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TC31

Information storage

In June 2023, ECMA-423 was published.

The new ECMA-423 standard specifies the physical, optical and mechanical characteristics of a Holographic Data Storage Disk (HDSD) that employs holographic recording to enable data interchange between disks. HDSD is 120 mm diameter holographic disk has a nominal capacity of 1 Tera byte. The recording of 2-dimensional data is performed with the shift and peristrophic multiplexing recoding by using spherical reference beam.

In December 2022, ECMA-421, ECMA TR/111 and a 2nd edition of ECMA-420 were published.

ECMA-421 standard specifies a quality discrimination method of optical disks and operating method of storage systems for long-term data preservation and it enables users to build data storage systems that use optical disks for long-term data preservation.

ECMA TR/111 describes the necessary perspectives to solve the problems of file system compatibility and also the age of the media and DRM in a data archive system capable of preserving data for the long term from a volume and file structure point of view.

The 2nd edition of ECMA-420, includes a clarification to the scope, some corrections of editorial nature and an update to the bibliography. The standard specifies device interface information and requirements for high-speed image retrieval and collation using holographic optical correlation based on shift-multiplex recording of coaxial holography.

TC31 has several projects in development which include a technical report that will describe the Universal Disk Format (UDF), a profile of the ECMA-167 standard, and a 5th edition of ECMA-119, which will be harmonized with ISO/IEC 9660: 2023 along with some clarifications of editorial and technical nature.

Standardization of Optical Disks and Disk Cartridges since 1984 by Ecma. Many CD and DVD standards were developed in Ecma and became Ecma and ISO/IEC standards over the years.

At Ecma’s 50th anniversary celebration in 2011, Dr. Paul Weijenbergh, past Chairman of Ecma TC31, gave a presentation on the history of standardization of optical disks (including CDs, DVDs, etc.) over the past 36 years, starting with video disks in the 1970s, and the future standardization of Blu-ray disks. The audio file is available below.