The advent of Blu-ray technology has led to the introduction of high capacity storage discs to meet the demand caused by the rapid growth of high definition television (HDTV).

The Blu-ray discs get their name from blue laser technology. The shorter wavelength of the laser is the reason that it is blue in colour. The blue laser has a wavelength of 405nm compared with the wavelength of 650nm for DVD which utilises red laser technology. The benefit of having a blue laser with a shorter wavelength means it is possible to write smaller data pits and therefore vastly increase the amount of data on the disc.

2006 is set to see the introduction of Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. Both offer 3 to 5 times the storage capacity of a standard recordable DVD disc, enabling the recording, rewriting and playback of high definition video (HD). Blu-ray discs have a capacity of 25GB, capable of recording more than 2 hours of high definition programming.

Features:

•High Capacity - 25GB

•Laser wavelength: 405nm

•Scratch-proof protective layer

•Extremely long archival life

•Excellent 'playback' performance