Blue lazer formats are and will always be relatively more expensive because the consumer is the one to pay for those smartest ass copy protections.
DVD-RAM totally rules and has much better support in Japan than to the West. I got a 5x Maxell disk for $5.25 just for an experiment sake and just love to use it when I need to transer big files to my laptop. Its much more reliable and convenient than using DVD+RW. And I wish I had a standalone player to watch TV shows on RAM disks.

Late reaction: Dude, they called you an American!

I agree on the DVD-RAM durability comments - as long as it stays in its cartridge.

Sony has a blue-laser format that's similar to DVD-RAM (in that it has a cartridge and is catered to professional/industrial users), called PDD - Professional Disc for DATA. It holds 23 GB, is in a cartridge very similar to the ones that Blu-ray Discs were going to be put in, and has been around since 2003.

I believe there's another high-capacity format called UDO around too.

DVD-RAM is extremely popular in Japan. It's a wonderful format...I use cartridges all the time for backing up data and to store video (mostly sports) recorded using my Panasonic DMR units. They can be expensive, but you just have to take time to search for good deals (like on ebay). $5 each for double-sided 9.4-gb discs were worth it (Maxells, Panasonics, and Fujis - all MIJ) - bought stacks. Convenient, reliable, high-quality...I love DVD-RAM.

It seems as if BD-RE might work in a similar fashion. Has anybody tried these discs? I read they can be rewritten up to 10,000 times...awesome. For DVD-RAM it's supposed to be (theoretically) up to 100,000 times. So hopefully BD-RE is more like DVD-RAM as opposed to DVD RW.

And I'm from Upper Slobovia!!!

Blue Ray media is now selling @ $19 for 25 GB which is not bad at all. My prediction is that Blue Ray will become mainstream sooner than we think. Probably by 2007, many on this forum may be owning one. There are at least 3-4 brands of Blue ray media already available in local superstores here in US. HD DVD..well...none that I've seen so far.

Well, only time will tell what becomes mainstream but BR looks good as of now.

By then, a 2TB HDD will cost just as much. To have 2TB Blu-ray, one needs 80 single-layer Blu-ray 25GB disks.

Right now:

500GB SATA II HDD * 80 + HighPoint 4 SAS / 16-channel SATA II PCI Express controller * 5 = 40TB, about US$10,000

2x ~ 4x Blu-ray drive + 25GB BD-RE * 1,600 = 40TB, about US$30,000

There wouldn't be any reason not to use DVD-RAM exclusively if it were not for the additional disc cost versus other red laser formats. It is just superior in every way.

As for blue-violet laser, PDD has been discontinued but UDO lives on. However, with its higher costs, cartridge-only system and often SCSI drives it more akin to DVD-RAM in the early days and thus serves a professional niche compared to mainstream Blu-ray.

But I am surprised no one has mentioned the forthcoming HD DVD-RAM format. 20GB (splitting the difference between single layer capacities of BD and HD-DVD) with the ease of use and dependability of DVD-RAM would be fantastic if the premium is not too great.

Prices will only begin to fall once they can be sure that their DRM won't be easily circumvented

Actually Blu-Ray has a shortage of the special lasers right now. Reason why PS3 is gonna be limited. HD-DVD uses a different laser does it not? Not sure but if they don't have the same shortage of laser issues as Blu-Ray does they could easily corner the computer burner market.

Nope, because SONY bought all those stuff off the market, that is why they are n/a!!!