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MultiLevel Recording
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<p>MultiLevel Recording (ML, also known as M-ary) is a technology originally developed by Optex Corporation and promoted by <a href="/facts/Calimetrics/80CtnzEj">Calimetrics</a> to increase the storage capacity of <a href="/facts/Optical_discs/vjVDB1GH">optical discs</a>. It failed to establish itself on the market. Through a combination of proprietary media, recorder, reader and player modifications, <a href="/facts/Calimetrics/80CtnzEj">Calimetrics</a> proposed that ML could increase the capacity of a <a href="/facts/CD-ROM/JwuaYLJv">CD-ROM</a>, <a href="/facts/CD-R/yjBjpaIM">CD-R</a> or <a href="/facts/CD-RW/W7THUREl">CD-RW</a> to 2 GB, a single-layer <a href="/facts/DVD/7fJsHJrN">DVD</a>, <a href="/facts/DVD-R/HAFThLD3">DVD-R</a>, <a href="/facts/DVD%252BR/HAFThLD3">DVD+R</a>, <a href="/facts/DVD-RW/HAFThLD3">DVD-RW</a>, <a href="/facts/DVD%252BRW/HAFThLD3">DVD+RW</a> or <a href="/facts/DVD-RAM/BKNMvYT8">DVD-RAM</a> to 7.1 to 10 GB and a single-layer <a href="/facts/Blu-ray_Disc/zyPalhfG">Blu-ray Disc</a> (BD) to as much as 60 GB. An optionally integrated <a href="/facts/Digital_rights_management/4AF8JmDt">digital rights management</a> (DRM) system entitled MovieGuard was also suggested. An industry group called the ML Alliance was formed in 2000 to help commercialize ML technology. Members eventually included <a href="/facts/Calimetrics/80CtnzEj">Calimetrics</a>, <a href="/facts/TDK_Corporation/hfjeUl6z">TDK</a>, <a href="/facts/Sanyo_Semiconductor/kk7BSfKF">Sanyo Semiconductor</a>, <a href="/facts/Plextor/QRNAJFy2">Plextor</a>, Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics, <a href="/facts/Mitsubishi_Chemical_Corporation/Y1dPjktp">Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation</a>, <a href="/facts/Verbatim_Corporation/1V5RwP25">Verbatim</a>, <a href="/facts/Teac/BH0YfqaR">Teac</a> and <a href="/facts/Yamaha_Corporation/VaulfF9U">Yamaha</a>. </p><p>Several 2 GB ML CD-based recorders were developed for release in 2002 (TDK's MLCDRW1000 and Plextor's PX-ML3630), but never came to market. This was largely a business decision influenced by the rapid fall of CD-R/RW prices and the simultaneous rise in popularity of writable DVD technology. Calimetrics went on to work on more advanced DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions of their technology, including a proposal to build a next generation version of <a href="/facts/Enhanced_Versatile_Disc/qkHQRVIc">Enhanced Versatile Disc</a> (EVD). Calimetrics ceased operations in 2004. </p>