M-DISC

M-DISC (Millennial Disc)
Media type write once optical disc
Standard DVD, Blu-ray disc
Developed by Millenniata, Inc.
Dimensions 12 cm
Usage Archival storage
Extended from DVD-R, BD-R

M-DISC (Millennial Disc) is a write-once optical disc technology introduced in 2009 by Millenniata, Inc.[1] and available as DVD and Blu-ray discs.[2]

Overview

M-DISC's design is intended to provide greater archival media longevity.[3][4] Millenniata claims that properly stored M-DISC DVD recordings will last 1000 years.[5] While the exact properties of M-DISC are a trade secret,[6] the patents protecting the M-DISC technology assert that the data layer is a "glassy carbon" and that the material is substantially inert to oxidation and has a melting point between 200 and 1000 °C.[7][8]

According to Millenniata, the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division of D.O.D. found that M-Disc DVDs are much more durable than conventional DVDs. "The discs were subject to the following test conditions in the environmental chamber: 85 °C, 85% relative humidity (conditions specified in ECMA-379) and full spectrum light".[9][10] But according to a test of the French National Laboratory of Metrology and Testing at 90 °C and 85% humidity, for 1,000 hours, the DVD+R with inorganic recording layer such as M-DISC showed similar deterioration in quality as other conventional discs with an organic recording layer, with a maximum lifetime of below 250 hours.[11]

M-DISC uses a single inorganic recording layer, which is substantially inert to oxygen, but requires a higher-powered laser. M-DISC DVD does not require the reflective layer. Thus, both the M-DISC and inorganic BD-R physically alter the recording layer, burning a permanent hole in the material. Besides physical damage, failure of the reflective layer, followed closely by degradation of the data layer, are the primary failure modes of all optically recordable disks.

Recorded discs are readable in conventional drives. Available recording capacities are similar to other optical media from 4.7 GB DVD-R to 25 GB, 50 GB BD-R and 100 GB BD-XL. The first DVD M-Discs had difficulty distinguishing the writable side of the disc, so they added color to distinguish the sides and make it look like the coloring on standard DVD media.

LG Electronics, ASUS and Lite-On[12] produce drives that can record M-DISC media. Ritek produces M-DISC Blu-ray disc media, sold under the Ritek and M-DISC brands. Verbatim produces co-branded discs, marketed as the "Verbatim M-Disc".[13][14]

History

M-DISC developer Millenniata, Inc. was co-founded by Brigham Young University professors Barry Lunt[15] and Matthew Linford,[16] along with CEO Henry O'Connell and CTO Doug Hansen.[17] The company was incorporated on May 13, 2010 in American Fork, Utah.[1] Millenniata, Inc. officially went bankrupt in December 2016. Under the direction of CEO Paul Brockbank, Millenniata had issued convertible debt. When the obligation for conversion was not satisfied, the company defaulted on the debt payment and the debt holders took possession of all of the company's assets. The debt holders subsequently started a new company, Yours.co, to sell M-DISCS and related services.

References

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