Xbox 360 backup hack leads to surging dual-layer DVD+/-R sales

Although a lot has been said regarding the hackability of the Xbox 360, there's always a way if there's a will. Sure enough, the clever, engineering minds of the world finally figured out how to flash its firmware, create backup discs, and subsequently destroy any remaining warranty. While Microsoft certainly doesn't appear to be the beneficiary in this here scenario, someone's always there to catch the spoils of such widespread hackeration, and this time it's the dual-layer DVD manufacturers. As the hack has seemingly become quite the rage, companies such as CMC Magnetics and Ritek are seeing demand for their "dual-layer DVD±R discs" creep upward; coming off numerous months of sluggish sales, the outfits are pointing the finger at widespread availability of the Xbox 360 hack to explain the sudden resurgence in popularity. While "global DVD±R DL disc shipments are expected to reach 100 million in 2006," analysts are now expecting that number to "double" in 2007, so hopefully the cost of backin' it up will continue to become more affordable than ever (until Microsoft rolls out another fix, that is).

[Jeff @ Nov 10th 2006 10:35AM]

Yeah, it's certainly got nothing to do with the fact that DL DVD burners are now around $50 retail, or the fact that media prices have been dropping.

DL DVD media sales would be "surging" with or without the Xbox 360 hack, which I'd bet a pretty miniscule number of people have actually attempted. All of us out there who have DL DVD burners have just been twiddling our thumbs waiting for the price of media to come down and for more to become available. That's finally happening now. Lower prices + greater availability = higher sales. It doesn't take a magic bullet, just that basic law of supply and demand.

[Andrew @ Nov 10th 2006 12:06PM]

I agree....this is one of the worst stories I have ever read. This is why internet journalism gets a bad name. How about quoting a few facts instead of spewing this junk.

You could make a case that Netflix has made a bigger difference than the 360. A quick glance at the industry suggests that cheaper players and cheaper media is making the difference...not the 360.

[Fuzz @ Nov 10th 2006 10:41AM]

Seriously? What are there, like 6 million 360's out there? So if 5% (being realy generous) are hacked, thats like 300 000 hacked 360's (which I seroiously doubt). And If each one has, say 10 hacked disks, well that's only 3 million DVD's. Hardly enough to make much of a blip. And my numbers are very generous. I would expect people are buying Dual layer DVD's because their drive says it is DL, so they get those disks.

[Simon P @ Nov 10th 2006 10:51AM]

I agree with 1 & 2. I've had a dual layer burner for close to 2 years and only last week bought my first DL discs. This was because a) I never needed to and b) they were waaaay too expensive. Picked up 5 for a very reasonable price last week and have used a couple but being an old drive it's a chore to sit through! Anyway, I'll wager it's that prices are dropping to people's acceptable threshold level that's spurring the increase.

[Jon @ Nov 10th 2006 10:58AM]

DL was so last week ... Where are the hd-dvd and Blu ray hacks to burn HD movies : )

[the other steve jobs @ Nov 10th 2006 11:00AM]

To be honest - i am an example of a 360 owner that now buys DVD-DL media.

Why?

because the 360 is the first DVD player that i own, that is regularly hooked up to my big screen TV that will play burned dual layer burned DVDs.

It actually has nothing to do with piracy. All the DL DVDs i burn are copies of my original retail DVDs that i put away in the basement in the bottom of my gun safe.

[shirizaki @ Nov 10th 2006 11:02AM]

That, and data is getting bigger. Alot of people make their own movies and buy DL because by the time you buy single layer and cut 1 movie into 2 it's a hassle.


Oh, and pirates are tired of downsampling. I predict in 2 years or less we'll see a surge in DVDRDL torrents and such. Stripping, re encoding, and repacking are tiresome when someone can just "Rip, click, and share a video 1 million times." Of course this means we'll have to buy bigger tubes.

[Jon @ Nov 10th 2006 11:20AM]

shirizaki, they are already there in the newsgroups.

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 10th 2006 11:24AM]

I'm sure it also has nothing to do with the fact that every time I buy something from NewEgg, they send me a spool of 50 DVDRs along with it. In fact, I have about 3 of those RiDATA spools sitting right here, and I've been trying to find uses for them. :p

[Jay @ Nov 10th 2006 1:53PM]

Wait a minute, I order from Newegg at least twice a month and have yet to receive any free DVDRs!

[par @ Nov 10th 2006 12:00PM]

So does this mean Sony will let their PS3 be hackable so that demand for Blu-Ray Recordables will increase and eventually lead to the domination of the Blu-Ray format?

[NeoteriX @ Nov 10th 2006 12:36PM]

This doesn't really appear to be a case of bad journalism as much as a manufacturer, or sources within the company drawing silly conclusions. There are no facts here to report.

[Jake B @ Nov 10th 2006 12:54PM]

Seriously I doubt 360 hacking has anything to do with it. The real culprit are movies like King Kong, which are damn near impossible to burn to a single layer dvd without a huge loss in quality. Plus the price of the media dropping.

[Jeff @ Nov 10th 2006 1:00PM]

I can buy Dual-Layer DVD's for $1.40 from Fry's electronics. I can "backup" my movies with a bitwise duplication. 360 has nothing to do with this.

Why we are on this - A asked all of the people I know with a DVD burner if they copy movies. Out of 20 - only 3 said they ever burn movies. Most people just don't care. They story of the three little pigs - the path of least resistance.

[Robotron @ Nov 10th 2006 1:43PM]

I don't think the 360 has anything to do with it and stupid news articles are only going to create ANOTHER tax for everyone in my country to cover the "profits" lost from DVD+R sales (we already have taxes added to cover "loss" from the music indutry on all writable media...that no one I know in the music industry has ever collected).

From what I've seen on other forums people only use Verbatim discs for their 360s. This article lists
CMC Magnetics and Ritek. I buy Ritek discs because they are reliable and they are priced great.

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 11th 2006 1:38AM]

I don't know man. Sometimes I go on there and find out the stuff I want is included in a bundle pack with DVDs. I think it's at the bottom of the page after you add the item to the cart. It says something like, check out these bundled items. I had a streak of free DVD spools going for a while.

[Nick @ Nov 10th 2006 2:26PM]

I agree, not engadget's fault because they are just passing it on, but absolutely terrible story.

[Tyler @ Nov 10th 2006 3:23PM]

Guys, Engadget may not be totally at fault here.

In fact, I commend them for weeding through the pile of useless tech news stories to bring me the ones that count.

Now, that being said, this may not be the best article that they've posted, but if you're going to blame anyone for that, you should blame these guys: http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20061108PR209.html

[Xavier Gill @ Nov 10th 2006 3:26PM]

"Seriously? What are there, like 6 million 360's out there?"

Probably closer to 3.5 million
http://forum.pcvsconsole.com/viewthread.php?tid=11067

around 2.8 million in USA
around 0.7 million in Europe/ Australasia
and around 12 in Japan