Millenniata Optical Discs, archival writeable DVD media
 

Ran across this link in the DVD FAQ.

http://www.millenniata.com/

An interesting take on writable media, this system appears to actually etch an inorganic material layer on a disc, plus its readable as a standard DVD. The drive is $250 and blanks are $15 (in quantities of 25+). The media is a bit pricey, but for a low volume/niche product made in the USA, the price of the drive isn't too bad.

Anybody willing to buy the drive and some media samples and test them? :D

The Czech company Northern Star a.s. makes similar, anorganic recording layer media, sold under the "Data Tresor Disc" brand. They are sold at a much lower price (~$7 a piece) and can be written on common DVDR burners.
http://www.datatresordisc.eu/

Thanks for both of those links. I need to follow up on these alternate discs at some time early next year.

I'm somewhat dubious of the $7 "metal recording layer" disc that runs on existing hardware. There are obvious limitations to what DVD-R/+R General drives can do.

The other unique format, which has it's own special drive, proves more interesting. I've been brushing up on my chemistry this year, due to dye chemical research I've been doing. Now it sounds like I'll need to brush up on my geology!

Between running this site, and some other media/video business ventures, there's a chance I can get my hands on some samples. We'll see.

IMHO both kinds of media are almost identical. They are made on the same kind of machinery (9-chamber Oerlikon metalizer, normally used for DVDRW/BDR/BDRE production + similar downstream finishing line) and both are based on DVD+R/RW format specifications.
Basically, both disc kinds could be described as the DVD+RW media stripped of several metal layers, so they can be written only once.
DTD discs can be written on existing drives (personally verified): http://www.datatresordisc.eu/en_support1.php?h=m5&l=en_
MODs are limited to Millenniata's special drive probably only because of the marketing reasons.

In terms of materials, do you know how it compares to the non-organics used for BD-R media? The main reason BD-R uses it was because the organic dyes have proven ineffective -- even Verbatim's own AZO formula isn't fairing so hot with their LTH discs.

I have some articles on BD materials and longevity, but haven't gotten around to reading them just yet. Too busy with projects to have "fun" lately. (Like you, I find this media stuff both interesting and entertaining, to a degree.)

I don't think that there are any important material differences between the DTD+MOD, DVDRW/RAM and BD-R/RE discs. All are made with several GeTe-Sb2Te3/Sb70Te30/ZnS-SiO/GeCrN/etc. layers. Of course,WORM formats (DTD, MOD) do have the simplest layer stack configuration.
Regarding the DTD longevity, here is the short estimation of their lifetime: http://datatresordisc.eu/img/test.pdf (do not take it too seriously ;))

A short video on "Data Tresor Disc" media manufacturing process: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwBNIsX7-Vw

Very nice, pepst.
There's actually a wealth of information linked into a web, following back to the manufacturer, and then into more sites it has linked to. And thanks to Google Chrome, a non-Czech can read it! Aside from the blanks, much of the info I read is something I already knew, but it's always good to get additional matching comments from others in the industry (especially manufacturers!)

Thanks for sharing. :)