest test: Theoretical limit:	15GB 30GB - - 45GB 60GB

Codecs
Blu-Ray	HD DVD
MPEG-2 Microsoft Video Codec 1 (aka VC1, WMV HD, etc.) H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC	MPEG-2 Microsoft Video Codec 1 (aka VC1, WMV HD, etc.) H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC

Security
Blu-Ray	HD DVD
Mandatory HDCP encrypted output ROM-Mark watermarking technology BD dynamic crypto (physical layer) Advanced Access Content System (AACS)	Mandatory HDCP encrypted output (for HD) Volume identifier (physical layer) Advanced Access Content System (AACS)

Studios (movie and game) listed as supporting members
Blu-Ray	HD DVD
20th Century Fox Buena Vista Home Entertainment Electronic Arts MGM Studios Paramount Pictures Sony Pictures Entertainment The Walt Disney Company Vivendi Universal Games Warner Bros.	Buena Vista Home Entertainment New Line Cinema Paramount Pictures The Walt Disney Company Universal Studios Warner Bros.

Format founders
Blu-Ray	HD DVD
Sony Corporation Royal Philips Electronics	Toshiba Corporation Hitachi Corporation

Companies listed as Members of the Board or Managing Members
Blu-Ray	HD DVD
Apple Computer Corp. Dell, Inc. Hewlett Packard Company Hitachi, Ltd. LG Electronics Inc. Mitsubishi Electric Corporation Panasonic (Matsushita Electric) Pioneer Corporation Royal Philips Electronics Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Sharp Corporation Sony Corporation TDK Corporation Thomson Twentieth Century Fox Walt Disney Pictures and Television	Memory-Tech Corporation NEC Corporation Sanyo Electric Co.

Companies listed as Members, Associate Members, or Contributors (may include duplicates and/or subsidiaries, major companies are bolded, major companies common to both camps are also italicized)
Blu-Ray	HD DVD
3oh!5 Creative, Inc. Adobe Systems Almedio Inc. Alpine Electronics Inc. AMC Co. Ltd. Anwell Technologies USA Aplix Corporation ArcSoft Inc. Asahi Kasei Microsystems Co. ashampoo GmbH & Co. KG ATI Technologies Inc. AudioDev AB B.H.A. Corporation Bandai Visual Co. Ltd. BASF AG BenQ Corporation Broadcom Corporation Canon Inc. Ciba Specialty Chemicals Inc. CMC Magnetics Corporation Coding Technologies GmbH Conexant Systems Inc. Cryptography Research Inc. CyberLink Corp. D&M holdings, Inc. Daewoo Electronics Corporation Daikin Industries DATARIUS Technologies GmbH Degussa Deluxe Media Services Inc. Digital Theater Systems Inc. Dolby Laboratories Inc. Eclipse Data Technologies Electronic Arts Inc. Elpida Memory, Inc. ESS Technology Inc. Expert Magnetics Corp. Fuji Photo Film Co. Funai Electric Co. Horizon Semiconductor IMAGICA Corp. Imation Corp. Infomedia Inc. Intersil Corporation InterVideo Inc. Kadokawa Holdings Inc. Kaleidescape, Inc. Kenwood Corporation Konica Minolta Opto, Inc. Laser Pacific Media Corp. Lead Data Inc. LEADER ELECTRONICS CORP Linn Products Ltd. LINTEC Corporation LITE-ON IT Corporation LSI Logic M2 Engineering AB Maxim Integrated Products MediaTek Inc. Memorex Products Inc. Meridian Audio Ltd. Mitsubishi Kagaku Media Co. / Verbatim Mitsui Chemicals Inc. Mitsumi Electric Co. Moser Baer India Limited MX Entertainment Nan Ya Plastics Corporation Nero Newtech Infosystems Inc. NEXAPM Systems Technology Inc. Nightjar LLC Nikkatsu Corporation NTT Electronics Corporation nVidia Corporation Onkyo Corporation Ono Sokki Co. OPT Corporation Optodisc Technology Corporation Pixela Corporation PoINT Software & Systems GmbH PowerFile Prodisc Technology Inc. Pulstec Industrial Co. Ricoh Co. Ritek Corporation Sanyo Electric Co. SDI Media America ShibaSoku Co. Ltd. Shinano Kenshi Co. Ltd. Sigma Designs Inc. Singulus Technologies Sonic Solutions Sonopress Sony BMG Music Entertainment ST Microelectronics STEAG ETA-OPTIK GmbH Sun Microsystems, Inc. Sunext Taiyo Yuden Co., Tao Group Limited Targray Technology International Inc. Teac Corporation Teijin Chemicals Ltd. Toei Video Company Ltd. Toho Company Toppan Printing Co. TOPTICA Photonics AG Ulead Systems Inc. UmeDisc Ltd. Unaxis Balzer AG Universal (inc. Music , Vivendi Games, Pictures) VDL-ODMS Victor Company of Japan (JVC) Vidiom Systems Corporation Visionare Corporation Yamaha Corporation Yokogawa Electric Corporation ZOOtech Ltd. Zoran Corporation	Acer Inc. Almedio Inc. Alpine Electronics, Inc. Altech Ads Co. Arcsoft, Inc B.H.A Corporation Bandai Visual Co. Canon Inc. Cyberlink Corp. D&M Holdings Inc. Daikin Industries Daiko.Co,Ltd. Digion, Inc. Digital Site Corporation Digital Theater Systems Disc Labo Corp. Diskware Co. Ebistrade,Inc. Enteractive Gmbh Entertainment Network Inc. Expert Magnetics Corp. Finepack . Co.,Ltd Fuji Photo Film Co. Fuji Seiki Co. Funai Electric Co. The High-Defition Marketing Company Hitachi Corp. Hitachi Maxell Hoei Sangyo Co. Imagica Corp. Imation Corp. Interchannel Intervideo, Inc. Itri Jp Co., Ltd Justsystem Corporation Kadokawa Holdings, Inc. Kaleidescape, Inc. Kenwood Corporation Kinyosha Printing Co. Kitano Co. Konica Minolta Opto, Inc. M2 Engineering Mcray Corporation Memory-Tech Corporation Mitomo Co., Ltd Mitsubishi Kagaku Media Co. / Verbatim Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. Moser Baer India Ltd Nec Corporation Nec Electronics Corporation Nec Fielding Nero Nichia Corporation Nihonvtr Inc. Nikkatsu Corporation Omnibus Japan Onken Corporation Onkyo Corporation Paramount Home Entertainment Pico House Co.,Ltd Pixela Corporation Pony Canyon Inc. Ponycanyon Enterprise Inc. Prodisc Technology Inc. Pryaid Records Inc. Pulstec Industrial Co. Q-Tec,Inc. Ricoh Co. Ritek Corporation Sanken Media Product Co. Sanyo Electric Co. Shibaura Mechatronics Corporation Sonic Solutions Sumitomo Heavy Industries. Ltd Super Vision, Inc. Taiyo Yuden Co. Teac Corporation Teijin Chemicals Ltd. Toei Video Co. Toho Company, Limited. Tokyo Laboratory Ltd. Toppan Printing Co. Toshiba Corporation Toshiba Digital Frontiers Inc. Toshiba Entertainment Inc. Toshiba Samsung Storage Technology Corporation Toshiba-Emi Limited Toyo Recording Co. Transmix Co. Trendy Corporation Tri-M, Inc. Ulead Systems, Inc. Unaxis Balzers Ltd. Universal (inc. Music , Vivendi Games, Pictures) U-Tech Media Corp. Vap Inc. Video Tech Co.,Ltd. Visionare Corporation Warner Home Video Inc.

Other interesting facts:

The Nichi Corporation, who holds the design patents to the Blu-ray’s laser system, sits as an associate member of the HD DVD Promotion Group.
Even though Apple sits on the Blu-ray Board of Directors, its DVD Studio Pro software supports authoring HD DVD media.
Blu-ray, unlike HD DVD, requires a hard coating on its discs because it’s 0.5m closer to the surface. The polymer coating it uses, called Durabis, was developed by TDK and is supposedly extremely resilient and fingerprint resistant.
The Java platform is mandatory on Blu-ray as it’s the standard for menus/multimedia (i.e. all Blu-ray systems must support JVM)
Though Microsoft has not officially sided with either format, it has a number of long-standing IP cross-licensing deals with Toshiba. HD DVD systems will run Windows CE; the standard is currently the only next-gen optical standard with announced support in Longhorn, and an HD DVD version of the Xbox 360 is rumored for the future.
The first consumer Blu-ray device in the US market is expected to be the PlayStation 3.

Version 1.01, last updated 10.20.2005

From the bottom of post #13.

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The Nichi Corporation, who holds the design patents to the Blu-ray’s laser system, sits as an associate member of the HD DVD Promotion Group.
Even though Apple sits on the Blu-ray Board of Directors, its DVD Studio Pro software supports authoring HD DVD media.

Another caution from the EE article stated that current RICOH mechanism would only read BluRay, to write a BluRay would require a stronger laser beam than manufactures are currently using....so lots of issues yet...including the legal entanglements.....

ROFL!!! Where do you find all of your stuff.....?

You also will need a couple of these:

***********************************

Seagate

Image Viewer

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST3750640AS 750GB 7200 RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s (The First Perpendicular Recording) Hard Drive - OEM

$409.99

Great, just what I need. ;')