Sony quits Blu-ray, MiniDV, and MiniDisc recordable media but don't freak out
For fans of these formats and the devices that depend on them, this is unfortunate, though entirely unsurprising. With our ever-growing use of streaming services for movies, shows, and music, and our smartphones for capturing photos and videos, the end of physical media has been creeping closer for years.
Still, the end isn't here just yet. At least, not for Blu-ray Disc media, MiniDiscs, and MiniDV cassettes. All three recordable formats are still being manufactured by other brands, but depending on the one you need, your choices may be limited.
For Blu-ray recordables, Amazon still carries a wide selection of brands and versions. There are also several options when it comes to MiniDV cassettes. MiniDiscs, on the other hand, appear to be in short supply from third-party brands. HHB and JVC are the only options on Amazon.
However, MD Data — the non-audio data format that Sony derived from its MiniDisc platform — seems to be flirting with extinction. A quick Google search didn't immediately reveal any non-Sony sources for these cartridges. If you still rely on MD Data, now would be a good time to stock up (and plan your conversion to a different storage medium).
It's also worth noting that Sony's recordable media manufacturing isn't tied to the use of Blu-ray as a studio distribution format for movies and other types of video. As far as we know, none of the major studios have plans to stop releasing new titles on UltraHD Blu-ray, though some have begun to phase out the older, 1080p HD Blu-ray format.
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