Is DVD-RAM obsolete already?

[vailr]

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99991952

The world's Big Nine electronics companies have swallowed corporate pride and agreed on a single standard and name - Blu-Ray - for the next generation video and computer optical disc. Although good for the consumer, they are putting the future of their fledgling recordable DVD systems in jeopardy.

Blu-Ray is backed by Hitachi, LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and Thomson. Only Toshiba, the main inventor of DVD, and JVC, which has a vested interest in VHS, are missing.

The new format will use a blue laser for recording and playback. A single-sided 12 centimetre Blu-Ray disc stores 27GB of computer data, records 13 hours of broadcast TV or holds 2 hours of High Definition video.

Prototypes already exist, and have been demonstrated by Philips, Sony and Panasonic. Licensing for manufacture begins within a couple of months and the first Blu-Ray recorders could go on sale next year.

 

[Hender]

Well, from a technical standpoint, DVD-RAM drives were never really on the cutting-edge anyhow. They were mostly held back by a propriatary catridge-based format. I mean, really--cartridge based discs? We got rid of caddy-loading CD-ROM drives for a REASON, and the DVD forum brought them right back again. I think it was probably for fear of people duping DVDs and playing them in consumer DVD players instead of only in the drives they tell you you can (as in, other DVD-RAM drives), but in any case, it was boneheaded to begin with.

Here's hoping the new "standard" (it's still missing several key players in the DVD and consumer/computer electronics industry, like Toshiba, which it mentions) will be caddy- or cartridge-less, burn CD's, CD-RW's, and regular DVD discs playable in consumer players as well as variants of the new format. If they do that, I'll be VERY happy.

 

[HaVoC]

I agree with Hender. DVD-RAM was a crippled standard. It doesn't allow for dual-layer recording. Blu-Ray is a much better step forward, but then again I'm sure the DVD forum/MPAA will not allow digital video recording except for sub-VCR quality. ("WOW, I can record 150 hours of fuzzy, nostalgically ugly video!)

 

[Kingofcomputer]

sort of like PD, Panasonic's own toy.

 

[Pariah]

DVD-RAM was/is a crippled standard that never really had a chance for mass acceptance, but DVD-RAM Type 2 media is removable from the catridge for use in standard DVD drives. It's also the only DVD media up to this point that is available in dual sided versions. Also, there are no DVD drives of any type capable of dual layer burning, and there probably won't be for quite some time, if ever, so I don't see that as a knock against DVD-RAM.

"I think it was probably for fear of people duping DVDs and playing them in consumer DVD players instead of only in the drives they tell you you can (as in, other DVD-RAM drives), but in any case, it was boneheaded to begin with."

As I already stated type 2 media is removable from the catridge, and it is playable in some set top DVD players. Someone in this forum, I don't recall who, has a DVD player capable of playing DVD-RAM discs.

"Blu-Ray is a much better step forward, but then again I'm sure the DVD forum/MPAA will not allow digital video recording except for sub-VCR quality."

Not likely, digital VCR's are just hitting the market now with recording capabilities superior to DVD quality and capable of full HDTV resolution. If the MPAA is attempting to limit our recording capabilities, they missed the boat on that one.

 

[StormRider]

I sure hope not -- since I have a DVD-RAM drive.

BTW, why do you guys think a cartridge based format is such a bad idea? I kind of like it -- it protects the media inside. DVD-RAM cartridges have a 100,000 write life-cycle compared to only 1000 for DVD-RW and DVD+RW.

I wish all DVD-ROM drives were capable of accepting and reading a DVD-RAM cartridges.

 

[Eug]

Well not quite yet.

My friend has a Hitachi DVD-RAM camcorder, and the discs work on my Panasonic RP91 DVD player just fine. Samsung and others also have DVD-RAM capable DVD players. (I'm NOT talking about DVD-ROM drives.)