Beam-Splitting

So how does the 52X TrueX attain its phenomenal 52x speed? This question brings us to Zen Research's TrueX technology. TrueX as implemented on the 52x is separated into Multibeam illumination and a parallel-processing ASIC.

Multibeam works by taking a conventional laser beam (780nm infrared) and splitting it 7 equal ways through a diffraction grating. These seven beams are focused and equally distributed across the CD to hit seven contiguous tracks in parallel. The middle beam is a focusing and tracking laser and serves to keep the others on-track. The three beams on each side of the focusing beam read information off their respective tracks simultaneously. These beams are then send back down to the detector array, which features 7 discrete detectors, one for each split beam. The data from each beam is distributed and interpreted by a special ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit).

The ASIC used in TrueX is designed to read multiple streams of parallel coming from each of the 7 diffracted beams. It integrates read functions with analog control elements, decoding, servo motor control for the read heads, and converts the data stream from parallel to serial.

The Result?

By reading multiple beams at once, the transfer rate on TrueX drives should be massively greater than that on a standard CD-ROM. In addition, it's possible to tone down the extreme rotation speeds on the actual disc. Asus' 50xMax drive rotates at an insanely high 10,000 RPM. Kenwood's 52X rotates a data disc at at 1900-4750 RPM, equivalent to a 9.5X CLV drive.

Slower rotation rate increases the lifetime of the product and its components, and greatly reduces the noise and vibration associated with high-speed CD-ROMs. This also allows the drive to be read in CLV format, keeping the data transfer rate consistent throughout the entire disc.