In the realm of the 'theoretical', IOM could be a part of the part of the DVD industry in the following fashion:
1. Many hardware companies outsource software dev to a third party. A case in point is the JVC 'Archiver'/'ROMmaker' CD-R systems where JVC simply supplied the hardware and bundled it with a custom software developed specifically for them by a teeny 3rd party called 'Gutenburg Systems'. The 'Gutenburg' connection was not widely known; JVC marketed it as their own complete system. I wouldn't be surprised if 'Record-It' was actually developed by a third party to be marketed by IOM.
2. Sonic Solutions, makers of today's most popular DVD authoring stations, is already using a 3rd party arrangement. They have supplied the hardware development, but their software actually comes from a 3rd party (whose name escapes me but I could easily find it if somebody is really that interested).
3. IOM could incorporate a multi-drive system bundled with some DVD authoring software from a custom developer. It is not uncommmon for multimedia content providers to seperate their their product stages into audio/video/programming components. 'We' (my former company) often had me working on a 'gig' of audio; to be turned over to the 'video guy' for incorporation; to be turned over to the programming team for integration. This was typically done with removables such as Jaz...(despite Rocky's assertion that Jaz was not feasible for this). If I'm not mistaken, some multi-drive Jaz arrangements are already available on the market from OEMs.
4. 'One-to-One', a trade rag for the mass replication industry, reported some developments earlier this year of DVD premaster data being spread across multiple CD-R discs; much in the same way a large '.zip' file can be spread across several floppies. This, of course, still requires a large amount of CD-R media but is more accessible than the DLT tape method (currently used with the Sonic Solution systems). Technically, there is no reason why a multi-drive Jaz system couldn't be used the same way. Cost factors, however, may be an impediment. 7-10 CD-R discs are still cheaper than 4-5 Jaz cartridges.
The point to all this rambling...? Well, it certainly would be in IOM's interest to look at DVD, but they would need to a.) market a multi-drive system without pissing off their OEMs who are doing so. Or, b.) come up with an inexpensive 'Super-Jaz' capable of holding the quantity of material (a 'SyRocket' type device -- preferrably 'real'). In both cases, c.) get a third party developer to make the software (not so hard actually).
... Monday's 'fifth of a dime' ...
-MrB |
