YAMAHA DISCONTINUES CD-RW RECORDER PRODUCT LINE

[Ian]

YAMAHA DISCONTINUES CD-RW RECORDER PRODUCT LINE

BUENA PARK, CA— Citing uncharacteristically rapid price erosions, continuing market difficulties, and the highly volatile competitive environment, Yamaha Electronics Corporation stated today that the company is discontinuing its sales and marketing of computer-based CD-RW Recorders.

Yamaha will continue to market its other Multimedia offerings, including computer speakers, computer receivers, headphones, and CD-R/RW media, and provide CD-RW drives for music and audio applications.

Technical support and warranty service for all Yamaha CD Recorders will continue uninterrupted for the full warranty period.

For product and sales information, contact Yamaha Electronics Corporation, Multimedia Products Division, 6660 Orangethorpe Avenue, Buena Park, CA 90620; www.yamahamultimedia.com; telephone (714) 522-9011.

-END-

Yamaha Electronics Corporation (YEC), USA, based in Buena Park, California, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Yamaha. YEC offers Home Theater components and systems, featuring A/V Receivers, Amplifiers, DVD/CD, Speakers, Mini-Systems, Video Projection, as well as A/V & IT Convergence Products including CD-R/W Media, Computer Receivers, Computer Speakers and Headphones.

[Yamaha]

To all my friends at CDRLabs,

I would like to take this time to recognize the efforts that you have put forth in creating CDRLabs. The time and dedication you put into your website is truly amazing, and Yamaha Electronics extends its thanks for all of your support over the years. Your honest and objective style is truly a credit to your publication.

As you are well aware, Yamaha Electronics was the first manufacturer to launch a 1X CD Recorder. Since that time, we have continued our dedication to the CD-R/RW market. Yamaha was the first to reach many important milestones, including 2X, 4X, and 16X Recording as well as 8X and 24X ReWrite. Yamaha CD Recorders were also the first to introduce technologies such as Mt. Rainier, Audio Master, and the widely acclaimed DiscT@2.

Following on the success of our latest CD Recorder, the CRW-F1 with its exclusive DiscT@2 features, Yamaha will be exiting the Optical Storage market. Yamaha will continue to market it’s other Multimedia offerings, including speakers, headphones, and CD-R/RW media. We will also continue to provide technical support and warranty service for CD Recorders for the full warranty period.

Finally, let me thank you the support you and your readers have given us over the years. Without all of you, our products could not have been as wildly successful as they are.

Sincerely,

[Dan]

I still can't believe that Yamaha is out of the CD-RW business.

While Yamaha wasn't my first burner, it was my first reliable burner.
I still have it to this day, although with the increased speeds it doesn't get much use anymore.

This is truly a sad day.

[UALOneKPlus]

Wow, how sad!!!

I hope Yamaha's decision will be rescinded in the near future. Yamaha does make great products and we consumers appreciate all the technology advances.

Come back soon!!!!

[Action Jackson]

Even though I've never owned a Yamaha burner, I've heard good and read good things about them. It's a shame.

[vinnie97]

My first burner was a Yamaha 4x4x16. I had nothing but problems with it from the beginning BUT it turns out the unit was defective; damaged, perhaps, when shipped. I sent it back to Yamaha just before warranty coverage phased out. What I got back was a burner that worked pretty much flawlessy from that day forward. I still have it to this day (only just replaced last summer) but it was definitely a solid performer. I'm sure Yamaha's build quality and dedication to customer service will be missed by many.

[Wayne]

We're very sorry to see you go Yamaha. I loved my Yamaha SCSI 24X and it will be around a long time in it's new home.

[Boone]

The Yamaha 4/4/16 was a freakin' tank. For a long while anytime someone mentioned that they owned a "yammie" it meant the 4416. Truly legendary when compared to some of today's drives that are practically disposable after a year.

Too bad today's market is full of cheap, disposable burners with no write quality or character.

[Wayne]

Well said.

[jase]

It is a pity that TEAC and now Yamaha have pulled out of the market. Two companies that did so much to perfect the technology (although all Yamaha drives were damn picky things, you could always tell a Yammy disciple by the swear words coming from his mouth when cheap media was mentioned!!!), forced out by cheaper competition. That's capitalism for you, it's sad but we must move on, still a shame though.

I didn't realise Yamaha brought the first CD recorder to market, I had assumed that was Philips, now I know better.

[socheat]

My first burner was also the 4416. It worked perfectly for about 2 years. When it failed, Yamaha took care of me and sent me an airbill to cover shipping along with a replacement drive. Their commitment to quality customer service was what kept me buying and recommending their drives. I hope someday the market will turn and Yamaha will come back on to the optical storage scene.

[Ian]

I really can't put my thoughts into words so I'll make this short. I just want to say thank you to Yamaha. I especially want to thank Mark Becknauld, Shin Nishizawa and Hiroshi Kondo. You guys have not only helped to put out some of the best drives, you've been there for CDRLabs since day one. Hopefully we'll see Yamaha back in the optical storage biz some time in the future.

[Dartman]

Mine was a 4260. It would get hot only if you ran it open case, if you closed it up so the air would pull through it like it was designed to it ran room temp. I had to send it back in once and it turned out I had a driver conflict cuasing the problem. Quite a few people had problem with it but mine was OK and they got better as they learned more.
Boy things have changed since then. I don't miss paying 450 to 500 for a burner and cheap media is nice

[50 cents]

what about my plexcombo?? i need one

[hoxlund]

ahhhh, screw yamaha, just less competition for lite-on

they probably got out of cd-rw business cause the cd format is going nowhere, you can't do anything else with cd burners, and yamaha probably just felt that they didn't want to start in DVD burning

also you guys have to remember, yamaha does so much more than cd-rw drives, i don't feel the most bit sad for yamaha

i too own a yamaha 20x10x40x and i can say that it really doesn't impress me a whole lot, the Lite-On brand can do just tons of stuff, EFM encoding is a biggy

[cfitz]

Well, I am sorry to see Yamaha exit the business. And I am more sorry for the workers at Yamaha who may be displaced by this turn of events. I hope everything works out well for them.

Hoxlund and 50 cents, show some respect and maturity please. Those posts are in really bad taste.

cfitz

[hoxlund]

last time i checked i lived in Colorado

[dodecahedron]

It is a pity that TEAC and now Yamaha have pulled out of the market. Two companies that did so much to perfect the technology ... forced out by cheaper competition. That's capitalism for you, it's sad but we must move on, still a shame though.

ditto, my sentiments exactly!

and that's the sad flipside to being able to buy cheap drives at $20 etc...<rant>

[NeilPeart]

Yamaha was one of the elite drive manufacturers who consistently produced great optical drives. It will be fondly remembered amongst the likes of Plextor (8/20, 12/10/32), Teac (16/10/40, 40/12/48) and other legendary drives. It is sad to see the 3 top dogs leaving the CDRW scene, as they were the pioneers; only the imitators remain now. The time of the CDs is over - it is now the age of DVDs. Goodbye, Yamaha and thank you.

[Halc]

I think Yamaha's decision was probably very wise in terms of business logic, but it shows the single minded stupidity of the markets.

Just because we have cheaper recorders, it doesn't mean that they are as good as the more expensive ones.

The CDR-Info Writing Quality article has shown that Yamaha make the best writers in the business (in terms of writing quality of the discs).

It's a shame I will have to resort to LiteOn and even cheaper brands in the future to archive my important media, just because everybody wants to buy the cheapest thing possible :(

We should understand the logic of engineering:

- cheap
- fast
- good quality

Pick any two out of three.

Yamaha made fast and good quality drives, but perhaps not the cheapest.

Others excel at being cheap, but not always being the best quality.

I hope Plextor will not withdraw from the CDR/DVDR market soon as well...

regards,
Halcyon

[maxrulez]

I have liked and Used Yamaha since my 2x burner. Yamaha made one of the only drives I ever kepet for over a year without fail. I was hoping for the same with my F1. I will now pawn it off as quick as I can. Its sad to see a reliable technically advanced company pull from the market becuase of (as they claim) hard to compete with the cheaper faster drives. I truley have a sore spot for Yamaha now and sold all my Yamaha surround sound system in my living room. Once a company pulls crap like this I will no longer support ANY of their products. Guess its back to plextor for me. I have a Plextor 4x scsi drive I'll just use it till it dies if it ever does.

[hoxlund]

who says Lite-On's aren't fast and good quality? if they weren't then how come like almost 10 other companies trust them to rebadge them for their drives?

Lite-On's beat out yamaha, plextor any day

[tuan209]

Darn! i was waiting for a yamaha dvd burner! im going to miss the cool blue LEDs too. =(

[Yamaha]

[quote="maxrulez"]I have liked and Used Yamaha since my 2x burner. Yamaha made one of the only drives I ever kepet for over a year without fail. I was hoping for the same with my F1. I will now pawn it off as quick as I can. Its sad to see a reliable technically advanced company pull from the market becuase of (as they claim) hard to compete with the cheaper faster drives. I truley have a sore spot for Yamaha now and sold all my Yamaha surround sound system in my living room. Once a company pulls crap like this I will no longer support ANY of their products. Guess its back to plextor for me. I have a Plextor 4x scsi drive I'll just use it till it dies if it ever does.[/quote]

Hi Max,

I just wanted to say that Yamaha will continue to provide support and firmware upgrades for the CRW-F1. We are certainly not interested in abandoning our existing customers. Yamaha will honor the full warranty period of your product, and will offer technical support for that period as well. Remember, optical storage is only one facet of Yamaha's business, and we certainly want to keep our customers satisfied.

Best regards,

[hoxlund]

at least yamaha is here to put information in, i admire that

yamaha you do make other great products, just not burners, IN MY OPINION