The DVDplus is a dual-sided disc similar to the DualDisc . It is an optical disc storage technology that combines the technology of DVD and CD in one disc. A DVD and a CD-compatible layer are bonded together to provide a multi-format hybrid disc. DVDplus, like DualDisc, is not a new format as such: it combines two existing formats, DVD and CD, to produce a new product.
102-520: DVDplus is currently available in three variants: These variants can be combined: for example the DVD side can contain a DVD-Video zone, a DVD-Audio zone and a ROM/file download zone, just as is the case with conventional DVDs. It will eventually be possible to produce the DVDplus with upcoming formats, such as Blu-ray . All DVDplus formats can be played both on conventional CD players, on DVD players and on
204-514: A branched polycarbonate. Both companies filed for U.S. patents in 1955, and agreed that the company lacking priority would be granted a license to the technology. Patent priority was resolved in Bayer's favor, and Bayer began commercial production under the trade name Makrolon in 1958. GE began production under the name Lexan in 1960, creating the GE Plastics division in 1973. After 1970,
306-682: A BD player. Japanese optical disc manufacturer Infinity announced the first "hybrid" Blu-ray Disc/(standard) DVD combo, to be released on February 18, 2009. This disc set of the TV series Code Blue featured four hybrid discs containing a single Blu-ray Disc layer (25 GB) and two DVD layers (9 GB) on the same side of the disc. In January 2007, Hitachi showcased a 100 GB Blu-ray Disc, consisting of four layers containing 25 GB each. It claimed that, unlike TDK's and Panasonic 's 100 GB discs, this disc would be readable on standard Blu-ray Disc drives that were currently in circulation, and it
408-674: A German scientist working at the University of Munich . However, after 30 years' laboratory research, this class of materials was abandoned without commercialization. Research resumed in 1953, when Hermann Schnell at Bayer in Uerdingen, Germany patented the first linear polycarbonate. The brand name "Makrolon" was registered in 1955. Also in 1953, and one week after the invention at Bayer, Daniel Fox at General Electric (GE) in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, independently synthesized
510-425: A cable) typically have a SATA interface. More recent half-height Blu-Ray writers have reached writing speeds of up to 16× ( constant angular velocity ) on single-layer BD-R media, while the highest reading speeds are 12×, presumably to prevent repeated physical stress on the disc. Slim type drives are limited to 6× speeds (constant angular velocity) due to spacial and power limitations. The Blu-ray format has
612-521: A chain reaction in the industry, with major American retailers such as Best Buy , Walmart , and Circuit City and Canadian chains such as Future Shop dropping HD DVD in their stores. Woolworths , then a major European retailer, dropped HD DVD from its inventory. Major DVD rental companies Netflix and Blockbuster said they would no longer carry HD DVD. Following these new developments, on February 19, 2008, Toshiba announced it would end production of HD DVD devices, allowing Blu-ray Disc to become
714-510: A consortium founded in 2004, had been developing the DRM platform that could be used to distribute movies to consumers while preventing copying. However, the final AACS standard was delayed, and then delayed again when an important member of the Blu-ray Disc group voiced concerns. At the request of the initial hardware manufacturers, including Toshiba, Pioneer, and Samsung, an interim standard
816-683: A day before CES 2008, Warner Bros. , the only major studio still releasing movies in both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc format, announced that it would release only in Blu-ray after May 2008. This effectively included other studios that came under the Warner umbrella, such as New Line Cinema and HBO —though in Europe, HBO's distribution partner, the BBC , announced it would continue to release product on both formats while keeping an eye on market forces. This led to
918-603: A dual-layer disc. It is similar in concept to the MiniDVD and Mini CD . Recordable (BD-R) and rewritable (BD-RE) versions of Mini Blu-ray Disc have been developed specifically for compact camcorders and other compact recording devices. " Blu-ray Disc recordable " (BD-R) refers to two optical disc formats that can be recorded with an optical disc recorder . BD-Rs can be written to once, whereas Blu-ray Disc Recordable Erasable (BD-REs) can be erased and re-recorded multiple times. The current practical maximum speed for Blu-ray Discs
1020-408: A firmware upgrade. This technology was later used on BDXL discs. On July 20, 2010, the research team of Sony and Japanese Tohoku University announced the joint development of a blue-violet laser, to help create Blu-ray Discs with a capacity of 1 TB using only two layers (and potentially more than 1 TB with additional layering). By comparison, the first blue laser was invented in 1996, with
1122-525: A format of rewritable discs that would eventually become Blu-ray Disc (more specifically, BD-RE). The core technologies of the formats are similar. The first DVR Blue prototypes were unveiled by Sony at the CEATEC exhibition in October 2000. A trademark for the "Blue Disc" logo was filed on February 9, 2001. On February 19, 2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray Disc, and Blu-ray Disc Founders
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#17327838828481224-433: A group of thermoplastic polymers containing carbonate groups in their chemical structures. Polycarbonates used in engineering are strong, tough materials, and some grades are optically transparent. They are easily worked, molded , and thermoformed . Because of these properties, polycarbonates find many applications. Polycarbonates do not have a unique resin identification code (RIC) and are identified as "Other", 7 on
1326-408: A high melting point. Polycarbonate is relatively difficult for casual hobbyists to print compared to thermoplastics such as Polylactic acid (PLA) or Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) because of the high melting point, difficulty with print bed adhesion, tendency to warp during printing, and tendency to absorb moisture in humid environments. Despite these issues, 3D printing using polycarbonates
1428-428: A laser can be focused is limited by diffraction and depends on the wavelength of the light and the numerical aperture of the lens used to focus it. By decreasing the wavelength, increasing the numerical aperture from 0.60 to 0.85, and making the cover layer thinner to avoid unwanted optical effects, designers can cause the laser beam to focus on a smaller spot, which effectively allows more information to be stored in
1530-410: A production basis, allowing for the development of a denser storage format that could hold higher-definition media, with prototype discs made with diodes at a slightly longer wavelength of 407 nanometers in October 1998. Sony commenced two projects in collaboration with Panasonic , Philips , and TDK , applying the new diodes: UDO (Ultra Density Optical), and DVR Blue (together with Pioneer ),
1632-479: A red positioning/addressing laser (650 nm). It was to offer MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265), and VC-1 encoding, supporting a maximum storage capacity of 6 TB. No systems conforming to the Ecma International HVD standard have been released. The company responsible for HVD went bankrupt in 2010, making any releases unlikely. A boutique Blu-ray label or specialty Blu-ray label
1734-455: A resolution of 1440 × 1080 pixels, with Ultra HD Blu-ray players extending the maximum resolution to 4K ( 3840 × 2160 pixels) and progressive frame rates up to 60 frames per second. Aside from an 8K resolution ( 7680 × 4320 pixels) Blu-ray format exclusive to Japan , videos with non-standard resolutions must use letterboxing to conform to a resolution supported by the Blu-ray specification. Besides these hardware specifications, Blu-ray
1836-561: A smaller area, thus enabling it to read information recorded in pits that are less than half the size of those on a DVD, and can consequently be spaced more closely, resulting in a shorter track pitch, enabling a Blu-ray Disc to hold about five times the amount of information that can be stored on a DVD. The lasers are GaN ( gallium nitride ) laser diodes that produce 405 nm light directly, that is, without frequency doubling or other nonlinear optical mechanisms. CDs use 780 nm near-infrared lasers. The minimum " spot size " on which
1938-519: A standard DVD keep case , generally with the format prominently displayed in a horizontal stripe across the top of the case (translucent blue for Blu-ray video discs, clear for Blu-ray 3D video releases, red for PlayStation 3 Greatest Hits Games, transparent for regular PlayStation 3 games, transparent dark blue for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games, transparent green for Xbox One and Xbox Series X games and black for Ultra HD Blu-ray video releases). Warren Osborn and The Seastone Media Group, LLC created
2040-524: A task force was created three months prior to conduct a study concerning an extension to the Blu-ray Disc specification that would add the ability to contain 4K UHD video. On August 5, 2015, the BDA announced it would commence licensing the Ultra HD Blu-ray video format starting on August 24, 2015. The Ultra HD Blu-ray format delivered support for high dynamic range video that significantly expanded
2142-399: A vital part in keeping the technology affordable while allowing it to move forward. In an effort to increase sales, studios began releasing films in combo packs with Blu-ray Discs and DVDs, as well as digital copies that can be played on computers and mobile devices. Some are released on "flipper" discs with Blu-ray on one side and DVD on the other. Other strategies are to release movies with
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#17327838828482244-412: A working experimental Blu-ray Disc capable of holding 200 GB of data on a single side, using six 33 GB data layers. In 2007, Hitachi was reported to have plans to produce 200 GB discs by 2009. Behind closed doors at CES 2007, Ritek revealed that it had successfully developed a high-definition optical disc process that extended the disc capacity to ten layers, increasing the capacity of
2346-407: A write verification feature, similar to that of DVD-RAM , but brings this feature to a write-once disc for the first time. If activated, the correctness of the written data is verified immediately after being written so unreadable data can be written again. In this case, the writing speed is halved because half of the disc rotations are for writing only. "Write verification" is not an official term for
2448-443: Is 12 centimetres ( 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 inches) in diameter and 1.2 millimetres ( 1 ⁄ 16 inch) thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs . Conventional (or "pre-BD-XL") Blu-ray discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual-layer discs (50 GB) being the industry standard for feature-length video discs. Triple-layer discs (100 GB) and quadruple-layer discs (128 GB) are available for BD-XL re-writer drives. While
2550-479: Is Australia. Blu-ray Blu-ray ( Blu-ray Disc or BD ) is a digital optical disc data storage format designed to supersede the DVD format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released worldwide on June 20, 2006, capable of storing several hours of high-definition video ( HDTV 720p and 1080p ). The main application of Blu-ray is as a medium for video material such as feature films and for
2652-682: Is a home video distributor that releases films on Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format, characterized by a specific or niche target market and collectable features like " limited edition " or "special edition" releases, deluxe slipcases or packaging, and other materials. Examples of boutique Blu-ray labels include the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA), Arrow Films , Canadian International Pictures, The Criterion Collection , Kino Lorber , Severin Films , Shout! Factory , Twilight Time , Vinegar Syndrome , and
2754-599: Is a compound that is currently on the list of potential environmental hazardous chemicals. It is on the watch list of many countries, such as United States and Germany. The leaching of BPA from polycarbonate can also occur at environmental temperature and normal pH (in landfills).The amount of leaching increases as the polycarbonate parts get older. A study found that the decomposition of BPA in landfills (under anaerobic conditions) will not occur. It will therefore be persistent in landfills. Eventually, it will find its way into water bodies and contribute to aquatic pollution. In
2856-413: Is about 12× (54 MB/s). Higher speeds of rotation (5,000+ rpm ) cause too much wobble for the discs to be written properly, as with the 24× (33.2 MB/s) and 56× (8.2 MB/s, 11,200 rpm) maximum speeds, respectively, of standard DVDs and CDs . Since September 2007, BD-RE is also available in the smaller 8 cm Mini Blu-ray Disc size. Polycarbonate Polycarbonates ( PC ) are
2958-482: Is also used as a printing substrate for nameplate and other forms of industrial grade under printed products. The polycarbonate provides a barrier to wear, the elements, and fading. Many polycarbonate grades are used in medical applications and comply with both ISO 10993-1 and USP Class VI standards (occasionally referred to as PC-ISO). Class VI is the most stringent of the six USP ratings. These grades can be sterilized using steam at 120 °C, gamma radiation , or by
3060-485: Is associated with a set of multimedia formats. Given that Blu-ray discs can contain ordinary computer files , there is no fixed limit as to which resolution of video can be stored when not conforming to the official specifications. The BD format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association , a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion pictures. Sony unveiled
3162-484: Is attacked by another phenoxide. The net reaction from the diphenoxide is: In this way, approximately one billion kilograms of polycarbonate is produced annually. Many other diols have been tested in place of bisphenol A, e.g. 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)cyclohexane and dihydroxybenzophenone . The cyclohexane is used as a comonomer to suppress crystallisation tendency of the BPA-derived product. Tetrabromobisphenol A
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3264-474: Is common in the professional community. A major polycarbonate market is the production of compact discs , DVDs , and Blu-ray discs. These discs are produced by injection-molding polycarbonate into a mold cavity that has on one side a metal stamper containing a negative image of the disc data, while the other mold side is a mirrored surface. Typical products of sheet/film production include applications in advertisement (signs, displays, poster protection). In
3366-474: Is common, but the use of BPA in the manufacture of polycarbonate has stirred concerns (see Potential hazards in food contact applications ), leading to development and use of "BPA-free" plastics in various formulations. Polycarbonate is commonly used in eye protection, as well as in other projectile-resistant viewing and lighting applications that would normally indicate the use of glass , but require much higher impact-resistance. Polycarbonate lenses also protect
3468-640: Is limited to low stress applications. Stress from fasteners, plastic welding and molding render polycarbonate susceptible to stress corrosion cracking when it comes in contact with certain accelerants such as salt water and plastisol . It can be laminated to make bullet-proof "glass" , although "bullet-resistant" is more accurate for the thinner windows, such as are used in bullet-resistant windows in automobiles. The thicker barriers of transparent plastic used in teller's windows and barriers in banks are also polycarbonate. So-called "theft-proof" large plastic packaging for smaller items, which cannot be opened by hand,
3570-605: Is lower as a result. The toughest grades have the highest molecular mass, but are more difficult to process. Unlike most thermoplastics, polycarbonate can undergo large plastic deformations without cracking or breaking. As a result, it can be processed and formed at room temperature using sheet metal techniques, such as bending on a brake . Even for sharp angle bends with a tight radius, heating may not be necessary. This makes it valuable in prototyping applications where transparent or electrically non-conductive parts are needed, which cannot be made from sheet metal. PMMA/Acrylic , which
3672-431: Is produced by the reaction of bisphenol A (BPA) and phosgene COCl 2 . The overall reaction can be written as follows: [REDACTED] The first step of the synthesis involves treatment of bisphenol A with sodium hydroxide , which deprotonates the hydroxyl groups of the bisphenol A. The di phenoxide (Na 2 (OC 6 H 4 ) 2 CMe 2 ) reacts with phosgene to give a chloroformate , which subsequently
3774-444: Is similar in appearance to polycarbonate, is brittle and cannot be bent at room temperature. Main transformation techniques for polycarbonate resins: Polycarbonate may become brittle when exposed to ionizing radiation above 25 kGy (kJ/kg). Polycarbonate is mainly used for electronic applications that capitalize on its collective safety features. A good electrical insulator with heat-resistant and flame-retardant properties, it
3876-631: Is stronger and will hold up longer to extreme temperature. Thermally processed material is usually totally amorphous, and as a result is highly transparent to visible light , with better light transmission than many kinds of glass. Polycarbonate has a glass transition temperature of about 147 °C (297 °F), so it softens gradually above this point and flows above about 155 °C (311 °F). Tools must be held at high temperatures, generally above 80 °C (176 °F) to make strain-free and stress-free products. Low molecular mass grades are easier to mold than higher grades, but their strength
3978-493: Is typically made from polycarbonate. The cockpit canopy of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor jet fighter is fabricated from high optical quality polycarbonate. It is the largest item of its type. Polycarbonate, being a versatile material with attractive processing and physical properties, has attracted myriad smaller applications. The use of injection molded drinking bottles, glasses and food containers
4080-463: Is used for opaque pieces). Standard polycarbonate resins are not suitable for long term exposure to UV radiation. To overcome this, the primary resin can have UV stabilisers added. These grades are sold as UV stabilized polycarbonate to injection moulding and extrusion companies. Other applications, including polycarbonate sheets, may have the anti-UV layer added as a special coating or a coextrusion for enhanced weathering resistance. Polycarbonate
4182-675: Is used in products associated with power systems and telecommunications hardware. It can serve as a dielectric in high-stability capacitors . Commercial manufacture of polycarbonate capacitors mostly stopped after sole manufacturer Bayer AG stopped making capacitor-grade polycarbonate film at the end of 2000. The second largest consumer of polycarbonates is the construction industry, e.g. for domelights, flat or curved glazing, roofing sheets and sound walls . Polycarbonates are used to create materials used in buildings that must be durable but light. Polycarbonates are used extensively in 3D FDM printing, producing durable strong plastic products with
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4284-568: Is used to enhance fire resistance. Tetramethylcyclobutanediol has been developed as a replacement for BPA. An alternative route to polycarbonates entails transesterification from BPA and diphenyl carbonate : Polycarbonate is a durable material. Although it has high impact-resistance, it has low scratch-resistance. Therefore, a hard coating is applied to polycarbonate eyewear lenses and polycarbonate exterior automotive components. The characteristics of polycarbonate compare to those of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA, acrylic), but polycarbonate
4386-467: The DVD-Video specification has a maximum resolution of 480p ( NTSC , 720 × 480 pixels) or 576p ( PAL , 720 × 576 pixels), the initial specification for storing movies on Blu-ray discs defined a maximum resolution of 1080p ( 1920 × 1080 pixels) at up to 24 progressive or 29.97 interlaced frames per second . Revisions to the specification allowed newer Blu-ray players to support videos with
4488-815: The Lumia series . Samsung started using polycarbonate with Galaxy S III 's hyperglaze -branded removable battery cover in 2012. This practice continues with various phones in the Galaxy series. Apple started using polycarbonate with the iPhone 5C 's unibody case in 2013. Benefits over glass and metal back covers include durability against shattering (advantage over glass), bending and scratching (advantage over metal), shock absorption, low manufacturing costs, and no interference with radio signals and wireless charging (advantage over metal). Polycarbonate back covers are available in glossy or matte surface textures . Polycarbonates were first discovered in 1898 by Alfred Einhorn ,
4590-490: The Warner Archive Collection . Boutique Blu-ray labels, which are popular among collectors and enthusiasts of film and physical media , have been credited as a factor in a "Blu-ray renaissance" dating back to at least 2018, with some consumers choosing to purchase films on physical formats in an age of digital streaming. Reasons some consumers prefer Blu-rays to streaming include higher video quality,
4692-442: The computer (the format is compatible with approximately 99% of the players on the market). There has been some controversy (See MSNBC article) surrounding the DVDplus format as of late, as United States record labels have attempted to roll out its DualDisc format with a specification that the creators of DVDplus claim is in violation of its essential patents (but see below for the actual patent status of DVDPlus). According to
4794-475: The ethylene oxide (EtO) method. Trinseo strictly limits all its plastics with regard to medical applications. Aliphatic polycarbonates have been developed with improved biocompatibility and degradability for nanomedicine applications. Some smartphone manufacturers use polycarbonate. Nokia used polycarbonate in their phones starting with the N9 's unibody case in 2011. This practice continued with various phones in
4896-548: The "format war" ended, Blu-ray Disc sales began to increase. A study by the NPD Group found that awareness of Blu-ray Disc had reached 60% of households in the United States. Nielsen VideoScan sales numbers showed that for some titles, such as 20th Century Fox's Hitman , up to 14% of total disc sales were from Blu-ray, although the average Blu-ray sales for the first half of the year were only around 5%. In December 2008,
4998-565: The Advanced Optical Disc. It was finally adopted by the DVD Forum and renamed HD DVD the next year, after being voted down twice by DVD Forum members who were also Blu-ray Disc Association members—a situation that drew preliminary investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice . HD DVD had a head start in the high-definition video market, as Blu-ray Disc sales were slow to gain market share. The first Blu-ray Disc player
5100-562: The Blu-ray Disc specification has been finalized, engineers continue to work on advancing the technology. By 2005, quad-layer (100 GB) discs had been demonstrated on a drive with modified optics and standard unaltered optics. Hitachi stated that such a disc could be used to store 7 hours of 32 Mbit/s video (HDTV) or 3 hours and 30 minutes of 64 Mbit/s video ( ultra-high-definition television ). In April 2006, TDK canceled plans to produce 8-layer 200 GB Blu-ray Discs. In August 2006, TDK announced that it had created
5202-472: The Blu-ray Disc version of Warner Bros.' The Dark Knight sold 600,000 copies on the first day of its launch in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. A week after the launch, The Dark Knight BD had sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide, making it the first Blu-ray Disc title to sell over a million copies in the first week of release. According to Singulus Technologies AG, Blu-ray
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#17327838828485304-497: The CD-compatible side's playing time as was the case with early DualDiscs. However, increased overall disc thickness risks an increased likelihood of the disc getting stuck in slot-loading players and autochangers. Despite these factors, return rates for both of the dual-sided disc products as a result of either sticking or non-playability are claimed to be extremely small. DVDplus is a trademark of Dieter Dierks . A search in
5406-752: The DVDPlus website, in December 2004, Sony DADC signed a global license agreement [1] with DVDplus International, the makers of DVDplus. To circumvent legal wrangles, manufacturers releasing DualDiscs in Europe have generally, so far, paid a licence fee to Dierks, even though the discs they are releasing are actually DualDiscs and not DVDplus discs. This has generally been achieved by using certified DualDisc plants that are also licensed to make DVDplus discs. It would be erroneous to think of DVDplus as 'the European equivalent of DualDisc'. Some record companies in
5508-531: The Digital Entertainment Group, the number of Blu-ray Disc playback devices (both set-top box and game console) sold in the United States had reached 28.5 million by the end of 2010. Blu-ray faces competition from video on demand and from new technologies that allow access to movies on any format or device, such as Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem or Disney's Keychest . Some commentators suggested that renting Blu-ray would play
5610-765: The RIC list. Products made from polycarbonate can contain the precursor monomer bisphenol A (BPA). Carbonate esters have planar OC(OC) 2 cores, which confer rigidity. The unique O=C bond is short (1.173 Å in the depicted example), while the C-O bonds are more ether-like (the bond distances of 1.326 Å for the example depicted). Polycarbonates received their name because they are polymers containing carbonate groups (−O−(C=O)−O−). A balance of useful features, including temperature resistance, impact resistance and optical properties, positions polycarbonates between commodity plastics and engineering plastics . The main polycarbonate material
5712-525: The U.S. for fear of unauthorized copying. However, personal computers with Blu-ray recorder drives were available. In October 2009, TDK demonstrated a 10-layer 320 GB Blu-ray Disc. On January 1, 2010, Sony, in association with Panasonic, announced plans to increase the storage capacity on their Blu-ray Discs from 25 GB to 33.4 GB via a technology called i-MLSE ( maximum likelihood sequence estimation ). The higher-capacity discs, according to Sony, would be readable on existing Blu-ray Disc players with
5814-426: The United States were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales. Blu-ray's competition includes video on demand (VOD) and DVD. In January 2016, 44% of U.S. broadband households had a Blu-ray player. The information density of the DVD format was limited by the wavelength of the laser diodes used. Following protracted development, blue laser diodes operating at 405 nanometers became available on
5916-568: The United States, notably Ryko, have released DVDplus products, and DualDisc is now a great deal more common in Europe (though not as common as in the USA). They are essentially two similar approaches to the same goal, although the RIAA has pointed out that DualDisc is a music medium, and not a video medium. No such nominal restriction applies to DVDplus. Although theoretically almost identical, DVDplus discs have so far appeared in practice - despite claims to
6018-469: The aforementioned game consoles can play back regular Blu-ray Discs. In the mid-2010s, the Ultra HD Blu-ray format was released which is an enhanced variant of Blu-ray compatible with the 4K resolution . Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and players became available in the first quarter of 2016, having a storage capacity of up to 100 GB. By December 2017, the specification for an 8K Blu-ray format
6120-444: The amount of content that can be stored. Given that the Blu-ray Disc data layer is closer to the surface of the disc compared to the DVD standard, it was found in early designs to be more vulnerable to scratches. The first discs were therefore housed in cartridges for protection, resembling Professional Discs introduced by Sony in 2003. Using a cartridge would increase the price of an already expensive medium, and would increase
6222-620: The automotive industry, injection-molded polycarbonate can produce very smooth surfaces that make it well-suited for sputter deposition or evaporation deposition of aluminium without the need for a base-coat. Decorative bezels and optical reflectors are commonly made of polycarbonate. Its low weight and high impact resistance have made polycarbonate the dominant material for automotive headlamp lenses. However, automotive headlamps require outer surface coatings because of its low scratch resistance and susceptibility to ultraviolet degradation (yellowing). The use of polycarbonate in automotive applications
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#17327838828486324-429: The contrary - to measure as having slightly thicker CD-compatible layers than DualDiscs (though not sufficiently thick to make them conform to CD Red Book specifications). As a result, DVDplus has been able to claim a higher level of compatibility with CD players than DualDisc (where the thinness of the CD-compatible layer has shown some incompatibilities with a few players). This also meant that there were no limitations to
6426-514: The data is stored lies under a 0.1 mm protective layer and on top of a 1.1 mm substrate made of polycarbonate plastic, compared to 0.6 mm on either side on DVDs. Sony also announced in April 2004 a version using paper as the substrate developed with Toppan Printing, with up to 25 GB storage. In January 2005, TDK announced that it had developed an ultra-hard yet very thin polymer coating (" Durabis ") for Blu-ray Discs; this
6528-419: The discs to 250 GB. However, it noted the major obstacle was that current read/write technology did not allow additional layers. JVC developed a three-layer technology that allows putting both standard-definition DVD data and HD data on a BD/(standard) DVD combination. This would have enabled the consumer to purchase a disc that can be played on DVD players and can also reveal its HD version when played on
6630-970: The eye from UV light. Many kinds of lenses are manufactured from polycarbonate, including automotive headlamp lenses, lighting lenses, sunglass / eyeglass lenses , camera lenses , swimming goggles and SCUBA masks, and safety glasses/goggles/visors including visors in sporting helmets/masks and police riot gear (helmet visors, riot shields, etc.). Windscreens in small motorized vehicles are commonly made of polycarbonate, such as for motorcycles, ATVs, golf carts, and small airplanes and helicopters. The light weight of polycarbonate as opposed to glass has led to development of electronic display screens that replace glass with polycarbonate, for use in mobile and portable devices. Such displays include newer e-ink and some LCD screens, though CRT, plasma screen and other LCD technologies generally still require glass for its higher melting temperature and its ability to be etched in finer detail. As more and more governments are restricting
6732-405: The feature, only a description for what it does. The feature may be activated by default, as is the case in the disc writing utility growisofs . Deactivating write verification may be desirable to save time when mass-producing physical copies of data, since errors are unlikely to occur on physically undamaged media. The quality and data integrity of optical media can be determined by measuring
6834-684: The first Blu-ray Disc prototypes in October 2000, and the first prototype player was released in Japan in April 2003. Afterward, it continued to be developed until its official worldwide release on June 20, 2006, beginning the high-definition optical disc format war , where Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. Toshiba , the main company supporting HD DVD, conceded in February 2008, and later released its own Blu-ray Disc player in late 2009. According to Media Research, high-definition software sales in
6936-399: The first prototype discs coming four years later. On January 7, 2013, Sony announced that it would release "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray Disc titles sourced at 4K and encoded at 1080p. "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray Disc titles can be played on existing Blu-ray Disc players and have a larger color space using xvYCC . On January 14, 2013, Blu-ray Disc Association president Andy Parsons stated that
7038-448: The first three quarters of 2007, BD outsold HD DVD by about two to one. At CES 2007 , Warner proposed Total Hi Def —a hybrid disc containing Blu-ray on one side and HD DVD on the other, but it was never released. On June 28, 2007, 20th Century Fox cited Blu-ray Discs' adoption of the BD+ anticopying system as key to their decision to support the Blu-ray Disc format. On January 4, 2008,
7140-579: The first two years (1997–1998) compared to 8.3 million high-definition software units (2006–2007). One reason given for this difference was the smaller marketplace (26.5 million HDTVs in 2007 compared to 100 million SDTVs in 1998). Former HD DVD supporter Microsoft did not make a Blu-ray Disc drive for the Xbox 360 . The 360's successor Xbox One features a Blu-ray drive, as does the PS4, with both supporting 3D Blu-ray after later firmware updates . Shortly after
7242-581: The hard coating, given that, according to the Blu-ray Disc Association, they offer the best tradeoff between scratch resistance, optical properties, and productivity. The Blu-ray Disc specification requires the testing of resistance to scratches by mechanical abrasion . In contrast, DVD media are not required to be scratch-resistant, but since development of the technology, some companies, such as Verbatim, implemented hard-coating for more expensive lines of recordable DVDs. The table shows
7344-711: The industry standard for high-density optical discs. Universal Studios , the sole major studio to back HD DVD since its inception, said shortly after Toshiba's announcement: "While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray Disc." Paramount Pictures , which started releasing movies only in HD DVD format during late 2007, also said it would start releasing on Blu-ray Disc. Both studios announced initial Blu-ray lineups in May 2008. With this, all major Hollywood studios supported Blu-ray. Although
7446-415: The maximum exploitable drive speed is 288 Mbit/s or 36 MB/s (also called 8× speed). A USB 3.0 interface (with proper cabling) does not have this limitation, nor do even the oldest version of Serial ATA (SATA, 150 MB/s) nor the latest Parallel ATA (133 MB/s) standards. Internal Blu-ray drives that are integrated into a computer (as opposed to physically separate and connected via
7548-435: The new format, and they wanted a new DRM system that would protect more against unauthorized copying than the failed Content Scramble System (CSS) used on DVDs. On October 4, 2004, the name Blu-ray Disc Founders was officially changed to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), and 20th Century Fox joined the BDA's Board of Directors. The Blu-ray Disc physical specifications were completed in 2004. The recording layer on which
7650-423: The new format. New Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs hold up to 66 GB and 100 GB of data on dual- and triple-layer discs, respectively. Blu-ray's physical and file system specifications are publicly available on the BDA's website. According to Media Research, high-definition software sales in the United States were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales. 16.3 million DVD software units were sold in
7752-568: The original brownish polycarbonate tint was improved to "glass-clear". The use of polycarbonate containers for the purpose of food storage is controversial. The basis of this controversy is their hydrolysis (degradation by water, often referred to as leaching) occurring at high temperature, releases bisphenol A : More than 100 studies have explored the bioactivity of bisphenol A derived from polycarbonates. Bisphenol A appeared to be released from polycarbonate animal cages into water at room temperature and it may have been responsible for enlargement of
7854-424: The package that was adopted worldwide following the Blu-ray versus HD DVD market adoption choice. Because Blu-ray cases are smaller than DVD cases, more Blu-rays than DVDs can fit on a shelf . The "Mini Blu-ray Disc" (also, "Mini-BD" and "Mini Blu-ray") is a compact 8-centimetre-diameter (3.1 in) variant of the Blu-ray Disc that can store 7.8 GB of data in its single-layer configuration, or 15.6 GB on
7956-469: The physical distribution of video games for the PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One , and Xbox Series X . The name refers to the blue laser (actually a violet laser) used to read the disc, which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs, resulting in an increased capacity. The polycarbonate disc
8058-465: The presence of UV light, oxidation of this polymer yields compounds such as ketones, phenols, o-phenoxybenzoic acid, benzyl alcohol and other unsaturated compounds. This has been suggested through kinetic and spectral studies. The yellow color formed after long exposure to sun can also be related to further oxidation of phenolic end group This product can be further oxidized to form smaller unsaturated compounds. This can proceed via two different pathways,
8160-658: The products formed depends on which mechanism takes place. Pathway A Pathway B Photo-aging is another degradation route for polycarbonates. Polycarbonate molecules (such as the aromatic ring) absorb UV radiation. This absorbed energy causes cleavage of covalent bonds which initiates the photo-aging process. The reaction can be propagated via side chain oxidation, ring oxidation or photo-Fries rearrangement . Products formed include phenyl salicylate , dihydroxybenzophenone groups, and hydroxydiphenyl ether groups. Waste polycarbonate will degrade at high temperatures to form solid, liquid and gaseous pollutants. A study showed that
8262-648: The products were about 40–50 wt.% liquid, 14–16 wt.% gases, while 34–43 wt.% remained as solid residue. Liquid products contained mainly phenol derivatives (~75wt.%) and bisphenol (~10wt.%) also present. Polycarbonate, however, can be safely used as a carbon source in the steel-making industry. Phenol derivatives are environmental pollutants, classified as volatile organic compounds (VOC). Studies show they are likely to facilitate ground level ozone formation and increase photo-chemical smog. In aquatic bodies, they can potentially accumulate in organisms. They are persistent in landfills, do not readily evaporate and would remain in
8364-437: The range between the brightest and darkest elements, an expanded color range, a high frame rate of up to 60 frames per second for a smoother motion appearance, an increase of the supported resolution to 3840 × 2160 for a more detailed picture, object-based sound formats, and an optional "digital bridge" feature. New players were required to play this format, and they became able to play all three of DVDs, traditional Blu-rays, and
8466-725: The rate of errors , of which higher rates may be an indication for deteriorating media , low-quality media, physical damage such as scratches, dust, and/or media written using a defective optical drive . Errors on Blu-Ray media are measured using the so-called LDC ( Long Distance Code s) and BIS ( Burst Indication Subcode s) error parameters, of which rates below 13 and 15 respectively can be considered healthy. Not all vendors and models of optical drives have error scanning functionality implemented. Pre-recorded Blu-ray Disc titles usually ship in packages similar to, but slightly smaller (18.5 mm shorter and 2 mm thinner: 135 mm × 171.5 mm × 13 mm ) and more rounded than,
8568-452: The release of the bisphenol A from polycarbonate containers. Polycarbonate is incompatible with ammonia and acetone. Alcohol is a recommended organic solvent for cleaning grease and oils from polycarbonate. Studies have shown that at temperatures above 70 °C, and high humidity, polycarbonate will hydrolyze to bisphenol A (BPA). After about 30 days at 85 °C/96% RH, surface crystals are formed which for 70% consisted of BPA. BPA
8670-653: The reproductive organs of female mice. However, the animal cages used in the research were fabricated from industrial grade polycarbonate, rather than FDA food grade polycarbonate. An analysis of the literature on bisphenol A leachate low-dose effects by vom Saal and Hughes published in August 2005 seems to have found a suggestive correlation between the source of funding and the conclusion drawn. Industry-funded studies tend to find no significant effects whereas government-funded studies tend to find significant effects. Sodium hypochlorite bleach and other alkali cleaners catalyze
8772-411: The same area. For a Blu-ray Disc, the spot size is 580 nm. This allows a reduction of the pit size from 400 nm for DVD to 150 nm for Blu-ray Disc, and of the track pitch from 740 nm to 320 nm. See compact disc for information on optical discs' physical structure. In addition to the optical improvements, Blu-ray Discs feature improvements in data encoding that further increase
8874-639: The same method used on standard DVDs. The first releases using the newer VC-1 and AVC formats were introduced in September 2006. The first movies using 50 GB dual-layer discs were introduced in October 2006. The first audio-only albums were released in May 2008. By June 2008, over 2,500 Blu-ray Disc titles were available in Australia and the United Kingdom, with 3,500 in the United States and Canada. In Japan, over 3,300 titles had been released as of July 2010. The DVD Forum , chaired by Toshiba ,
8976-582: The size of Blu-ray Disc drives, so designers chose hard-coating of the pickup surface instead. TDK was the first company to develop a working scratch-protection coating for Blu-ray Discs, naming it Durabis . In addition, both Sony's and Panasonic's replication methods include proprietary hard-coat technologies. Sony's rewritable media are spin-coated, using a scratch-resistant acrylic and antistatic coating. Verbatim 's recordable and rewritable Blu-ray Discs use their own proprietary technology, called Hard Coat. Colloidal silica-dispersed UV-curable resins are used for
9078-478: The special features only on Blu-ray Discs and none on DVDs. Blu-ray Discs cost no more to produce than DVD discs. However, reading and writing mechanisms are more complicated, making Blu-ray recorders, drives and players more expensive than their DVD counterparts. Adoption is also limited due to the widespread use of streaming media . Blu-ray Discs are used to distribute PlayStation 3 , PlayStation 4 , PlayStation 5 , Xbox One and Xbox Series X games, and
9180-414: The speeds available. Even the lowest speed (1×) is sufficient to play and record real-time 1080p video; the higher speeds are relevant for general data storage and more sophisticated handling of video. BD discs are designed to cope with at least 5,000 rpm of rotational speed. The usable data rate of a Blu-ray Disc drive can be limited by the capacity of the drive's data interface. With a USB 2.0 interface,
9282-404: The tactile nature of owning a film physically, elaborate packaging, bonus features, and the desire to own or watch films that are not available in streaming services' libraries. While a DVD uses a 650 nm red laser, Blu-ray Disc uses a 405 nm " blue " laser diode . Although the laser is called "blue", its color is actually in the violet range. The shorter wavelength can be focused to
9384-652: The trademarks database of the European Union's Office of Harmonisation of the Internal Market (OHIM) reveals that the trademark was registered in 2001. As the table below shows, although the company and Mr. Dierks have been successful in closing licensing agreements with various companies, DVDPlus is not actually subject to much patent protection. The only European patents granted for the DVDPlus concept have either been withdrawn, revoked or allowed to lapse. The only jurisdiction in which patent protection exists
9486-587: The use of glass in pubs and clubs due to the increased incidence of glassings , polycarbonate glasses are becoming popular for serving alcohol because of their strength, durability, and glass-like feel. Other miscellaneous items include durable, lightweight luggage, MP3/digital audio player cases , ocarinas , computer cases, riot shields , instrument panels, tealight candle containers and food blender jars. Many toys and hobby items are made from polycarbonate parts, like fins, gyro mounts, and flybar locks in radio-controlled helicopters , and transparent LEGO ( ABS
9588-509: Was a significant technical advance because a far tougher protection was desired in the consumer market to protect bare discs against scratching and damage compared to DVD, given that Blu-ray Discs technically required a much thinner layer for the denser and higher-frequency blue laser. Cartridges, originally used for scratch protection, were no longer necessary and were scrapped. The BD-ROM specifications were finalized in early 2006. Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator (AACS LA),
9690-481: Was adopted faster than the DVD format was at a similar period in its development. This conclusion was based on the fact that Singulus Technologies received orders for 21 Blu-ray dual-layer replication machines during the first quarter of 2008, while 17 DVD replication machines of this type were made in the same period in 1997. According to GfK Retail and Technology, in the first week of November 2008, sales of Blu-ray recorders surpassed DVD recorders in Japan. According to
9792-605: Was also completed. However, this specification was for Japan only so that it could be used by Japanese public broadcasters like NHK to broadcast in 8K resolution for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan. The Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD), described in the ECMA-377 standard, was in development by the Holography System Development (HSD) Forum using a green writing/reading laser (532 nm) and
9894-472: Was believed that a firmware update was the only requirement to make it readable by then-current players and drives. In October 2007, they revealed a 100 GB Blu-ray Disc drive. In December 2008, Pioneer Corporation unveiled a 400 GB Blu-ray Disc (containing 16 data layers, 25 GB each) compatible with current players after a firmware update. Its planned launch was in the 2009–10 time frame for ROM and 2010–13 for rewritable discs. Ongoing development
9996-472: Was founded by the nine initial members. The first consumer device arrived in stores on April 10, 2003: the Sony BDZ-S77, a US$ 3,800 BD-RE recorder that was made available only in Japan. However, there was no standard for pre-recorded video, and no movies were released for this player. Hollywood studios insisted that players be equipped with digital rights management before they would release movies for
10098-511: Was perceived as expensive and buggy, and there were few titles available. The Sony PlayStation 3 , which contained a Blu-ray Disc player for primary storage, helped support Blu-ray. Sony also ran a more thorough and influential marketing campaign for the format. AVCHD camcorders were also introduced in 2006. These recordings can be played back on many Blu-ray Disc players without re-encoding but are not compatible with HD DVD players. By January 2007, Blu-ray Discs had outsold HD DVDs, and during
10200-567: Was published that did not include some features, such as managed copy, which would have let end users create copies limited to personal use. The first BD-ROM players (Samsung BD-P1000) were shipped in mid-June 2006, though HD DVD players beat them to market by a few months. The first Blu-ray Disc titles were released on June 20, 2006: 50 First Dates , The Fifth Element , Hitch , House of Flying Daggers , Underworld: Evolution , xXx (all from Sony), and MGM 's The Terminator . The earliest releases used MPEG-2 video compression,
10302-520: Was split over whether to develop the more expensive blue laser technology. In March 2002 the forum approved a proposal, which was endorsed by Warner Bros. and other motion picture studios . The proposal involved compressing high-definition video onto dual-layer standard DVD-9 discs. In spite of this decision, however, the DVD Forum's Steering Committee announced in April that it was pursuing its own blue-laser high-definition video solution. In August, Toshiba and NEC announced their competing standard,
10404-535: Was underway to create a 1 TB Blu-ray Disc. At CES 2009, Panasonic unveiled the DMP-B15, the first portable Blu-ray Disc player, and Sharp introduced the LC-BD60U and LC-BD80U series, the first LCD HDTVs with integrated Blu-ray Disc players. Sharp also announced that it would sell HDTVs with integrated Blu-ray Disc recorders in the United States by the end of 2009. Set-top box recorders were not being sold in
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