Manufacturers of rewritable optical disks are optimistic that this year will see the industry’s first significant OEM business, and according to Electronic News, they are reporting a groundswell of requests and bids for drives. They believe that orders will be coming in by mid-summer and have already started a round of price-cutting. The optical disk makers are also looking at how to expand the market, and are now involved a debate on how to implement multi-function drives capable of both erasable and write-once operation. Sony Corp, a leader in the optical field, believes that the computer industry has reached a point where optical technology could become an extra stream of revenue. Most commentators believe that optical disks won’t replace rotating magnetic drives entirely, but there are niche markets and specific applications such as 14 removable pack drives, and some suggest that up between 15% and 25% of the rotating disk market will be optical by 1995. The multi-function drives cost more than the single function erasable unit, but many say that the price differential is much greater than it should be. However, the media-type is causing as much disagreement as pricing levels. Laser Memory Systems Inc uses two different types, one of which cannot be rewritten for the write-once function. But the Sony approach is to use an eras-able medium with security codes that inform drives that the disk is not erasable. Laser Memory’s approach is backed by Pioneer Corp and others, while Sony has Maxtor Corp’s Maxoptic, and Sharp Corp supporting its multifunction approach. The upshot of which, inevitably, is incompatibility. Adding yet further uncertainty is disk drive form factor. The 5.25 versions are barely established as a viable technology before 3.5 offerings are trying to carve a niche with lower densities and costs. Mass Optical Storage Technologies launched a product three months ago, and IBM is said to be showing prototypes and marketing its unit on a limited basis in Japan. Sony, Sharp and Toshiba Corp are also readying themselves to enter the 3.5 market, and IBM’s decision to use the ISO Continuous Composite standard is seen by many as key to settling the compatibility issue even if advocates of the sample servo format are preparing 3.5 versions. However, others are more sceptical and say that optical promised too much too soon. The drives are still three times slower than magnetic versions and offer a much lower capacity than expected. Consequently, the cynics are warning that it may just be another false start on the road.
