Hitachi-LG Data Storage to Manufacture and Market Millenniata Drives

Millenniata, Inc., an 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 company also announced a manufacturing and marketing partnership with Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. to manufacture Millenniata compatible (M-DISC compatible) DVD drives and market them through its sales channels.

Whether for music, photos, videos, genealogical records, business records, data loss prevention, permanent file backup, medical imaging, government or archive, M-DISC provides long-lasting storage by literally etching data into a rock-like material. The M-DISC will not degrade over time and is usable on a daily basis.

Under the partnership, Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. will manufacture M-READY DVD drives and market and sell them to its U.S. and international retail channels under its DVD brands. All M-DISC compatible aftermarket drives will include the M-DISC logo indicating compatibility to write to M-DISCs. Any DVD drive will read the M-DISC.

Millenniata will manufacture and market the M-DISC to the same LG U.S. and international retail channels as well as to its global value-added reseller channels. The drives and discs will be available on Millenniata’s website in September. They will be available at some popular retail outlets in October. They will be available at an additional growing number of retailers at different time periods thereafter.

"We are very excited to partner with such a strong global presence as Hitachi-LG Data Storage as we introduce M-DISC permanent storage to the world," said Scott Shumway, Millenniata CEO. "Millenniata discs capture the essence of how people use their data and information-literally for a thousand years."

"Millenniata’s technology has been tested and proven to provide long-lasting data storage," said Sang Hun Kim, Deputy CMO, Sales and Marketing Division at Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. "We are pleased to partner with Millenniata to provide true permanent storage DVD technology that can stand the test of time."

With a growing need for durable, long-lasting information storage, the M-DISC provides data loss prevention by laser etching data into an inorganic rock-like material. Other recordable DVDs use organic dyes to hold data, a material that is known to fade and degrade over time.

A recent study proves data loss will occur on all discs, but not with the M-DISC. An accelerated life test performed by the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division at China Lake, Calif. tested five brands of archival-quality DVD discs including the Millenniata M-DISC for data longevity and reliability. The test found that the M-DISC was the only solution that suffered no degradation or data loss. All other discs tested failed.

The M-DISC has the following MSRP:

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

One M-DISC has a 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.