InterVideo has announced the release of DVD Copy 5 Platinum. This new version of InterVideo's DVD-copying and file-conversion software supports a number of new features including CopyLater and TV Show to Go.
InterVideo, Inc. (NASDAQ:IVII - News), an industry leader in next-generation DVD and multimedia software, announced today the release of the much-anticipated InterVideo DVD Copy 5(TM) Platinum. This follow-up to the successful DVD Copy series includes a number of new features and innovations that makes it the best choice for disc copying and backup needs.

More than just a copy program, InterVideo DVD Copy 5 Platinum is the fastest disc backup software on the market that can be used to copy unencrypted movies, file and backup data, or merge multiple video files and burn to a single DVD in three easy steps.
DVD Copy 5 Platinum is available now and can be purchased through Intervideo's website for $79.95. More information on DVD Copy 5 Platinum can be found here. Add a comment
Panasonic has announced a new portable Super Multi drive, the LF-P967C. Along with 5x DVD-RAM writing speeds, the LF-P967C can write to DVD±R and DVD±R DL media at 8x. Here are some of the drive's specs:



Writing Speeds:
DVD±R: 8x
DVD±R DL: 8x
DVD+RW: 8x
DVD-RW: 6x
DVD-RAM: 5x
CD-R: 24x
CD-RW: 16x

Access Times:

DVD-ROM: 180ms
CD-ROM: 150ms

Read Speeds:
DVD-ROM (Single): 8x Max
DVD-ROM (Dual): 6x Max
DVD-Video: 4x Max
DVD±R: 8x Max
DVD±RW: 6x Max
DVD±R DL: 6x Max
DVD-RAM: 5x Max
CD-ROM: 24x Max

Buffer Size: 2MB


One neat thing about the LF-P967C is that it can be powered directly from the USB bus. Of course, it is consideraly slower when not using the AC adapter. If you'd like to read more, Panasonic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
According to an article at EETimes, Moser Baer is claiming to be one of the first companies to ship HD DVD-R media.
Moser Baer India Ltd., a manufacturer of compact disks and other optical media based in New Delhi, is claiming to be one of the first companies shipping HD DVD-R (recordable), to original equipment manufacturers globally.

The disks, which have a capacity of 15 GB, are used in medical and government imaging, photography and high-definition video recording.
While I'm happy to hear that we'll see HD DVD-R media soon, it makes you wonder where all the HD writers are. If you'd like to read more, head on over to EE Times. Add a comment
Sonic has announced the release of Toast 7 with Blu-ray Disc support. According to their press release, this is the first Blu-ray Disc software for the Mac.
Sonic Solutions (NASDAQ:SNIC - News), the leader in digital media software, broke new high-definition ground today with the release of Toast 7 with Blu-ray Disc (BD) support -- the first application of its kind for the Mac. The software ushers in a new era of advanced optical disc recording providing Mac users with the ability to store as much as 50 GB of data on a BD-R (recordable) or BD-RE (rewritable) disc. The Blu-ray Disc capabilities extend Toast's long history of Mac-platform firsts and exemplify Sonic's commitment to helping the industry make a successful transition to next-generation formats. Toast 7 with BD support is available exclusively for original equipment manufacturers developing next-generation external BD drives. The first drives to feature Toast 7 with BD support are expected to be available later this quarter.
If you'd like to read more, Sonic's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Hitachi-LG Data Storage has announced that they've developed the industry's first 4x Blu-ray Disc drive. Here's part of their press release:
Hitachi-LG Data Storage (under CEO Kazuya Hori) has developed the half-height Blu-ray disc drive GBW-H10N for built-in use in PCs that achieves 4x high-speed recording for the first time in the industry. Production is slated to begin in late July 2006.

This product or so-called super-multi Blu-ray disc drive can record and play back Blu-ray format discs BD-R and BD-RE, play back BD-ROM, record and play back all-format DVDs (DVD-RAM/R/RW, +R/RW), as well as CD-R and CD-RW, and play back DVD-ROM and CD-ROM.

The GBW-H10N can record and play back 25GB large-capacity Blu-ray discs BD-R and BD-RE suitable for storing high-quality images. For BD-R in particular, this product achieves quadrupled data transfer speed as fast as 144 Mbps for the first time in the industry. Video data saved on a HDD can be transferred to a disc and a large volume of data backed up in a short time. Moreover, the BD-RE 2x recording speed is realized as the currently highest speed in the industry.
No word on pricing. As we find out more, we'll let you know. In the mean time, Hitachi-LG Data Storage's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
Today CDRLabs takes a long overdue look at BenQ's latest LightScribe capable DVD writer, the DW1655. While affordably priced, the drive features some pretty impressive specs including 16x DVD±R, 8x DVD+RW, 6x DVD-RW, 8x DVD+R DL and 4x DVD-R DL writing speeds and a maximum DVD read speed of 16x. Along with support for LightScribe, the DW1655 also includes features like BenQ's Write Right, OverSpeed and SolidBurn technologies.

In this review we'll take a look at some of the features found on the DW1655 and see how it compares to some of the 16x DVD±RW drives from the competition. Does the DW1655 have what it takes? You'll have to read the review to find out.


BenQ DW1655 16x DVD±RW
As usual, if you have any comments or questions about this review or the BenQ DW1655, please post them in the forum by clicking the link below.
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HP has reportedly reduced the initial licensing fee for LightScribe in order to get Taiwan's optical disc makers to adopt the technology.
Hewlett-Packard (HP) has reduced the initial licensing fee to use its LightScribe technology to US$250,000-300,000 in order to encourage leading manufacturers of optical disc drives in Taiwan to adopt the technology over the competing LabelFlash technology developed by Fujifilm and Yamaha Corporation, according to industry sources. LightScribe and LabelFlash allows users to directly burn a label onto specially coated DVD discs.

With CMC Magnetics and Prodisc Technology the only two Taiwan-based makers adopting LightScribe, HP's promotion of the direct labeling technology in Taiwan has fallen short of expectations, the sources pointed out. HP lowered its initial licensing fee to produce LightScribe drives to encourage more manufacturers to make optical drives using the technology. HP is willing to negotiate the amount of the initial licensing fee and royalty payments with interested Taiwan-based makers, the sources indicated.
If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
After weeks of rumors and speculation, Microsoft has confirmed that they are planning to launch a line of portable media devices under the name Zune. These iPod-like players would use a hard drive to store music and feature support for WiFi.
In a brief statement from Chris Stephenson, a general manager at Microsoft, the giant of Redmond, Washington said that Zune will be a new music and entertainment project covering a "family of hardware and software products" and that it will launch in 2006. Zune will use a hard drive to store music and will have a feature that could ripple through all portable music devices: a WiFi wireless connection to download music.

Stephenson also confirmed that a video player version is under development. And there are reports that a new subscription-based music service will accompany the hardware release.
While Microsoft has not announced an official launch date, the first Zune devices are expected to ship by the end of the year. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found DigiTimes. Add a comment
Things aren't looking good for Optodisc. According to DigiTimes, two Two Taiwan-based banks have asked a local court to impose a provisional seizure of assets on Optodisc as well as the personal assets of the company chairman and president.
A local court has imposed a provisional seizure of assets on Optodisc Technology, a second-tier maker of optical discs in Taiwan, as well as on the personal assets owned by company chairman David Wang and president Jasper Chao, according to the company's filings with the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) on July 21.

Two Taiwan-based banks, TC Bank and the Bank of Kaohsiung, asked for the provisional seizure to protect their creditor rights, according to the filings. According to the local court's decision, the provisional seizure covers a portion of Optodisc's factory buildings and manufacturing equipment as well as part of the personal assets of Wang and Chao, noted the filings.
If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
MPEG LA announced today that a meeting between the various Blu-ray Disc patent owners was held on July 6-7. The purpose of this meeting was to create a joint patent license. While progress was reportedly made, the MPEG LA is looking for feedback.
MPEG LA announced today that the first meeting of essential Blu-ray Disc(TM) patent owners, consisting of 17 companies, was held in Los Angeles on July 6-7 for the purpose of creating a joint license providing fair, reasonable, non-discriminatory access to essential patents, as an alternative to negotiating separate licenses. Participating companies included CyberLink Corporation; Dell Inc.; Hewlett-Packard Company; Hitachi Ltd.; Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.; LG Electronics Inc.; Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Panasonic); Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Pioneer Corporation; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corporation; Sony Corporation; TDK Corporation; Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.; and Warner Home Video Inc.
According to MPEG LA's press release, additional patent holder meetings are planned, and work on the joint license will continue. More information can be found here. Add a comment