M-DISC Made of Rock, Never Loses Data

Optical media may have lost its shine because of flash drives and other portable storage devices, but they still have a place as long-term data storage products, thought the new type created by Millenniata outdoes most in terms of endurance.

Optical disk drives, whether they are CDs, DVDs or Blu-ray disks, are often used by people to store files for extended periods of time, besides enabling the circulation of such things as operating systems, games and other media.

Still, while they do possess a variable degree of data retention, they are, nonetheless, subject to so-called 'data rot,' even if only under the effect of the passage of time.

Basically, all disks will eventually start to lose data, though if one were to ask Millenniata, the company would heartily disagree.

This is because the company created a new type of disk, called M-DISC and said to have zero data loss, meaning that it will retain anything scribed onto it for generations and generations.

It etches data, with a laser, on an inorganic substance akin to rock, not the same organic dyes of DVDs.

This, according to an accelerated life test performed by the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, California, means that, unlike four other disk types, the M-DISC is the only one who sees no data degradation.

M-DISC has a capacity of 4.7 GB, the same as a DVD, and will be sold starting October, through a partnership with Hitachi, for the price of $2.99, or $13.89 (five disk pack) and $26.59 (10 disk pack). Models with Blu-ray capacities will appear later on.

"Millenniata's technology has been tested and proven to provide long-lasting data storage," said - Sang Hun Kim, Deputy CMO, Sales and Marketing Division at Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc.

"We are pleased to partner with Millenniata to provide true permanent storage DVD technology that can stand the test of time."