Question M Disc v. "M Disc support"

[Neillb]

Can anyone help please with the distinction in M Disk writers between those, typically higher priced, that just have the logo "M disk", and, secondly, the wider range of writers, sometimes a fraction of the price, marketed as "M disk support"?

I want to archive some material on M disk. I note there seem also to be M-type DVDs. Could this be the difference? Could it be that the expensive ones write to Blu ray M discs and the cheaper ones to DVD M discs?

Before I buy online, I would be grateful to hear from to anyone who is familiar with M disc writers.

Thank you, folk.

 

[Eximo]

I've always liked the idea of them. Is it just cost that is preventing you from picking up a drive that can burn them?

Links to the models in question would be helpful.

Here is the m-disc FAQ : http://www.mdisc.com/faq/

And a list of compatible drives: http://www.mdisc.com/m-ready/

 

[Neillb]

Thank you for that, Eximo.

Some of the DVD players from reputable players that carry the words "M disk support" aren't on the list on the M Disc site you linked to, but I guess they should be fine for writing/reading M disk DVDs, as opposed to the M disk blu-ray players that allow quite vast storage per disk.

Research into extending the life of optical disks continues, one of the latest being using a gold layer instead of dye in disks.

As an ordinary user, I'm starting to wonder whether the gloomier forecasts about optical disc, mechanical disc, and USB degradation aren't a bit like the Year 2000 software scare. If we're really scared, the best course might be to print out those pictures and records on good old paper. However, it could be a good gift gimmick to be able to present a wedding couple or a family member with an M disk of pictures and a promise, "this disk will last for 400 years".

It would still be good to hear from someone using am "M disk support" dvd writer, on any problems, and on writing speed with M Disk DVDs (as opposed to M Disk blu-ray discs). And it would be good to hear from anyone with a DVD drive and who, on it, reads blu-ray discs, especially M Disk blu-ray, as well as DVDs and M Disk DVDs.

 

[Eximo]

I doubt there is enough gold to go around for that purpose. Already running into issues supplying the rarer metals for electronics manufacturing. I think we'll have to hope for a carbon-based nanotube solution to be able to continue making this stuff. From what I have seen on the research we've got replacements for lasing mediums (for the fiber internets), storage (I believe there is already nanotube memory on the market, apparently being used exclusively for aerospace at the moment), and processing (still in early days). Switch all the electrical connections to optical and you might have a decent replacement for the bulk of what goes into electronics.

The prudent thing to do with any storage device is periodically transfer it to a new storage device and keep multiple copies. Data degradation is real.

I have old digitized albums where random hard drive corruption has eaten some of the pictures. Luckily still have the originals so they could just be scanned again.

I think the greater concern is being able to read an optical disc in 50 years. Who will still be making optical drives? (Hopefully a partnership with LG and M-Disc?) They might become very expensive.

The big markets are still consoles, desktops, and home entertainment. But digital downloads and streaming is rapidly replacing all of that. Already dropped off of laptops and mobile devices more or less. You'll either have ubiquitous broadband/wireless or flash storage will be cheap enough to start sending out games and moves on usb drives or SD cards (lol, I lost my 2mm square game again!), or at least more convenient.

My old car has a CD player, only time I ever used it in 13 years was to take out the disc that the previous owner left in it. Ironically I use discs more at work then I ever have at home. Still people out there with basically dial-up or limited DSL. I still occasionally ship software discs to end users who can't get it any other way.

 

[Deleted member 14196]

here are a bunch or writers with M-Disc support, i actually have that slim external DVD/BD writer... maybe I will get some M-Discs

https://www.amazon.com/slp/m-disc-burner/jxx27tw8mf4g6eq