Sony Corporation today announced that it will be commercializing a next-generation optical disc archive storage system. Sony will also organize an Optical Disc Archive Advisory Group to promote the adoption of this new storage format among the various companies in related industries.

Sony’s new system will deliver superior long-term storage capabilities, which are enabled through the use of media built to withstand changes in temperature and humidity, and is dust and water resistance. Furthermore, the new system provides guaranteed intergenerational compatibility and eliminates the need to re-archive copies of past archive data, offering a more user-friendly and dependable long-term storage solution.

By Fall 2012, Sony will be releasing various optical disc media for archive storage solutions into the market that is compatible with the “ODS-D55U” drive unit equipped with a USB 3.0 interface and storage capacities between 300GB-1.5TB (model name: ODC1500R etc.) Sony plans to consecutively enhance its product lineup upon this initial release.

Additionally, Sony has organized Optical Disc Archive Advisory Group open to participation by media and entertainment companies from across the globe to further build the market for video image archive solutions.

With this group, Sony will collaborate with partners to establish and maintain a solution and application software environment that advances optimum specifications and system architectures among other areas, while anticipating future trends and demand in the archive solutions segment. The broadcasters and motion picture companies listed below have already announced their participation in the Optical Disc Archive Advisory Group.

This collaboration will consider and study the potential for utilization of optical disc media in their archive workflow and develop appropriate application software for future media asset management and distribution strategies.
Workshops and pilot projects will start to support these mutual activities, targeted for product shipment timing of Fall 2012”.

 ◎ BSkyB, CBS News, China Central Television, CJ Powercast, Fuji Television Network, inc.,
  IMAGICA Corp., J.LEAGUE Media Promotion, Inc., OMNIBUS JAPAN Inc., RAI,
  RedBull Mediahouse GmbH, Shanghai Media Group, SRG SSR, Time Warner Cable Sports,
  TOHOKUSHINSHA FILM CORPORATION, TV Globo, TV TOKYO Corporation, TV 2/Lorry,
  TVP Poland, VGTRK, WOWOW Inc.

Furthermore, in addition to the production of media and drive units, Sony will collaborate with a variety of other manufacturers in related business areas such as storage media, robotics (automated media exchange systems), middleware (hierarchical storage management and control) and application software for media asset management (including media management and search) for the purpose of developing system solutions for media archive applications.

The following manufacturers who have already expressed their support for the Optical Disc Archive;

 ◎ ASG-Atempo, Dalet, Front Porch Digital, Harris, SGL, Square Box Systems Ltd, TDK Corporation, Vizrt

Specifically, TDK Corporation has announced both its full support of the Optical Disc Archive and that it will begin manufacturing disc media under license from Sony.

In addition to the commercialization of various products, Sony will continue to promote its efforts through Optical Disc Archive Advisory Group activities. The establishment of an open platform so that the valuable video content stored in tape media can be archived and passed on to the next generation in an optimal format will help industry move toward creating a new market for archive solutions.