Pioneer has announced that it has found a way to pack up to 400 GB of data on a single 12 cm diameter optical disk. The new device relies on the Blu-ray technology, only a few changes to it being made.

Pioneer’s device manages to pack up to 16 layers of 25 GB capacity each. Until now, Blu-ray disks have managed to pack only one or maximum two such layers, so today’s technology can store up to only 50 GB of data, eight time less that the one developed by Pioneer.

TDK is also one of the companies that have entered the race for finding ways of packing more and more layers into optical devices. The company previously announced that is has found a way to get as many as 6 layers in a disk, making it capable of holding up to 150 GB of data. The difference between the TDK and the Pioneer disks is that while the TDK one is still far from reaching the market, the one Pioneer makes is ready to enter commercialization.

The main problem that impairs many in packing more than 2 layers of 25 GB capacity is the fact that they interfere with each other. Pioneer said that it has managed to overcome this problem, and that its device guarantees noiseless access to all its layers, without any compromise being made.

The Japanese company also said that it is very possible for the disc to be played on Blu-ray devices, but that a few minor changes need to be made to them in order to attain this. Taking into consideration that the company relied on Blu-ray technology to develop the optical disk, and the fact that it was one of the companies supporting Blu-ray since its beginning, it is no wonder that Pioneer has tried to make its latest device compatible with the existing technology.

Even if the disk is ready to enter mass production, Pioneer said that it does not plan to produce it. Instead, the company will rely on selling the technology to other manufacturers in its attempt to make a profit out of it.

To get a taste of what 400 GB of optical storage capacity means, take into consideration the fact that a 50 GB Blu-ray disk is able of storing up to 6 hours of HD video content. Multiply it by 8 and you get to keep 2 days worth of video on a disk the size of a normal DVD.

Pioneer seems to be committed to the Blu-ray market. The company also announced that it will start producing and selling Blu-ray disk recorders in Japan before March 2009. In order to do this, the company will rely on the support it will get from its partner and major shareholder, Sharp.

Pioneer said that it does not have any plans to start selling the device anywhere outside Japan yet. This certainly looks as a cautious decision, since people outside Japan have been slow on adopting the technology.

The new devices that Pioneer will make available will be targeted to consumers that are willing to spend a lot of money for the latest generation of electronic devices.