A solution to transfer data and files from 9.1GB 8.6GB or 5.2GB Magneto Optical Disks to CD, DVD or Hard Drive is now available from Apex Technology. This includes disks by Sony, HP, Verbatim, and others. These disks were typically written using Sony Magneto Optical drives such as the SMO-F561 drive which are no longer manufactured. Disks can be format using DOS, Apple Mac OS-9 OS-X OS-8, Windows, FAT as well as other file systems.

Hitachi, the inventor of the DVD camcorder, launches 2 new DVD models - the DZ-GX5020E (which replaces the Hitachi DZ-BX35E DVD cam corder) and DZ-GX5100E (replaces DZ-GX3100E DVD cam). They feature a 1 second quickstart, and improved optical zooms. They include recording and playback with Hitachi’s DVD Multiformat+ drive.

We have recently received the Sony Hard Disk Drive Camcorders for video recovery from formatting. Unlike previous Sony HDD camcorders which used to record to MPEG, these cameras use the AVCHD standard, a derivative of MPEG-4 H.264 codec. Unfortunately there are only a limited number of players for this video standard. Our research continues.

DVD video copy protection AACS used on both HD-DVD and Blu-ray video titles has apparently been cracked allowing a certain number of titles to be copied. But the AACS Licensing Authority has said the breach is limited. The hacker was apparently upset and motivated to crack the DVD after the DVD video he had bought would not play on his monitor because it did not have the compliant connector demanded by the movie industry.

Canon new DC230, DC220 and DC210 DVD Camcorder feature a "Quick Start" function for instantly capturing video, as well as 35x Optical zoom. They use three-inch DVD-R/-RW discs, which can store up to 60 minutes of video on a single layer disc. Canon chose the DVD-R format for high compatability with DVD players. The DC220 and DC230 offer a miniSD memory card for recording still images.

Warner Bros have proposed a DVD disc that includes Blu-ray on one side and HD-DVD on the other. It will be known as Total HD disc. This is in contrast to LG who have a player that can read Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs, while Toshiba announced it has developed a 51GB triple-layer HD DVD.

JVC have introduced a full HD 1920x1080i Camcorder.According to JVC the HD Everio GZ-HD7, provides a new high definition camcorder that provides full HD video quality combined with the convenience of hard drive recording. It includes a 60GB built-in hard drive and provides up to five hours of full HD 1920x1080i recording at a high MPEG 30Mbps(MAX) Mbps.

iDefense the provider of security intelligence and analysis is to offer $8,000 - $12,000 reward for vulnerabilities found in Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Windows Vista.

DVD Blu-Ray & HD-DVD format are still seen to be at loggerheads during the Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. Blu-Ray has the backing of more film studios as well as video player makers, although HD-DVD has sold equally well so far according to BBC report.

LG have produced a dual-format DVD player which will play the Sony backed Blu-ray discs and the rival Toshiba-led HD DVD discs. A welcome solution to a public confused by HD DVD or the rival Blu-ray format.