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Vecta on Information Storage Trends

Information Storage technologies have helped fuel enormous growth in personal computers.

Fixed disks have more than doubled cost/capacity performance annually for many years.

Removable disks, especially CD-ROM and DVD, have also evolved rapidly in recent years.

Like a CD, DVD stores data as small pits in a spiral track on a reflective metal surface embedded in plastic. The pits in the track are read using a laser. DVDs pack more on the same surface area by using a 635nm or 650nm wavelength laser rather than the 780nm used in CDs.

DVD also incorporates improvements to the sector format, error correction coding and tighter manufacturing tolerances, plus use of a slightly larger recording surface. These features take the capacity near 5GBytes. Recent improvements in blue-violet 405 nm laser technology, have pushed the single layer capacity of a DVD above 20GBytes.

Fluorescent Multi-Layer Devices (FMD) promise even greater data storage formats with early devices using 120mm (CD Sized) FMD ROM discs to hold 20 - 100 Gigabytes of pre-recorded data on 12 - 30 data layers with a total thickness of under 2mm. Data transfer speeds could exceed 1 gigabit per second, again depending on the application and market need.

Removable Disk capacities evolve more slowly than fixed disks with CDs near 1GByte capacity giving way slowly to DVDs near 10GByte with technologies like FMD waiting in the wings ready - possibly propelled by games and interactive movies - to enable similar size media to carry up to 1TeraByte - 1,000 GBytes. Removable Tape remains the medium of choice for video cameras but the increasing robustness and random accessibility of disk storage will soon see the demise of this medium.

Our Technology Experts Network is dedicated to exploring developments in technology. This involves projecting the likely evolution of technologies, identifying potential markets and understanding revenue models and valuations.

Our extended network ensures we have the expertise to help you solve just about any business or technology problem.

More info from:

Terry.Moore@vecta5.com

Vecta Consulting Limited, Mulberry House, 2 The Spinney, Broad Lane,
Cottenham, CAMBRIDGE, CB4 8RN
Tel: +44 (0) 1954 250222, Fax: +44 (0) 1954 252333

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