Magic Paper Storage

Alkatran · 26th November 2006, 09:31 PM

What do you think of http://www.techworld.com/storage/new...fm?newsID=7424

I think it's ridiculous. Using multiple colors I can see. Using paper I can see. But using shapes? Attaining higher densities than DVDs? What kind of printer/scanner does this guy have?!

Jim_MDP · 26th November 2006, 10:21 PM

Amusingly, I just read a thread on this at MacNN not five minutes ago...

http://forums.macnn.com/89/macnn-lou...er-tape-drive/

Wudang · 27th November 2006, 01:09 AM

Some discussion of it in the Register letters page
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11...311/page2.html

TobiasTheViking · 27th November 2006, 01:14 AM

I don't think any paper exists that has small enough flaws for this to even work(That is, if a scanner existed that could scan with high enough DPI)

Zep · 27th November 2006, 02:17 AM

The maths and technical aspects doesn't follow. If the originator was serious, he is not much of a technician. If he's not serious, it's a great object lesson for technical reporters!

Alkatran · 27th November 2006, 07:01 AM

I find it really highlights how little people know about scanners, printers and combinatorics. People's estimates of how much data can be stored vary WILDLY depending on where you go! Come on, people! Calculate the total number of possible states and take the base 2 logarithm for the number of bits! I find it especially annoying that people think it's somehow better to print a square instead of just printing the dots used to make that square individually.

One of the things I didn't realize about printers is that they can only really print in a very few number of colors, but they print them so close together that they blend together and appear to be another color.

Total bits:
lg(#colors ^ (dpi * width * dpi * height))
= dpi^2 * width * height * lg(#colors)

Assuming a dpi of 4000 (way more than what my printer can do at its top setting) and 16 color combinations (also slightly overestimated) on standard paper we get:
4000^2 * 8.5 * 11 * lg(16)
= 16 000 000 * 93.5 * 4
= 5 984 000 000 bits
= 748 000 000 bytes
~= 714 MB
and you'd be hard pressed to find a scanner accurate and fast enough to read these more accurately and faster than CDs.

26th November 2006, 09:31 PM	#1
Alkatran Muse Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 559	Magic Paper Storage What do you think of http://www.techworld.com/storage/new...fm?newsID=7424 I think it's ridiculous. Using multiple colors I can see. Using paper I can see. But using shapes? Attaining higher densities than DVDs? What kind of printer/scanner does this guy have?!
Alkatran Muse Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 559	__________________ Don't pay attention to this signature: it's contradictory.

26th November 2006, 10:21 PM	#2
Jim_MDP Master Poster Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: N.Cal/S.Or Posts: 2,565	Amusingly, I just read a thread on this at MacNN not five minutes ago... http://forums.macnn.com/89/macnn-lou...er-tape-drive/
	__________________ ---------------------- "Both cannot be simultaneously true, and so one may conclude neither is true, and if neither is true, then Apollo is fraudulent." -- Patrick1000.

27th November 2006, 01:09 AM	#3
Wudang BOFH Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sheffield Posts: 8,247	Some discussion of it in the Register letters page http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/11...311/page2.html
	__________________ Aphorism: Subjects most likely to be declared inappropriate for humor are the ones most in need of it. -epepke

27th November 2006, 01:14 AM	#4
TobiasTheViking Resident Viking Autist Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: With your mother Posts: 6,923	I don't think any paper exists that has small enough flaws for this to even work(That is, if a scanner existed that could scan with high enough DPI)
	__________________ He pricked me with his prick that prick - NobbyNobbs Endearingly Obnoxious - Rebecca Watson

27th November 2006, 02:17 AM	#5
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985	The maths and technical aspects doesn't follow. If the originator was serious, he is not much of a technician. If he's not serious, it's a great object lesson for technical reporters!
Zep Banned Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 26,985

27th November 2006, 07:01 AM	#6
Alkatran Muse Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 559	I find it really highlights how little people know about scanners, printers and combinatorics. People's estimates of how much data can be stored vary WILDLY depending on where you go! Come on, people! Calculate the total number of possible states and take the base 2 logarithm for the number of bits! I find it especially annoying that people think it's somehow better to print a square instead of just printing the dots used to make that square individually. One of the things I didn't realize about printers is that they can only really print in a very few number of colors, but they print them so close together that they blend together and appear to be another color. Total bits: lg(#colors ^ (dpi * width * dpi * height)) = dpi^2 * width * height * lg(#colors) Assuming a dpi of 4000 (way more than what my printer can do at its top setting) and 16 color combinations (also slightly overestimated) on standard paper we get: 4000^2 * 8.5 * 11 * lg(16) = 16 000 000 * 93.5 * 4 = 5 984 000 000 bits = 748 000 000 bytes ~= 714 MB and you'd be hard pressed to find a scanner accurate and fast enough to read these more accurately and faster than CDs.
Alkatran Muse Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 559	__________________ Don't pay attention to this signature: it's contradictory.