I use M-disc and I am sure the discs will stay safe for a long time. What I worry about are the drives! It seems the business of making drives is not profitable. So companies exit or reduce.
This is one reason I'd like to see a fully Open Source hardware+firmware optical drive. Probably best to start with CD-ROM, but DVD might also be possible. The optical and mechanical parts seem relatively simple, especially when you're not optimizing for minimum cost or minimum size (meaning you could use the original Philips-style swing-arm mechanism). From what I can tell, the most complicated part is the signal processing, and with modern hardware that looks practical to do in software. I'm not sure how far you could get with home-scale DIY construction, but CDs worked with late 70s technology, so at least that far should be possible.
mrob|16 days ago
thomassmith65|17 days ago
M-disc is readable by a standard DVD-ROM/Blu-Ray drive.
The industry has manufactured many, many more DVD-ROM/Blu-Ray drives than it ever made Digi8 camcorders, and they have fewer moving parts.
If you're concerned with finding an M-disc burner, I share the same concern.
If you're concerned with finding an M-disc reader, there's less reason to worry than with any other archival media formats.