|
||||||||||
| 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. Now solid-state FLASH storage, although currently more expensive is making large inroads. |
||||||||||
| 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. However, Moore's Law evolution has brought similar capacities to fully solid-state memories. Although expensive, their capacity for multiple read-write cycles has allowed them to displace removable media in many portable devices. |
||||||||||
| 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. | ||||||||||
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, © 2001-2013 Vecta Consulting Limited |
||||||||||
Vecta5 |
||||||||||