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Optical Storage

12 July 2006

I-O DATA Japan has announced a new series of drives based on Sony NEC Optiarc's upcoming 18x "Super-Multi" drive, the AD-7173A. Along with 18x DVD±R and 12x DVD-RAM writing speeds, these internal and external drives feature support for Labelflash technology. Here are some of the specs:

Writing Speeds: DVD±R: 18x DVD±R DL: 8x DVD+RW: 8x DVD+R DL: 8x DVD-RW: 6x DVD-RAM: 12x CD-R: 48x CD-RW: 32x

Read Speeds: DVD-ROM (Single): 16x Max DVD-ROM (Dual): 12x Max DVD±R: 16x Max DVD±RW: 13x Max DVD±R DL: 12x Max DVD-RAM: 12X Max CD-R/ROM: 48x Max CD-RW: 40x Max

The DVR-AN18GL and DVR-UN18GL should hit store shelves in early August for ￥9,300 ($80US) and ￥13,600 ($117US) respectively. More information can be found here and here. Add a comment

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Optical Storage

12 July 2006

TDK sent out a press release today, announcing the launch of its Snap N' Save product line. An alternative to disc spindles, Snap N' Save cases offer greater protection and organization options.

TDK, a world leader in digital recording solutions, today announced the launch of its Snap N' Save product line, recordable DVD and CD media supplied in innovative Snap N' Save cases. Offering the ultimate combination of robust disc protection and compact media storage, Snap N' Save cases snap closed, securely protecting your discs by sealing out dirt, dust and other contaminants that can have a negative impact on media performance. A new alternative to disc spindles, Snap N' Save cuts down on case clutter, enables keeping multiple disc sets together for superior organization, and seamlessly integrates with your home media library. TDK is offering DVD and CD media in Snap N' Save cases in a variety of colors and pack sizes.

"We're pleased to offer our customers ultimate performance DVD and CD media packaged in Snap N' Save cases," commented Bruce Youmans, TDK Vice President of Marketing. "Snap N' Save offers the same bulk storage capabilities of a spindle, but is designed to provide stronger disc protection. What's more, with a variety of colors and pack configurations, Snap N' Save offers seamless storage and organization options alongside CD jewel cases and DVD movie boxes in our customers' home media libraries."

Media using TDK's Snap N' Save cases are available now. More information, including prices, can be found here. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment

12 July 2006

ATI has announced that their H.264 video decoder has been chosen by Microsoft for the Xbox 360 HD DVD player. Here's part of their press release:

ATI Technologies (TSX:ATY.TO - News)(NASDAQ:ATYT - News) today announced that Microsoft Corp. has chosen ATI's H.264 decoder for the Xbox 360(TM) HD DVD player, bringing users sharper, more true-to-life visuals and smoother playback of high-definition content. HD DVDs encoded using one of three approved codecs deliver up to six times the resolution of traditional DVDs all on a single disc. Built on ATI's Avivo(TM) technology, the decoder used for the Xbox 360 HD DVD player brings to bear ATI's considerable multimedia know-how to ensure gamers, home theatre buffs, and casual viewers alike get a more perfect picture from the H.264 format.

If you'd like to read more, the entire press release is available on ATI's website. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment

12 July 2006

The HD DVD Promotional Group has announced the launch of "The Look and Sound of Perfect" marketing campaign. With this multi-million dollar advertising and publicity campaign, the group will promote HD DVD and educate consumers on the quality and value of the format.

Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video, Paramount Home Entertainment, HP, Intel, Microsoft and Toshiba today announced the formation of a new trade organization, the North American HD DVD Promotional Group, Inc., at the Video Software Dealers Association 2006 conference. The non-profit group will promote the companies' common interests in the success of HD DVD and to educate consumers on the quality and value of HD DVD.

A new advertising and marketing campaign, also unveiled today, showcases HD DVD as "The Look and Sound of Perfect(TM)". The campaign will be the cornerstone of efforts to be undertaken by the group. The group and its member companies plan to back the campaign with an anticipated $150M in trade and consumer marketing, advertising and promotion through the 2006 Holiday season and into 2007. The campaign will promote the format across all major consumer media outlets -- television, print, online, and outdoor -- co-marketing HD DVD hardware with hundreds of HD DVD titles expected on store shelves by year-end 2006.

With the Playstation 3 launching in November, the HD DVD Promotional Group has their work cut out for them. More information can be found here. Add a comment

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Optical Storage

12 July 2006

A scientist at the Harvard Medical School is reportedly developing a new DVD coated in proteins from a genetically altered microbes. Developed as a hard disk replacement, these protein-based DVDs will be able to store at least 20x more than the Blu-ray and eventually even up to 50TB of information.

An Indian born scientist in the US is working on developing DVD's which can be coated with a light -sensitive protein and can store up to 50 terabytes (about 50,000 gigabytes) of data.

Professor V Renugopalakrishnan of the Harvard Medical School in Boston has claimed to have developed a layer of protein made from tiny genetically altered microbe proteins which could store enough data to make computer hard disks almost obsolete.

If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment

11 July 2006

It looks like Europeans are going to have to wait a bit longer for standalone Blu-ray players. The Taipei times has reported that Pioneer will not be ready to launch their Blu-ray players in time for IFA in September.

Advertising The on-again, off-again story of advanced optical-disc recording will keep consumers on tenterhooks yet again this autumn, with manufacturers in the Blu-ray camp still not ready to introduce their movie-players to the huge European market.

Pioneer, one of the stalwarts of the Blu-ray camp, admitted this week it would not be ready to launch the players by the time of the Sept. 1 to Sept. 6 trade fair IFA in Berlin, the principal European consumer electronics show.

The article mentions that the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show would most likely "lay the ground" for Pioneer's European launch. If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment

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Optical Storage

11 July 2006

Here's an interesting bit of news. According to DigiTimes, Lite-On may offer Serial ATA DVD burners in the 4Q of this year.

Lite-On IT, the largest maker of optical disc drives (ODDs) in Taiwan, is planning production of DVD burners supporting the SATA (serial advanced technology attachment) interface standard, according to industry sources.

Lite-On IT, recently scheduled a tentative launch for later this quarter in response to LG Electronics' unveiling its GSA-H30N, a SATA Super Multi DVD burner model, the sources pointed out.

If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment

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Home Entertainment

10 July 2006

I-O DATA DEVICE USA has announced that their High Definition DVD player, the AVeL LinkPlayer2, will be sold at CompUSA stores. Here's part of their press release:

I-O DATA DEVICE USA, INC., (I-O DATA) today announced the retail availability of the number one selling High Definition DVD player in Japan. The AVeL LinkPLayer2 is a networked digital media player and DVD player with support for High Definition (HD) file formats such as Microsoft Windows Media Video 9 (WMV9) HD, MPEG2-TS, and DivX HD. Starting August 1, the award-winning AVeL Linkplayer2 will be sold at CompUSA stores nationwide with a suggested retail price of US$249.00. CompUSA customers will also receive a mail-in coupon for one HDNet video title (WMV9/780p) with qualifying purchase of the AVeL LinkPlayer2.

Designed for home theaters and digital media networks, the AVeL LinkPlayer2 features 1080i/780p HD video playback capability (1920x1080 resolution), with support for nearly every digital media file format, including MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG2-TS, MPEG4, DivX, XviD, and WMV9 for video; MP3, AAC, WMA, PCM, and Ogg Vorbis for audio; and JPEG, BMP, GIF, and PNG for photos. The AVeL LinkPlayer2 reads media from a wide variety of data sources, including CD/DVD dics, USB memory sticks and hard disk drives, digital cameras, memory card readers, iPods and MP3 players, and Windows, Macintosh, and Linux PCs.

The AVeL LinkPlayer2 will be available on August 1st for a suggested retail price of $249. More information can be found here. Add a comment

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Optical Storage

10 July 2006

DigiTimes has reported that Lite-On and BenQ are concerned that a tight supply of laser diodes may delay the release of their Blu-ray Disc burners.

Optical disc drive (ODD) makers such as Lite-On IT and BenQ recently expressed concerns that a tight supply of key component laser diodes may affect the release of Blu-ray Disc burners, according to the Chinese-language Commercial Times.

The yields for Blu-ray laser diodes are still low due to a high technical barrier, with only Sony and Nichia being the only suppliers, stated the paper. In addition, Sony is setting aside a major proportion of its laser diode capacity for its upcoming PS3, which may also affect the availability of its Blu-ray laser diodes, the paper said. Sony is currently the major supplier of laser diodes for Royal Philips Electronics, BenQ and Lite-on IT, the paper indicated.

If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment