Philips Shows Off Coin-Size Optical Discs [Archive]

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Jason Dunn

10-10-2002, 05:10 PM

<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,105602,00.asp">http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,105602,00.asp</a> Holy Shades of DataPlay Batman! Small, coin-sized disc, perfect for storage? That's what Philips is saying, but after getting initially excited about DataPlay and then being disappointed when they couldn't bring the product to market, I'm hesitant to get my hopes up about this. I'm just not convinced this is the way to go - solid state storage (CompactFlash, SD) has so many advantages over "spinning" media. If they want a smaller size, how about making an 80 mm version of a DVD-R? It would hold around 1.2 GB, and be much smaller than current DVD. Still, if this gets some traction it could help spur blue laser readers in other types of devices, which would be a good thing - blue lasers are definitely the future of optical storage. "Koninklijke Philips Electronics is using the Ceatec 2002 exhibition to give a recently developed miniature optical disc and drive its first major public showing--and the company couldn't be happier with the reaction from the Japanese public. The discs, called small form factor optical storage or SFFO, are intended to replace memory cards in future generations of mobile electronics products and so have to be very small. In the case of Philips' prototype system, the discs are 1.2 inches in diameter but can hold up to 1GB of information. ...It is based on blue laser technology of the same type now being developed by Philips and other major electronics companies for use in optical disc-based video systems that are expected to replace DVD. Blue lasers have a shorter wavelength than the red lasers used in DVD or CD and so use a much smaller space on the disc to store data. This is how Philips is able to squeeze 1GB, or roughly 50 percent more data than the maximum capacity of a CD-ROM, onto a disc the size of a large coin."

Vger

10-10-2002, 05:31 PM

According to today's Wall Street Journal, Philips will be permanently closing down it's component division. This is thegroup that makes mobile phone screens and optical drives. The article states that they will close it down Q1 2003.

Too bad.

captgoodhope

10-10-2002, 05:36 PM

What do you mean 'they couldn't bring the product to market'? Check these out. :wink:

http://www.bestbuy.com/Detail.asp?m=488&cat=538&scat=&e=11173490
http://www.bestbuy.com/Detail.asp?m=488&cat=516&scat=&e=11173472

wiredguy

10-10-2002, 05:39 PM

mookie123

10-10-2002, 05:48 PM

dataplay is dead already. Too little too late.

-$350 for music player. (no computer reader yet. not to mention the size of that thing is beyond huge, so forget having it built inside PDA let alone things like camera or cell phone.)
-$10 for single write once disc.
-the damned thing is copyright protected to the whazooo.....

..so hey... times up.

This SFFO also better start coming out late next year to start gaining market acceptance, or else 512/1GB SD will have it for lunch by mid 2004.

not to mention 1GB CF price is climbing down fast.

captgoodhope

10-10-2002, 05:53 PM

I think he means they couldn't bring em to "mass" market. They never really took off.
I got that--I'm just surprised to see them appear at all.

TomB

10-10-2002, 05:57 PM

Too bad that this will not go into production(?) this would be great for cheap content distribution. As far as comparing the Data-Play cassette to the Phillips disk, we are talking about a tiny company with a single patent and license vs. a huge manufacturer that could really make half dollar sized media work.

jmulder

10-10-2002, 06:08 PM

While I'm all for small form factor data storage, I'm not all that hip on moving parts in a battery operated device. Typically, battery like is consumed fastest when the "outside world" is affected by the device. Processing actually takes very little power compared to driving the speaker or displaying and lighting information. Imagine how poor battery life would be if you had to run a small motor as well...

-Jim

Duncan

10-10-2002, 11:51 PM

bandersnatch

10-11-2002, 12:10 AM

If they want a smaller size, how about making an 80 mm version of a DVD-R? It would hold around 1.2 GB, and be much smaller than current DVD.
I'm guessing there would be issues over making a laser reader/writer small enough...

The gamecube is using essentially this. It's a mini-DVD and it seems to work great. Of course, if what you mean is getting it small enough to be in a portable device, then absolutely. But the form factor itself seems to work just fine. Plus, the disks are just so cute. :D

Jonathan1

10-11-2002, 02:40 AM

...It is based on blue laser technology of the same type now being developed by Philips and other major electronics companies for use in optical disc-based video systems that are expected to replace DVD. Blue lasers have a shorter wavelength than the red lasers used in DVD or CD and so use a much smaller space on the disc to store data. This is how Philips is able to squeeze 1GB, or roughly 50 percent more data than the maximum capacity of a CD-ROM, onto a disc the size of a large coin."

Ya bring out a new format. The RIAA and the MPAA must be salivating at the thought of changing formats so they can implement stronger encryption or in the case of CD's just encryption.

Mark from Canada

10-11-2002, 04:28 PM

If the music industry keeps their hands off it :twisted: and it is just going to be a smaller CD-type (CD-R/CD-RW) media, then it would be great 8).

Efficient music storage for the home hifi system and small storage for data for archiving and to take on travels.

I agree that for many mobile devices the power-aspect comes into play, but Philips might be able to produce what dataplay should have been in the first place. A small CD replacement.

Mark