Sony and Panasonic sign deal to develop 300 gigabyte CD-style disks

Sony has announced it has signed a deal to develop a CD-style optical disk with a storage capacity of at least 300 gigabytes by the end of 2015.

In a joint statement, Sony and Panasonic highlight the potential of high-capacity optical disks to securely store archived data reliably over a long period of time.

“Optical discs have excellent properties to protect them against the environment, such as dust-resistance and water-resistance, and can also withstand changes in temperature and humidity when stored.

“They also allow inter-generational compatibility between different formats, ensuring that data can continue to be read even as formats evolve. This makes them a robust medium for long-term storage of content.”

Currently, Sony markets optical disk cartridges for its XDCAM high-end video products, with each cartridge holding 25 disks with a capacity of 25 gigabytes each.

Meanwhile, Panasonic’s LB-DM9 series of optical drives use a “magazine” of 12 disks with a capacity of 100 gigabytes each.

Both companies currently market optical disks for the archival market, with the companies hoping the deal will allow them to pool their intellectual property to create a new, high-capacity standard.