Blu-ray for Business

Blu-ray is a great format for entertainment, but it's MORE than that.

With the ever increasing quantities of data being generated by businesses today - and the enormous capacity of the Blu-ray format there is a compelling argument for upgrading to Blu-ray in your business today.

MORE storage
Blu-ray discs get their name from blue laser technology. The blue laser has a shorter wavelength of 405nm compared with the wavelength of 650nm for DVD (which utilises red laser technology). The shorter wavelength makes it possible to write smaller data pits and therefore vastly increase the amount of data on the disc.

With an impressive capacity of 25GB, single-sided Blu-ray discs are the ideal solution for your medium to long-term storage and archival needs. For optimum storage, dual-layer discs hold up to 50GB of data. As well as taking up less physical space, the fewer discs you have your data archived on, the easier it is to search your discs, and make additional back-up copies.

Less packaging also means decreased transport costs, and a smaller carbon footprint per gigabyte. So Blu-ray discs are a greener option too.

MORE affordable
When you examine the cost per Gigabyte of data, you'll be pleasantly surprised to find the costs compare favourably to that of DVD. Factor in the additional convenience benefits of Blu-ray and it really starts to make sense.

MORE options
Blu-ray discs work alongside your existing Optical Media. You will require a Blu-ray drive, but that drive will be compatible with your existing CDs and DVDs. CD Team sell Blu-ray discs in either Slim cases, Jewel cases, or 10 and 25 spindle packs, in both the BD-R (Recordable) format and BD-RE (Rewritable) format

MORE durable
When archiving your data, you really don't want to take any chances. Blu-Ray discs have an extremely long archival life and are superbly protected by the manufacturers hard coating technology, which protects them from everyday wear and tear fingerprints, dust, scratches, static and water.

MORE evolved
Just as DVD technology followed CDs, Blu-ray is the next generation of optical media, offering significant benefits. It's tomorrows business format, available today.

MORE professional
Using thermal technology, Blu-ray printable disc surfaces can help make that first impression go a long way. There are only a few thermal printers on the market, most of them being used in professional duplication equipment, ensuring the highest of standards are produced time and time again.

MORE for your money when you work with CD Team
CD Team is an experienced and highly recommended business to business content delivery supplier. We work in partnership with you to deliver your project. We provide valuable assistance to ensure your project meets all of your requirements. We deliver on time, within budget and go that extra mile to ensure that deadlines are met and projects run smoothly. Whatever your content delivery project, CD Team can help you. So let our team become part of your team.

Call 01491 63 63 73 or visit our web site to find out MORE about Blu-ray for business today!

Want to make sure you don't miss out on the latest Blu-ray technology updates? Then sign up to our monthly email newsletter. Please visit our web site and complete the 'How can we help' form on the left or send an email to: enquiries@cdteam.co.uk.

Author: Richard Dearing

Apple iPad Prize Draw

Enter our prize draw to win an Apple iPad* when you place an order before the 31 August 2010!

*Apple iPad Wi-Fi 16GB 

You will receive one entry into our prize draw for every £500** you spend on our fantastic products and services so the more you spend the more chances you will have to win!

**Excluding vat and shipping. To qualify orders must be received and invoiced between now and 31 August 2010.

You may be wondering what all the fuss is about? Well here are three reviews that will give you slightly different perspectives on this latest must have gadget. 

What Hi Fi? Sound and Vision: It's a luxury but the iPad looks great, sounds great, and is a joy to use for an ever-expanding range of tasks. Find out more 

Telegraph.co.uk: The Apple iPad is beautiful, compelling and doesn't do any of the annoying things computers do. Find out more 

The Gadget Show: There's no denying that the iPad really looks the business - it uses its expansive screen to let information be displayed in all its glory. Find out more 

Call 01491 63 63 73 to take advantage of this exclusive prize draw today! 

Want to make sure you don't miss out on the next prize draw? Then sign up to our monthly email newsletter. Please visit our web site and complete the 'How can we help' form on the left or send an email to: enquiries@cdteam.co.uk. 

Author: Richard Dearing

The Budget - and the Games Industry

Amongst many other items, our coalition Government's emergency budget today announced the previously agreed (but not yet implemented) tax breaks for UK games companies will not now take place. See below the link to the BBC news item. ELSPA (which we are members of) had campaigned hard for this and it will be a blow for all the UK based games companies. The tax advantages for those based in North America, and some parts of Europe are far greater than here and that is just one of the reasons why Canada is such a popular choice as the hub for the games industry. The risk is obviously that the UK which has always been especially strong in this sector will lose a lot of it's creative talent overseas.

All of that said, the predicted growth for the games industry is still very positive news. A lot of this is in DLC (downloadable content) at CD Team Limited we continue to service this industry and help with USB delivery where some disc based solutions are in decline. The meeting I had today at a leading global games developer and publisher demonstrates how we continue to work in partnership with companies to transition from one delivery method to another. We welcome the opportunity to discuss DLC, in many cases there is a continued need for a physical format and security features for DLC and plug-ins at the pre-release and QA stages.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/10374867.stm

Please contact me to discuss your individual requirements, or with any queries.

Author: Jo Fone, Managing Director

Optical discs with 200x the capacity of Blu-ray!

Various reports have picked up recently on an article in which Japanese researchers describe their discovery of a metal oxide that could be used to create an optical data storage medium holding 200 times the amount of information stored on Blu-ray discs. The compound discovered by University of Tokyo professor Shinichi Okoshi and others. could, it is said, be produced in larger quantities and for a much cheaper price than alloys used in Blu-ray discs and DVD's. Results of the group's research were published in the May edition of the science journal 'Nature Chemistry'

Want to be kept up to date with the latest Blu-ray developments? Then sign up to our monthly email newsletter. Please visit our web site and complete the 'How can we help' form on the left or send an email to: enquiries@cdteam.co.uk.

Author: Clive Wilkinson

A new look for CD Team

The CD Team brand re-launch has been a work in progress for several months and we are really interested to hear what you think of our new look.

We believe the new branding reflects the products and services CD Team provide today and at the same time defines our future proposition. Whether distributing or storing your content on optical disc, USB flash drives, hard disk drives or flash memory cards, CD Team deliver tailor-made solutions that utilise the very latest technology.    

CD is certainly still very much our core business, as is DVD and Blu-ray.
However, we are also increasingly advising, supplying and project managing the delivery of content on other physical formats and therefore it was time for our name, CD Team, to reflect this wider range of products and services. Over our 15 years of trading, we have built up strong brand recognition and are well known within the industry as a trustworthy company, so by adding Content Delivery rather than a complete name change we are able to encompass optical discs and other digital delivery methods within a familiar brand that many of you have come to depend upon.

Team is also at the heart of our business.
As many of you know, being a CD Team customer allows you access to our team of experts: you work closely with your friendly account manager; get advice from our technical specialists and graphics designers. Our team ethos extends to all aspects of our business. This enables us to retain dedicated and enthusiastic team members needed to provide you with the excellent service you expect.

Content Delivery Team
Having already invested in high capacity dual layer DVD-R and Blu-ray (BD-R) disc equipment we have expanded our duplication facility to include all forms of USB flash drives and flash memory cards such as SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) so we can offer a range alternative delivery methods to optical discs and ensure that we can continue to meet seemingly impossible deadlines, securely, across a wide range of media formats. Whatever the format, our services are always flexible and reliable. We offer practical solutions for business requirements today and into the future.

New Website - http://www.cdteam.co.uk/
By launching our NEW look brand in conjunction with a new website, designed specifically to provide the information you need quickly and easily, I believe this demonstrates our continued commitment to meet your needs and exceed your expectations every time you choose to use our products and services.

If you would like to talk to me, or a member of the team about finding the right content delivery solution for your business, please call today on 01491 636373 or visit our website and complete the new 'how can we help' form. If you have any feedback on our re-branding or the new website we are always interested to hear your views.

Author: Jo Fone, Managing Director

Calling all Blu-ray boffins...

There are some interesting advances going on in the world of Blu-ray technology so we thought we'd share them with you...

Blu-ray is no longer the preserve of games developers and the big film studios; independent publishers – even the smaller ones – are coming on board as well.  Already in the UK, Blu-ray accounts for 26% of 'District 9' disc sales, 23% of 'Terminator Salvation' sales and 22% of 'Inglourious Basterds' and ‘Star Trek 11.  The ever increasing size of data files for certain evidence data and the security sector is pushing the uptake of Blu-ray recordable drives and media into the professional non-entertainment markets too.  This was the same pattern for DVD in the early days with transition from CD to the next generation larger capacity format.



The forthcoming Blu-ray Disc Academy forum at Frankfurt on 19 May will be Europe’s first event showcasing 'live' advanced Blu-ray features and BD-Live applications that push the creative boundaries of the high-definition format, and how these can unlock commercial opportunities.  Such as a BD disc linking Internet-based social networks; a BD player communicating with WiFi-enabled smart devices; a pay-per-view video delivery service that lets users rent movies via their BD player; a low-cost ’out-of-the-box’ BD-Live content management solution with back office server; a copying software added to a Pure Audio Blu-ray service; an application which allows mobile phone users to send videos to any BD-Live-enabled BD player. Not to mention the arrival of 3D on Blu-ray.  There are also a few early examples of BD-live being used for business-to-business applications.

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has announced two new media specifications that use Blu-ray Disc technology.  These provide targeted functionality for commercial and consumer applications. The specifications for BDXL (High Capacity Recordable and Rewritable discs) and IH-BD (Intra-Hybrid Blu-ray Discs) are expected in the next few months.

 

The BDXL specification, targeted primarily at commercial segments such as broadcasting, medical and document imaging enterprises with significant archiving needs, will provide customers with write-once options on 100GB and 128GB capacity discs and rewritable capability on 100GB discs. The discs reach these capacities by incorporating three to four recordable layers. A consumer version of BDXL is also expected, particularly in those regions where BD recorders have achieved broad consumer acceptance.

 

Professional industries have expressed a desire to find optical disc solutions that enable them to transition away from magnetic media for their archiving needs.  The Blu-ray Disc Association Global Promotions Committee chair. "Leveraging Blu-ray Disc to meet this need provides professional enterprises with a compact, stable and long-term solution for archiving large amounts of sensitive data, video and graphic images using a proven and widely accepted optical technology."



The IH-BD incorporates a single BD-ROM layer and a single BD-RE layer so as to enable the user to view, but not overwrite, critical published data while providing the flexibility to include relevant personal data on the same physical disc. This allows for consumer specific applications where combining published content with related user data on a convenient, single volume is desirable. Both the ROM and the RE layers on IH-BD discs provide 25GB of capacity.



As both BDXL and IH-BD are specially designed formats with specific market segments in mind, newly designed hardware is required to play back or record BDXL or IH-BD media. However, because the new media specifications are extensions of current Blu-ray Disc technology, future BDXL and IH-BD devices can be designed to support existing 25GB and 50GB Blu-ray Discs.

Should you have any queries with regards to Blu-ray and how it could benefit you please call today on 01491 636373 or email our technical team on technical@cdteam.co.uk

Author: Alex Ashur, Technical Manager

Flash memory, quality is everything...

Most businesses want to cut costs at every opportunity and find better deals on required products. However, businesses should be aware that if they buy too cheaply, they run the risk of products failing and their reputation being at stake. In my experience this is even more apparent with USB sticks than any other media storage device.

USB keys and flash drives are a quick, simple and versatile storage device and our USB duplication service now makes them even easier to use. In recent months, I have seen an increasing number of USB production jobs where the customer has supplied us with their own USB media to copy on to. Although we always prefer to provide a complete service, we will duplicate onto pre-sourced USBs, however there have been several jobs where the supplied USBs were, shall we say, not of the greatest quality.

To give you a better idea of the effect this can have, one customer required us to upload company data onto 500 of their supplied branded USBs so that they could distribute them at an exhibition to promote brand awareness. During the duplication process, we found that 28% of the sticks had failed to upload (140 units total). Despite trying the sticks again they still would not duplicate as the chip inside them was such poor quality.

As a result, the customer did not have enough USBs for the event and of those sticks that were given out, they could no longer be confident that they would all work when their potential clients tried to use them.

So, businesses looking for bargains may indeed find products which are much cheaper than others on the market and they may think they are getting a great deal, however they are taking a huge gamble.  For instance, if you make a 30% saving on the USBs and 28% of them fail and cannot be used, you haven’t saved any money. Ofcourse, the much greater risk is distributing a low quality product with your branding on, that may not work at all.

Your reputation and recommendations by word of mouth are critical to your success, so paying out a little extra for good quality products from a reliable supplier will give you that vital peace of mind.

Author: Dave Kemble, Account Manager