Page 1 of FMD-A REPLACEMENT FOR DVD???

As you all know, the latest development in storing data is DVD ( Digital Versitile Disc ). This can hold as much data as eight CD`s, and some will hold 17.5 GB of memory.
But I`ve read in a mag ( can`t remember which ) that already the DVD`s successor is waiting in the wings. The FMD (Fluorescent Multilayer Disc) is being made ready to store up to 20 hours of digital video, and can hold 140 GB.
Now my question is- will dvd players currently in the market beable to play FMDs? Will there be FMD Recorders that will allow you to record DVDs-the questions go on. I`d appreciate any insight.
Have a good one.

Deary me, haven`t you opened up a can of worms ?!?!

I`m on a dialup, so I`m gonna keep this short:

That would be Digital VERSATILE Disc, and yes, technology HAS developed a higher capacity disc, however, there is no indication whatsoever that this technology is ready for test use, let alone consumer use. Also, what else do you want to fit on a disc ?! You could up the bitrate, or increase the amount of extra material, but without creating an entirely new video standard, what good is more storage going to do us !?

I`d be amazed if any of the big names think yet another different format is a runner - they are too busy trying to persuade people to drop VHS and move to DVD. The consumers wouldn`t swallow another new format making their collections obsolete again.

There`s no way that today`s DVD players will be able to read FMD`s - that`s like asking if the Wright brothers would have been able to make their plane supersonic - you can`t just expect old standards and technology to encompass new developments. I haven`t read enough about FMD technology to know if it`s possible to stick a DVD laser in the same box, but I suppose that would be possible to give *backwards* compatibility.

I think you can safely say for the short to medium term (1-4 years) the DVD will be the home cinema format of choice, and the only truly major change that will come along will be affordabe DVD recorders.

Dan

Cheers Dan, I`ll think I`ll close that can up now!!! ;-)

And in consumer electronics, "short to medium term" is more like up to 30 years. We`re not talking about PCs here ;-)

Mike

But I bet the FMD machine will be able to play DVDs, otherwise you will start your whole collection again. It`ll be like SDCD and DVD players able to play CDs.

FMD is partially based on current CD/DVD technology and C3D have said it would be pretty easy to make the players backwards compatable with dvds.

What can FMD have to make a film better?
The sound can`t get much better than DVD,
The picture can`t get much better than DVD,
So why would we want anything else?
Dvd is here to stay!!!
Hurrah!

DVD is most definately here to stay, but that doesn`t mean things can`t happen with FMD, but its just not going to become a home cinema format. Or at least, if it did I would be really p***ed off. It could become an archive media for PCs, but I can`t see any other need for it.

DVD rules though and it could kick FMD`s ass any day. Probably.

Yep.

Plus you have to ask why ould the home cinema market really need discs that hold 20 hours of digital video. Most films are 2 hrs long (approx). The only thin it would really be goo for is TV series, or for releases with masses of extras, but i kindof like 2 disc sets (less menus to wade thru). But even with masses of extras there will still be loads of space left.

It seems that these discs would be better as rewriteable media for recording off tv, or for backup storage on computers. neither of which would really affect the dvd market.

I think the next step in home cinema technology should be 3D VIDEO. It seems to be the only thing that we haven`t done. Fair enough we have a couple of iMax cinemas but the movies are crap.

Of course this would take up a LOT more storage space so we`d have to kiss DVD goodbye but I can`t see this happening for at least another 15 years.