The next-generation optical disc market is fertile territory for pushing the technological envelope if one goes by Dr Oron Zachar’s Polarizonics Corp work.

Company founder, Zachar has developed a method of potentially increasing the data storage capacity and read rate of both red and blue laser DVDs by up to three times, a process described as Polar High-Definition DVD (PH-DVD) Technology.

This technology exploits the polarization element contained in all current DVD formats which is not being used for the physical encoding of the information on the disc.

Polar High-definition is said to significantly increase both the speed and capacity of DVDs. Applications have been made for patents in respect of this technology.

The PH-DVD format can be applied as a modification to increase the data read rate and capacity of any of the competing blue laser formats (such as Blu-ray and HD-DVD). Moreover, the Polarizonics Technology may provide for a red-laser capability to support HD content.

Importantly, Polarizonics Technology requires no change in the disc structure itself, and current mass replication equipment can be used without modification or additional costs. Hence, PT can be brought to market within a very short time scale, claims Zachar.

The PH-DVD format also introduces a new hardware level suppression of the possibility of unlicensed replication piracy.

News of Polarizonics Technology surfaced because of the announcement that a venture capital firm, Brainspark, had just invested $100,000 in what it describes as “a very high-risk technology given the highly competitive nature of this market."

Information on Dr Zachar and Polarizonics Corp is limited, although he apparently is or was a professor at UCLA and the company is hiring.

Story filed 03.04.06