RECAP

In previous posts, we explored the many different alphabetic designations that could apply to Blu-ray discs and the drives that could read, read and write to them.  We looked at BD-ROM, Combo Drives, BD-R and BD-RW, and looked at the many different types of erasable media (and drives) available.  We looked at single layer (25 GB) and double layer (50 GB) media, at write once and at erasable discs.

The last post looked at some of the proposed formats for the future, which expanded from single and double layer up to 4 layer (100 GB) and beyond — all the way up to 128 GB.  We looked at some of the uses of these larger (by 2010 standards) discs, and explained that this new standard may require new hardware to read and write to the new discs.   And we hinted at yet another proposed standard – the IH-BD disc.

IH-BD – our last acronym (for now)

The Intra-hybrid Blu-ray disc puts a new twist on the double layer (50 GB) Blu-ray disc.  Instead of providing media that features two layers that are either record once, or erasable, the IH-BD gives you one BD-ROM layer, and a second BD-RE (recordable/erasable) layer.   What this means is that you’ll be able to record data that can’t be modified, onto one layer, and have the ability to record and change the data on the second layer.  So far, there doesn’t appear to be much value to that — but wait.

Imagine that you work at a company that manufactures a large variety of products.  Your basic catalog, including data sheets, images, video demonstrations, and other materials can fill most of a single layer of an IH-BD disc.  The data is fixed – your products aren’t going to be changed very frequently – but the prices might.  You can record the basic product information onto the BD-ROM layer.  Meanwhile, you’re adding products to your catalog. Your prices continue to change.  Your sales people want to create sales presentations custom made for each individual customer.  You might even include a template for placing an order electronically.   All the custom stuff is recorded onto the RE layer.

Or, perhaps you’re a movie studio that wants to create a set of custom discs.  The basic movie – a 3D blockbuster about a dog who barks in Chinese and flies an atomic Artichoke.  ’Special Editions’ can be created, using the RE layer, that may include an interview with the director and cast, and the dog, speaking through an interpreter.  A second special edition may include test footage, screen tests of other vegetables, background information, and perhaps even a 2-D prequel to this film.  Another version may be the one created for Academy consideration, and sent out for Oscar consideration.  While these special discs contain the same film on the BD-ROM layer, each special disc can be custom made by recording it onto the RE layer.

While it’s not yet known how the IH-BD media will be priced, it seems clear that both the IH-BD and the BDXL media described in Part Four will require new drives to use them.   (Experts are predicting this)  I’m not entirely sure that some drives may be firmware upgradable to support the IH-BD media since this is still only two layers, and the current drives should be able to handle both BD-R and BD-RE.

The new formats are initially targeted to commercial customers who can make the best use of the larger capacity media and the hybrid format (and who can afford the newer drives and more expensive media).  As with most other technologies, these formats will probably trickle down to the consumer, once the commercial users have paid enough of the development costs (through purchase of drives and media) to make the trickle down to the business and consumer markets somewhat affordable.

With 3-D movies becoming available, the need for higher disc capacities will become more significant.  A 100GB or 128GB disc may be needed to distribute Toy Story 1-8 some day in the future.  In the next few years, it’s likely that your obsolete drives and game systems will be replaced with devices that can handle the new (and the current) media formats.  It’s also likely that, even though we’re seeing 2 TB hard drives at low prices, and even larger drives on the horizon, the use of Blu-ray media for saving, archiving, and distributing data will become increasingly prominent.

In this series – we’ve looked at most of the formats used by Blu-ray and taken a peek into the future.  Please feel free to comment, ask questions, and help to make this Blog a vibrant, active source of information.