UCF mad scientists squeeze 1TB of data onto single DVD

Sure, we've seen 1TB discs before, but instead of complicating things with holograms and the like, a research team at the University of Central Florida has taken a different tactic and developed some advances in laser technology that could actually make disc drives cheaper and more portable -- along with the obvious benefits of 1TB of storage and speedier read/write times. Unfortunately, we left our PhDs at home today, so we really haven't the foggiest idea how this all works, but the gist of the idea seems to be the fancy dual laser wavelengths being used, allowing for sharper imaging and recording. These lasers can interact with 3D materials -- such as the multiple layers on a disc, or even a storage "cube" -- without interference from the solid material, providing for more durable and more dense storage. To switch between reading and writing is only a matter of applying more power, and the simplicity of the method means that cheaper lasers could possibly be used in the system -- a far cry from the current blue laser manufacturing problems being experienced by Blu-ray and HD DVD formats. We're not exactly sure if the drive will be able to store 1TB to existing DVD discs, or if a new media will need to be produced -- we're guessing the latter -- but while we're sure commercialization of this technology is a ways off, it's nice to see what a few nerds in a college science lab can pull off while waiting around for multi-billion dollar corporations to get a 50GB drive out the door.

[Via Slashdot]

[Mustfa Manzur @ Dec 8th 2006 4:14PM]

UCF REPRESENT

[Andir3.0 @ Dec 8th 2006 4:24PM]

It's kind of improper to call it a DVD since it uses a different media that happens to be the same size as a DVD. It would be the same as calling it a CD.

[Nando @ Dec 8th 2006 4:26PM]

UCF = U CAN'T FINISH

[Alcaron @ Dec 8th 2006 4:44PM]

"we're guessing the latter"

Would it kill you to not add some dumb speculation to the mix?

Just say you don't know, and don't have any clue.

We are FINE with that, I assure you. Just the facts mam.

Your posts are ten times better when you just say what the story is about and don't try to sound all "in the know".

Signed,
Your biggest fan.

[Paul @ Dec 8th 2006 4:48PM]

I like the "Guess the Latter" because it says that here are the two possibilities, we dont know, but it would seem most logical to say it is second choice.

[GG @ Dec 8th 2006 8:11PM]

ma'am has an extra 'a' and an apostrophe. would it kill you to learn basic spelling and grammar?

(yes I don't use caps but not b/c I don't know how)

[Alcaron @ Dec 8th 2006 4:56PM]

But the guess is based on absolutely nothing. There is nothing suggesting thats the case whatsoever.

Its just stupid to constantly (and you have to admit, engadget does this a LOT) toss in "we think" comments that really aren't based on any real information. And isn't that the point? To inform? Inform us of what though? Guesses based on nothing other than what SEEMS likely to someone who has little or no idea what is involved in this technology?

I dunno, whatever, shoot me for expecting some sort of credibility.

[Ray-- @ Dec 8th 2006 4:52PM]

I guess the latter of the last 2 comments is the better one...

[Garry @ Dec 8th 2006 5:44PM]

Alcaron,

I understand your complaint, but come on. This is a blog intended to cover emerging technology. As such it stands to reason that there will be a great deal of speculation contained therein, whether it comes from analysts, scientists, or the writers themselves.

And it's not as if Paul was suggesting something the rest of us couldn't divine on our own.

Agreed, jamalekai - lighten up.

[Andrew W. @ Dec 8th 2006 5:04PM]

Suprise! Someone actually knows what they're doing at UCF.

[jamalekai @ Dec 8th 2006 5:35PM]

Alcaron reminds me of the Sicilian in "the princess bride". Inconceivable!

Lighten up :)

[cdman98 @ Dec 8th 2006 5:37PM]

@Nando Your wrong

It's Under Construction Forever, and dont you forget it.

UCF Represent!

[Alan @ Dec 8th 2006 5:48PM]

w00t. UCF ftw. finished my last final exam today.

[Guy Montgomery @ Dec 8th 2006 5:59PM]

And the Engadget "tact" vs "tack" misusage shows up yet again.

[kamandriat @ Dec 8th 2006 6:19PM]

they should try something like a cube. maybe doing something with 3 or maybe even 2 lasers meeting together and reading the data on the cube that they overlap. it would be pretty cool i think. maybe using two lasers on a sphere that held infomation and they would scale about the circumference. spheres hold the largest volume in the same amount of space than a cube or any other shape.

[Cade @ Dec 8th 2006 7:02PM]

That wouldn't really work because the only reason we use a circular disk is so we can spin it really fast and not move the lasers much. A sphere or cube wouldn't really make sense in that respect.

BTW, "spheres hold the largest volume in the same amount of space"
that's not true. Volume = space. You probably meant largest volume with the same amount of surface area (which is completely irrelevant).

[Eddie @ Dec 8th 2006 7:00PM]

@kamandriat

Spheres would be a good idea because they are stylish, but they certainly don't hold the most volume. A Cube with the same width as a Sphere's diameter, would not only hold more date (and volume), but would also be the most effecient when it came to physical storage. A sphere would hold half the data while taking up the same space.

[Andy @ Dec 8th 2006 9:00PM]

A polyhedron with two parallel regular hexagonal sides would be better than a cube in the sense that you describe. But there's still the problem on how to read/write with minimal internal movement from the delicate parts like the lasers, like another poster mentioned.

[embassy @ Dec 8th 2006 7:08PM]

wow didnt think they're be this many UCF students/alumns on here...i had 2 solid years up there b4 transfering to FAU...

and definitely "under construction forever" haha..and im currently going through " u cant finish" right now at FAU :(

[granny down east @ Dec 8th 2006 7:24PM]

UCF MOM w()()t

[treysinatra @ Dec 8th 2006 7:48PM]

I enjoy engadget comments very much and I'd speculate most people feel the same way. I really enjoyed yesterday's simpsons reference for example.

[David @ Dec 8th 2006 9:20PM]

I guess this is what is going on in the new CREOL building. Too bad it requires a pass to get in there.

[eskimodragon @ Dec 10th 2006 9:35PM]

CREOL has been there for several years now...and is arguably one of the country's best laser labs. You might be thinking of Engineering III that just opened, unfortunately I just graduated so I didn't get a chance to check it out. But yeah, CREOL does some great work there

[eskimodragon @ Dec 9th 2006 9:34AM]

CREOL has been there for several years now...and is arguably one of the country's best laser labs. You might be thinking of Engineering III that just opened, unfortunately I just graduated so I didn't get a chance to check it out. But yeah, CREOL does some great work there

[steve @ Dec 8th 2006 10:44PM]

this just in
sony buys the new technology from UCF research teams
and immediately destroys it and all evidence of its existance

[Joshua Engel @ Dec 9th 2006 12:08AM]

UCF Can some one say Blair Witch. Dante Culpepper. This school keeps pulling surprises out there ass. Go Full Sail...

[gavin.hall @ Dec 9th 2006 2:11AM]

More then half of the development team that created Blogsmith (that runs this site) graduated from UCF (myself included) ;) GO KNIGHTs!

[Oddmanout @ Dec 9th 2006 3:36AM]

"But the guess is based on absolutely nothing. There is nothing suggesting thats the case whatsoever."

Well, nothing stated in the article. But if you look at history, older off-the-shelf media usually isn't FORWARDS compatible with it's descendants. At least, not without compromises. For example, DVD could be considered a descendant of CD, yet you can't use DVD style writing on a CD and suddenly be able to write 4.7GB of data to each one. And while Sony has now released Hi-MD and 1GB minidiscs, and you CAN now use older standard mds for data, you don't get too much space on them. ie It's a compromise.

Plus, I would posit that standard DVD media QC standards were set with standard DVD technology requirements in mind, but it might not be up to snuff for this new stuff. Like cat5 and cat5e ethernet cable. The only real difference is that cat5e is made to a higher spec, and rated for gigabit. Some old cat5 can indeed handle gigabit, but a lot of it won't...

So yeah, just sit back and enjoy engadgets 100% free (well, ad supported), entertaining, and entirely unsubstantiated technology updates (see...you don't even have to think of it as 'news' if that raises your expectations to the point of disapointment...).

[Jimbo @ Dec 9th 2006 5:34AM]

You mean "different tack," not "different tact."

[czmars @ Dec 9th 2006 11:07AM]

Looks like Toshiba is already selling a 1TB device.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/06/22/toshiba_rd-a1_hd_dvd_r/

[The Big O @ Dec 9th 2006 4:53PM]

That's my alma mater for ya. BLAAAAAACK GOOOOOOOLD!
To bad I was never able to once step floor in the CREOL building.

[Henry @ Dec 9th 2006 11:17PM]

Go UCF. We may suck at football, but we can back up our data :)

[Chris @ Dec 9th 2006 11:47PM]

wooo! GO UCF!

[coursevector @ Dec 11th 2006 12:59PM]

UCF in the house.

Watched them use it last weekend, pretty sweet stuff.