{{refimprove|date=August 2012}} {{short description|Proprietary optical disc format developed by Sony for storing digital video}} {{Infobox media | name = Professional Disc | logo = | image = 150px | caption = | type = Optical disc | encoding = | capacity = 23 GB per layer | read = 405{{nbs}}nm diode laser | write = 405{{nbs}}nm diode laser with a focused beam using more power than for reading | dimensions = {{ubl|{{convert|12|cm|lk=on|abbr=on}} diameter|{{cvt|1.2|mm}} thickness}} | standard = | owner = Sony | use = Data storage | extended from = DVD | extended to = Blu-ray | released = {{Start date and age|2003}} }} {{Optical disc authoring}}
'''Professional Disc''' ('''PFD''') is a digital recording optical disc format introduced by Sony in 2003 primarily for XDCAM, its tapeless camcorder system. It was one of the first optical formats to utilize a blue laser, which allowed for a higher density of data to be stored on optical media compared to infrared laser technology used in the CD and red laser technology used in the DVD format.
==Technology==
PFD uses a 405 nm wavelength and a numerical aperture (NA) of 0.85 for the laser, allowing 23 GB of data to be stored on one 12 cm disc – the equivalent to nearly five single-layer DVDs, and a 1x speed data transfer rate of 88 Mbit/s for reading and 72 Mbit/s for writing. After the 23 GB disc was released, a dual-layer 50 GB was developed and released.
This format is sometimes confused with the Blu-ray Disc format, another optical disc format using blue-violet lasers and supported by Sony. Even the PFD's caddy and Blu-ray's original caddy (later dropped) looked very similar. Capabilities differ; single-layer PFD discs have a capacity of 23 GB whereas Blu-ray discs can store 25 GB. PFDs are prohibitively expensive for the consumer segment to which Blu-ray is aimed{{Citation needed|date=May 2026}}. PFD discs can have a capacity of up to 100 GB for rewritable discs, and 128 GB for write-once discs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pro.sony/en_GB/products/professional-disc/professional-disc|title=Professional Disc (Single, Dual, Triple & Quad Layer) - Sony Pro|website=pro.sony}}</ref>
== Sizes ==
{| class="wikitable" |- ! Disc size (GB) !! Disc color !! Layers of disc !! Storage time (minutes record using HD422 {{nowrap|50 Mbit/s)}} !! Properties |- | 23 || Black || Single || 45 || Rewritable |- | 50 || Red || Dual || 90 || Rewritable |- | 100 || Yellow || Triple || 180 || Rewritable |- | 128 || White || Quad || 240 || Write once |}
==Applications/products== [[File:Fuji TV (5712870769).jpg|thumb|19-inch racks of Professional Disc decks at Fuji TV]] {{CSS image crop |Image = ETTV Sony PDW-510 face at Shiow Meei Industrial booth 20201101.jpg |bSize = 400 |cWidth = 320 |cHeight = 200 |oTop = 40 |oLeft = 75 |Location = right |Description = Professional Disc camcorder Sony PDW-510 }} === XDCAM video system === The PFD format is used as the recording medium in Sony's XDCAM professional video devices, both for standard definition and high definition applications.
=== Professional Disc for Data (PDD) === '''Professional Disc for DATA''' ('''PDD''' or '''ProDATA''') was a general-use recording media variant of PFD, aimed primarily at small and medium-sized enterprise for data archival and backup. PDD drives and media became available in mid-2004. The BW-RS101 external SCSI-3 drive originally retailed in the UK at £2,344 (excl. VAT) directly from Sony, and 23 GB write-once and re-writeable media retailed for £30 each. Two other drives – the BW-F101/A internal SCSI drive and the BW-RU101 external USB 2.0 drive also became available around the same time.
On March 31, 2007, Professional Disc for DATA reached their "end of life".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.sony.net/Products/MO-Drive/ProDATA/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050531222353/http://www.sony.net/Products/MO-Drive/ProDATA/|url-status=dead|title=Sony Global - Professional Disc for DATA|archive-date=May 31, 2005}}</ref> PFD are still being manufactured and used in Sony XDCAM devices. Sony states that PDD and PFD media are not compatible,{{cn|date=March 2016}} but does not specify the exact differences between products.
Sony's PDW-U1 Professional Disc drive is an external drive that connects via USB 2.0 to Windows or Mac OS X computers using the included free software from Sony. In a firmware and software upgrade in late July 2009, Sony added the ability for computer users to store any computer files on the Professional Disc into the dedicated "User Data" folder.{{citation needed|date=July 2012}}
==See also== * Blu-ray * HD DVD * Ultra Density Optical * Optical disc
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050817220245/http://www.sony.net/Products/MO-Drive/ProDATA/index.html Sony Global - Professional Disc for DATA] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20050826005600/http://www.sonyburners.com/prodata/index.php Sony Storage Solutions - ProData] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20090923231248/http://b2b.sony.com/Solutions/subcategory/recordable-media/professional-media/professional-disc Sony b2b - Professional Disk]
{{Video storage formats}} {{Optical storage media}}
Category:Audiovisual introductions in 2003 Category:Optical computer storage media