It was two years ago when we last wrote about Millenniata and its Millenial Disc for ultra long-term data storage of somewhere between "1,000 years" and "forever." If you'll recall, it works using a "synthetic, rock-like" layer that your data is "etched" into, rather than burned onto like other writeable discs so files don't corrupt over time. Since then, the disc's been given DoD certification for data retention in extreme conditions and redubbed M-Disc, while Hitachi-LG has signed on to produce drives. We recently got the chance to check out a few of these discs and see whether this tech will fly like a Frisbee or sink like a stone.
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M-Disc Hands-on

The disks look and feel nearly identical to any CD-R or DVD-R you've used except that they're transparent, lacking reflection and dye layers, and they have an oddly pungent odor similar to film developer. The current iteration reads like a single-layer DVD-R with 4.7GB of space, and in the works are dual-layer as well as Blu-ray versions. While any DVD drive can read them, an M-Disc type is required for "burning" as the laser is calibrated differently. This is where LG's drives come in. The company was showing off a variant of an existing external Blu-ray and DVD burner that could also etch M-Discs, though internal versions are planned. The samples used were loaded with text and video files, and our laptops read them like any normal DVD-R.

We're told the discs have a stronger bond between layers and won't split like normal DVD-Rs in heat, humidity or light (hence the DoD part), but the most intriguing claim is that they can survive on-edge impacts. We did our own little tests and found that hitting the face on a table would cause damage, which is to be expected, but we also found them to be just as easy to split as our blank Maxwell DVD-Rs. A few edge-on hits to a table or concrete was enough to let us easily pull apart the discs, rendering them unreadable. While we can't exactly say data on the discs will last forever -- especially if you're prone to chucking them against stuff -- there's DoD evidence and and a LG's support backing up Millenniata. Although 4.7GB isn't much these days and physical media is on its way out, some of you may see it fit for worry-free archiving of important files and precious memories. If that's you, come October you'll be able to buy one, five or ten packs priced at about $3, $14 and $27 respectively. Sure, that seems like a lot now, but imagine how how cheap that'll be in 1,000 years.

Millenniata Partners with Hitachi-LG Data Storage

SALT LAKE CITY, Aug. 15, 2011-Millenniata™ (, a new optical disc company, ushered in a new era of information storage with the release of its M-DISC™ and M-READY™ disc storage technology-technology that permanently etches data onto the write layer of the disc for use anytime and for generations to come without any data loss.









The Millenniata M-DISC will have the following manufacturers suggested retail pricing (MSRP):

One M-DISC: $2.99 MSRP
M-DISC five pack: $13.89 MSRP
M-DISC 10 pack: $26.59 MSRP

One M-DISC has a traditional DVD disc capacity of 4.7GB of space with comparable performance. Millenniata is currently working on a Blu-Ray version of M-DISC that will be announced at a later date.

About Millenniata

Millenniata, Inc. is a permanent data storage technology company based in Salt Lake City. The company's patented Write Once, Read Forever™ technology is the world's first stable permanent digital storage solution and is composed of the M-DISC™ and M-DISC compatible drives. The M-DISC is the first backward compatible non-dye based DVD optical technology constructed of inorganic materials that are known to last centuries. M-DISC compatible drives are a high quality optical drive specifically designed to laser-etch digital information onto the M-DISC. This combination allows information to be written once and read over time and offers the best permanent data storage solution in the industry.

About Hitachi-LG Data Storage
