Primera Technology, Inc., the world’s leading developer and manufacturer of CD, DVD, and Blu-ray Disc(TM) duplication and printing equipment, today announced its new PTProtect(TM) Software. PTProtect is seamlessly integrated into Primera’s PTPublisher(TM) v1.3.0 (or greater) duplication software. It provides a reliable yet effective anti-rip solution for protecting DVD video without adding extra steps to existing workflow processes.

PTProtect software is applied to the DVD image just before burning. When content is burned to a disc it is encapsulated to prevent common ripping programs from having access to it. The content on the DVD is not modified in any way. Copy control encapsulation resides in areas of the discs not read by DVD players, so the play-back quality remains unaffected.

PTProtect copy controlled discs have full playability designed to match the same playability levels in DVD players as unprotected DVDs. In essence, PTProtected discs are designed to provide effective “speed-bump” protection to combat unauthorized casual copying.

“Primera is proud to offer PTProtect as an efficient and cost-effective solution for virtually anyone who produces original content DVDs,” said Mark D. Strobel, Primera’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Video production studios, wedding and event videographers and training video authors will all benefit from having reliable protection for their copyrighted materials – at a price they can afford.”

PTProtect is an effortless way to produce protected DVDs since it does not need to load any new software onto the PC for the protection to work. Protection is applied on a “click-charge” basis for each disc burned. Blocks of protection keys can be conveniently purchased through Primera on pre-loaded USB dongles.

PTProtect software, built into PTPublisher v1.3.0, is available immediately at www.primera.com. It is provided at no extra charge to registered users and includes three free protected DVD video burns. Subsequent burns are priced in blocks as follows:

100 burns: $225.00
1000 burns: $1000.00
5000 burns: $3750.00

By increasing the DVD writing speed to 22X, the Lite-On internal DVD writers offers an up to date solution for those users who are looking for the fastest DVD writing speeds on the market. But what makes the Lite-On DVD writers stand out from the crowd is its capability to permanently erase the content of DVD±R (DL) and CD-R discs. Lite-On has developed the SmartErase technology to give users the possibility to permanently erase those discs that contained confidential data that should not be retrievable in any way.

How does it work? SmartErase overwrites the original data on the disc with random meaningless characters so that the original data can no longer be read by any drive. Once a disc is “SmartErased”, you don?t have to worry about someone accessing the confidential data that used to be stored on the disc. Where other “techniques” as shredding or breaking a disc, or throw it in the waste bin still have a potential risk of data recovering, SmartErase guarantees that data will be erased permanently.

“SmartErase is an ideal technology to destroy physical and logical structure of the disc,” says Gakin Chang, Marketing Manager at PLDS Taipei. “You can simply delete your sensitive data permanently without physically destroying the disc, which produces waste to the environment. This method is also an eco-friendly technology.”Chang added.

To make the technology easy to use, the SmartErase function will be implemented in Nero 7 Essentials, the software package that will be bundled with the DVD writers. Users who want to erase their disc, can simply select the application in the Nero screen and can then choose between two erasing strategies:

1) A “Quick Erase” only erases the information stored in the Lead-in area and data stored on the first track of the disc. As a result, a drive can not read the disc anymore, but with data recovery software there is a chance that some data can still be recovered from the parts of the disc that have not been overwritten.

2) A “Full Erase” Overwrites the complete disc. It takes more time then a “Quick Erase”, but all the data will be permanently erased.

Lite-On will release 4 different 22X DVD writers with SmartErase functionality:

- the iHAP322 is a 22X DVD writer with PATA connection
- the iHAP422 is a 22X DVD writer with PATA connection and LightScribe
- the iHAS322 is a 22X DVD writer with SATA connection
- the iHAS422 is a 22X DVD writer with SATA connection and LightScribe

All above DVD writers will be available in September / October 2008.

The new 6x BD-R media offer have a wide power margin at any writing speeds from 1X to 6X. In addition, Imation unveiled the first BD-R DL media for 6x recording. Both types of discs will be available in Japan in the end of September for 1,500 Yen ($13.85) and 3,000 Yen ($27.7), respectively.

The company will offer the new Blu-ray discs in versions for both recording (for BD recorders) and data (for PC use). All new products feature TDK’s Durabis 2 hard coating layer for enhanced protection against dust and scratches.

The Blu-ray Disc Association approved the BD-R recording specifications for 6x (Blu-ray Disc Recordable Format Ver.1.3) last March.

Imation acquired TDK brand world wide recording media business last year.

Japansese Panasonic has also released 6x BD-R and BD-R DL discs this earlier this month.

These latest DVD-RW drives from Plextor?s popular PX-800 series offer fast burning speeds of up to 20x , including up to 12x Dual-Layer burning , and incorporate multi-format (DVD+/-R & DVD-RAM) technology.

The PX-820A and SA both include interchangeable black and white front bezels and are capable of the following speeds:

- 20x DVD+/-R
- 12x DVD-R DL
- 8x DVD+R DL
- 8x DVD+RW
- 6x DVD-RW
- 12x DVD-RAM Read & Write
- 16x DVD-ROM
- 48x CD-R
- 32x CD-RW
- 48x CD-ROM

Both models include Nero Express 7 Essentials SE software.

The PX-820A and PX-820SA will both be available from end of July 2008 from the network of Plextor dealers.

Its per-layer capacity is 25 gigabytes, which is the same as that of a Blu-ray Disc (BD). The technology can be also applied to multilayer recordable discs, Pioneer said.

For multilayer optical discs, it has been difficult to obtain clear signals from each recording layer in a stable manner due to crosstalk from adjacent layers and transmission loss. Utilizing the optical disc production technology that it has developed in the DVD field, Pioneer solved these problems by using a disc structure that can reduce crosstalk from adjacent layers, resulting in a 16-layer optical disc that can playback high-quality signals from every layer.

As for the read-out system, Pioneer achieved stability in the playback of recorded signals by employing a wide-range spherical aberration compensator and light-receiving element that can read out weak signals at a high signal-to-noise ratio in the optical pick-up mechanism. Since the optical specifications of the objective lens, such as NA (Numerical Aperture), are the same as those for the existing BD discs, it is possible to maintain compatibility between the new 16-layer optical disc and the BD discs.

Current high-density optical recording systems in combination with a blue laser diode and a high numerical aperture (NA) optics have increased the capacity of optical disks to a 20 Gbits level in the Blu-ray system. For further increase of the data storage capacity, technologies such as a holographic data storage, a polarization multiplex recording system, a multilayer optical disk have now been developed.

However, these technologies have not the simplicity enabling mass-production by simple stamper processing applied in the production of current CD and DVD media. Other methods proposed for the increase of the capacity of discs include multi-bits configurations of depth controlled single pits. Although these methods enabled stamper reproduction, they require high precision in the pit shape reproduction since the principle is based on the optical multiplexing involving the reflection phase modulation by the pit geometry.

Toshihide Tsuru and Masaki Yamamoto of Tohoku University in Japan, proposed a new concept of high-density recording by imprinting an array of V-shape pits composed of mirror facets of specified directions and slopes on a media surface.

The method can increase the capacity of CD and DVD media by nine times, according to the scientists.

Reading the stored data on the CD or DVD media (1 and 0) requires the read out of the direction of the facet. This has been achieved by determining the parameters of the reflected light, which appears as elliptically polarized . Scientists claim that they have successfully read out the stored data with very high accuracy.

Scientists said that structure of this single layer geometry is compatible to current mass-production of optical storage discs by stamping.

The technology may also help realizing a variety of high density memory applications. However, it cannot be applied on Blu-ray discs and of course, the V-pit cd /DVD discsc are not compatible with current CD/DVD ROM drives.

More information is available in the Japanese press release of the Tohoku University.

Panasonic, which introduced the world’s first dual-layer 1X BD-RE Blu-ray Disc in 2004, 2X BD-R/RE Discs in 2006, and 4X BD-R Disc in 2007, is now launching the world’s first 6X BD-R to meet consumer demand to write and read large amounts of data at a higher speed. The new 6X discs have a maximum data transfer speed of 216Mbps, which is 20% faster than that of 16X DVD-R discs. This transfer speed, along with the discs’ high capacity, allows consumers to use these discs for a variety of applications such as storing High Definition video or backing up PC data.

The new discs have a wide power margin at any writing speeds from 1X to 6X. This enables high-quality recording, even if the drive’s laser power fluctuates, resulting in greater overall drive compatibility. Panasonic’s adoption of newly-developed disc technology produces extremely level and well-balanced discs with highly precise signal grooves. This improves servo characteristics and enables the laser beam to focus to the right position even when the disc is rotating with 6X high speed, thus providing optimum reading and writing performance.

Blu-ray disc drives compatible with 6X write-once Blu-ray discs are planned to be commercialized in Japan by the end of September 2008.

Specifications:

• 6X BD-R
• Format Name: Blu-ray Disc Recordable Format Ver. 13
• Model Number: LM-BR25MDE LM-BR50MDE
• Data Capacity: 25GB, 50GB
• Layer Constitution: Single Sided/Single Layer, Single Sided/Dual Layer
• Recording Format: Phase Change Recordable
• Laser Wavelength: 405nm (Blue-violet Laser)
• Objective Lens
• Numerical Aperture (NA): 0.85
• Disc Diameter/Thickness: 120mm x 1.2mm
• Track Pitch: 0.32 μm
• Minimum Mark Length: 0.149μm
• Data Transfer Speed: 216Mbps(Max.)
• Hard Coating: YES

This is a new alternative that is cheaper, faster, and virtually hassle-free. Here’s the full press release from Primera:

PLYMOUTH, MN, USA (June 11, 2008) — Primera Technology, Inc., the world’s leading developer and manufacturer of CD, DVD, and Blu-ray disc duplication and printing equipment, has unveiled its new Rent & Rip Program for Personal CD Collections.

Under the terms of the program, customers can rent a Primera Bravo SE* Disc Publisher along with the company’s PTRip software for just $299 per week. The Bravo SE’s built-in robotics will load personal music CDs into the unit and rip tracks into Apple iTunes or Windows Media Player – automatically and “hands-free.” Round-trip transportation is included in the rental fee.

“By loading up their CDs and walking away, users will discover a way to bring new life to any CD collection, whether it is at home, work, or at a house of worship,” said Mark D. Strobel, Primera’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Sending 1,000 CDs to a service could easily cost $1,000 before shipping costs. For just $299, our Rent & Rip Program lets you do the same thing yourself – without the risk of sending away your valuable CD collection.”

The program is simple to use and requires just three steps:
1. Place CDs into a Bravo SE Disc Publisher’s input bin,
2. Launch PTRip,
3. Click “Load to iTunes” or “Load to Windows Media Player.”
The process repeats until all CDs in the input bin are processed. Simply remove the ripped discs from the output bin, reload the input bin and click the Import button again to continue.

*The ripping hardware for the Bravo SE Rent & Rip Program is specifically designed for only ripping.

The latest models — LG BE06, LG GBC-H20L, and LG GBW-H20L – are available now through U.S.retail stores as well as other online electronics retailers.

Unique to LG, the line offers SecurDisc capabilities, which provide data protection and content access control on all current optical formats and LightScribe technology.

The LG BE06, LG GBC-H20L and LG GBW-H20L write and read information at 6x (Blu-ray) while still remaining compatibile with DVD±R/RW and CD-R/CD-RW.

For laptop users or those of us that have a multitude of PCs, LG’s BE06 can be connected through the USB 2.0 connection and a DC power adapter.

The BE06 has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $379.95.

Additional features include:

• Compatibility with all BD, DVD and CD formats
• 6x BD-R/2x BD-RE read compatible
• DVD±R/RW recording speed to 16x recording

The GBC-H20L and the GBW-H20L offer a read and write speed of 16x. The GBW-H20L can also handle up to 50GB of data on dual layer 50GB BD-R/BD-RE recordable media.

The GBC-H20L and the GBW-H20L carry manufacturer’s suggested retail prices of $199.95 and $279.95 respectively.

Additional features include:

• 6x BD-R/2x BD-RE read compatible – 6x BD-R/2x BD-RE read and write compatible (GBW-H20L)
• 16x DVD+RW/-RW recording speed (GBW-H20L)
• Up to 40X CDRW recording speeds

The super-multi DVD burners burn on DVD recordable discs at 20x, DVD-RAM at 12x, DVD+R DL/+RW at 8X, DVD-RW at 6x, CD-R at 48x and CD-RW at 32x. The drives are also capable of burning DVD-R DL media at 12x.

Both ATAPI (PX-820A) and SATA (PX-820SA) versions will also support recording on CPRM DVD-R/-RW media.