Talk:M-DISC

Needs more and better (quality) info

Too bad this article reads as an advertisement and not even a good one at that. No details on what the differences are and how it works. No info on similar or competing technologies. I came to this article wanting to know what the heck the M-disc logo on my LG WH14NS40 means and this left me with most of my questions unanswered. At least it's notable...  :) 71.196.246.113 (talk) 02:54, 10 February 2013 (UTC)

Well, I agree. What I can gather is that M-DISC doesn't use any kind of organic dyes for its recording layer. From pcmag.com:

"Instead of using an optical dye, the Millenniata M-Disc literally etches data in stone, or at least a rock-like material. That material, of course, is Millenniata's secret sauce. However, the company descries it as being made up of inorganic materials and compounds including metals and metalloids, and contains several of the materials and compounds common to rocks including silicon dioxide and carbon. It's also stable to 500 degrees Centigrade, Millenniata said, and is also stable in the presence of oxygen, nitrogen, and water - important for surviving both fire, and floods." 83.233.143.175 (talk) 23:40, 13 February 2013 (UTC)

Sounds like it's based on CMOS/EPROM's or similar technologies, then. Did you know that you can use an EPROM as a (very slow) UV camera? Just write all 0's to it and then let the image focus on the surface of the memory. Not practical but it does work.

As far as a 'secret sauce' goes, I would think that it's patented, not a trade secret. Otherwise, they could be easily copied, legally.  ;) I'm wondering if they used silane and aluminum vapor deposition to get their (very thin) phase-change optical material... It would explain the expected lifespan. It's effectively like a Mask ROM or CPU - you expect it to work for decades at the least and easily if it's been sitting unused for centuries. 71.196.246.113 (talk) 08:39, 22 February 2013 (UTC)