Posted by Alpha on 11/15/94 11:55

"Brendan R. Wehrung" <ck183@FreeNet.Carleton.CA> wrote in message
news:ebmaj7$o62$1@theodyn.ncf.ca...
> "Air Raid" (AirRaid1500@gmail.com) writes:
>> Toshiba invests in holographic disc firm
>> HVD to be future of HD DVD?
>>
>>
>> Toshiba has invested in Optware, the company developing a holographic
>> optical disc claimed to offer significantly greater storage capacity
>> than next-generation formats like Toshiba's own, HD DVD.
>>
>> Toshiba was one of four companies who together pumped $14m into Optware
>> earlier this month. The other investors are Japanese banks and venture
>> capital companies.
>>
>> Optware's proposed Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD) is the same size as
>> a DVD but holds more than 1TB of information - more than 200 times the
>> capacity of a typical DVD. HVD is faster too, Optware claims, reading
>> data at 1Gbps, 40 times DVD's throughput.
>>
>> HVD uses a colinear system - essentially the reference and read laser
>> beams are projected along the same axis rather than at an angle through
>> a single objective lens. The upshot is a much simpler system that's
>> better suited to disc media, is smaller and more compatible with DVD
>> and CD.
>>
>> It's that compatibility which attracted Toshiba's interest, according
>> to the company's HD DVD Promotion Division chief, Hiroharu Satoh, in a
>> statement.
>>
>> "HVD has a glittering promise to be a future optical recording media
>> which promises our customers smooth migration from HD DVD," he added.
>>
>> HVD is backed by half a dozen consumer electronics firms, including
>> Fuji Photo Film, who together formed the HVD Alliance in February this
>> year.
>>
>> The Alliance, working with Europe-based standards-defining body ECMA,
>> is developing specifications for HVD-ROM and HVD-RW products with a
>> view to submitting completed specifications to the ISO by the end of
>> next year.
>>
>>
>> http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/07/19/toshiba_optware_investment/
>>
>
>
> The idea actually isn't new since I saw holographic playback announced at
> the time the CD was introduced, and it would indeed be interesting to see
> if they can make it "compatible" with existing playback equipment (or do
> they mean their HD standard, which looks headed for a bloody format war?).

This is utterly new in concept and execution. It will require completely
different hardware.

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