Researchers at electronics giant TDK have developed a tough new coating that promises to make scratched DVDs a thing of the past and that will help usher in an emerging data storage format with 10 times the capacity of the current DVD standard.

A web site claims that the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) has started sending out letters demanding sums of money for people who have been pirating software.

Anticipating that 16x DVD+R/-R discs will soon become the mainstream optical-disc product, leading optical-disc makers have begun lowering OEM quotations for 8x DVD+R/-R discs to US$0.30 and for 4x DVD+R/-R discs to US$0.22-0.24, which is lower than production cost for other makers as the price of the key component polycarbonate (PC) has been driven up to US$3.1 per kilogram, according to Taiwan optical-disc makers.

Leading manufacturers of optical disc drives (ODDs) in Taiwan will raise the writing speed of DVD+R DL (single-sided double-layer) burners from 2.4x to 4x, perhaps as soon as the first quarter of 2005, according to Taiwan optical disc drive makers.
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Press Release: After the dog adopts the remote control as a chewy toy, or your remote disappears after a ride in a moving van, what do you do? In an age when remote controls are no longer optional for most home or car entertainment system components, a remote is key to fully enjoying music, a DVD, or a commercial-filled TV program. A new website has the solution.

PC buyers can look forward to DVDs with up to 10 times the storage they now have when Hewlett-Packard rolls out machines that will support the Blu-ray Disc format in late 2005. HP is one of the first companies to announce the inclusion of Blu-ray Disc, a blue-laser technology that enables storage of up to 50GB on a dual-layer disc.

Press Release: Merging their respective engineering strengths in laser diode technologies, Nichia and Sony have successfully co-developed a wholly integrated, dual wavelength laser coupler compatible with red and blue-violet lasers. Mass production of these coupling devices is scheduled to commence by the end of 2005.

Primera has announced its new BravoPro, a CD/DVD publishing system designed for hands-free, automated production of up to 100 CDs or DVDs per job.

Press release: Plextor have started shipping a new Dual-Layer DVD/CD Burner. The new PX-716SA series DVD±R/RW drive features a native Serial ATA (SATA) interface and high-speed 16X DVD+R and 16X DVD-R recording, the internal drive combines fast performance, 150 MB/sec bandwidth, and recording features that ensure reliable, high-quality results across a broad spectrum of media.

The first music vending machines that will allow people to buy and download songs in the street, at railway stations or in the pub are to be unveiled this week.

Greek and British police in a joint operation cracked a multimillion illegal software sales ring, arresting two people and seizing thousands of pirate hi-tech software programs, Greek police said on Friday.

A 20 GB Red Laser, High-Definition Reflective Multi-layer Disc (MVD) recently demonstrated by New Medium Enterprises has, it's claimed, several advantages over emerging Blue laser light standards Blu-Ray and HD DVD.

A cloud has appeared on the horizon for DualDisc - the innovative disc technology which marries the DVD format on one side of a disc to CD audio on the other. Onkyo is the latest major consumer electronics manufacturer warning customers it may not be safe to play the hybrid CD/DVD discs.

Pirate DVDs that can hold more movies and TV shows than traditional DVD discs have become such a threat to China's video products market that the Shanghai General Team of Culture Inspection has kicked off a countrywide crackdown on illegal sales.

Lite-On IT is expected to OEM produce more optical disc drives (ODDs) for Sony, which will focus more on producing blue-ray drives, according to Taiwan ODD makers.

Microsoft has started implementing features in upgrades to Windows XP which specifically prevent users of pirated keys from upgrading parts of the operating system.

Rumours abound after a slide from a non disclosure agreement (NDA) presentation that will be Microsoft launching three versions of the Xbox 2, one of which is a fully functioning PC.

TiVo boxes are in many ways a perfect target for gadget hobbyists, providing both the means and motive to create some high-powered enhancements. The devices use mostly off-the-shelf computer components and run the open-source Linux operating system, making it easy for curious tinkerers to try out their skills. In addition, TiVo has intentionally left many tantalizing features out of its boxes due to concerns over potential copyright violations.

China's exports of DVD players decreased 20%-30% in the third quarter of this year, due to an investigation of patent infringement by the US International Trade Commission (ITC) under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, which is specifically designed to protect international intellectual properties, according to Taiwan makers of optical-disc drives (ODDs).

Press Release: Sharp have announced the introduction into the Japanese market of a new Blu-ray Disc Recorder with Hard Drive/DVD. The new BD-HD100 can record and play back high-definition pictures to/from the built-in hard drive and Blu-ray Discs with exactly the same high resolution seen in digital Hi-Vision (HDTV) broadcast images.