Toshiba has announced the world's first slim HD DVD writer for notebook PC's. According to their press release, the SD-L902A can read and write to HD DVD media at 1x.
SD-L902A integrates a blue-violet laser diode that can read and write to HD DVD-R discs and that offers support for high-density HD DVD-ROM discs, including high definition movie and video images. The drive also offers the functionality of a super multi-drive, with high performance, high-speed read and write to all flavors of standard DVD and CD discs.
At only 12.7 millimeters in height, SD-L902A meets the stringent space specifications for slim drives integrated into highly portable notebook PCs. This is due in part to HD DVD discs having the physical structure as standard DVD, allowing use of an optical pick-up head with only a single objective lens. The result is a space-saving solution, and a drive able to read and write to HD DVD-R discs, to read HD DVD-ROM discs, and to read and write to standard DVD and CD discs.
Toshiba will demonstrate the new drive at CEATEC JAPAN 2006 and plans to send sample shipments by the end of the year. More information, including a full list of specs, can be found here.
