Toshiba, Blu-Ray Group Part Ways on Emerging Disc Technology

摘要

As researchers move forward to develop increasingly advanced, large-capacity optical disc technologies, a split is emerging in the industry. On one side is Toshiba Corp., which is intent on ensuring that advanced optical discs remain compatible with existing DVD technology. On the other side are companies that are willing to break away from present DVD technology, to take full advantage of benefits that emerging technologies offer. Toshiba s technology, which it calls next-generation DVD technology, and the competing technology, known as Blu-Ray Disc technology, are similar in many ways. Both use blue-violet lasers. Both also employ 12cm rewritable optical discs and phase-change technology. That means they use the difference in reflectance between crystal state and non-crystal amorphous state of the substrate to record data. Both discs offer much larger capacities than those of conventional DVDs, making them practical for uses such as recording HDTV programs.