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30 May 2007

If you read our spy report, you probably won't be surprised that Lite-On has received OEM orders for Xbox 360 DVD-ROM drives. According to a report by DigiTimes, the company will be producing 0.8-1 million units by the third quarter of 2007.

Lite-On IT has reportedly secured OEM orders for DVD-ROM drives to be built into Microsoft Xbox 360 consoles, with monthly shipments of 0.8-1 million units to begin in the third quarter of 2007, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

Lite-On IT was unwilling to confirm the report saying that the company will not comment on any reports concerning orders due to non-disclosure agreements signed with clients.

The built-in DVD-ROM drives for the Xbox 360 have been produced by two OEM makers, Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST) and BenQ, the sources indicated. Lite-On IT took over BenQ's optical disc drive business unit in mid-2006 but did not take over the OEM manufacturing rights for Xbox 360 because it was required to obtain new certification from Microsoft, the sources pointed out.

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

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Optical Storage

25 May 2007

Pioneer Japan sent out a press release this morning, announcing their latest 18x DVD writer, the DVR-S12J. Along with support for Serial ATA, the DVR-S12J features 18x DVD±R, 12x DVD-RAM and 10x DVD±R DL writing speeds. Here's part of their press release, translated from Japanese:

The knitting machine 18 time speed of DVD±R, DVD-RAM the record precision which is stabilized even at the high-speed record time of 12 time speed of 2 actualized the quiet sound conversion which it is thorough simultaneously with “the air induction slit” on the disk tray which is succeeded and this corporation individual “disk resonance stabilizer” from “the DVR-A12J” series.

In addition, besides the fact that high-speed record of record playback and single sided 2 layer media Dual of various record types DVD and record type CD Layer DVD-R and DVD+R Double Layer (the maximum of 10 time speed) it is corresponding, drawing is possible to the label surface of the private disk which corresponds “Labelflash (the label flash) technology” and, you adopt also the stylish front panel design which is glossy to continue.

While Pioneer has not announced a price, AV Watch expects the DVR-S12J to cost about 11,000 Yen($90US). If you live in Japan, expect to see the drive on store shelves some time in June. More information, including a full list of specs, can be found here. Add a comment

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Optical Storage

28 May 2007

As we reported last week, support for LightScribe is on the decline. According to DigiTimes, a number of drive manufacturers are looking to LabelFlash as a more affordable alternative.

Although Plextor, NEC and I-O Data have offered LabelFlash-enabled DVD burners for a while, the technology has lagged far behind LightScribe in adoption by brands/makers of DVD burners, the sources pointed out. However, probably because LabelFlash has the advantages of much lower royalty charges and burns labels onto discs faster, there may be more brands/makers adopting the technology, including the largest Taiwan-based OEM maker Lite-On IT, the sources noted. In contrast, many newly launched DVD burners are not equipped with LightScribe, the sources said.

The competition between LabelFlash and LightScribe hinges on royalty charge rates and prices of the corresponding CD-R, DVD+R/-R discs. For example, LightScribe discs are up to 100% more expensive than standard discs of the same format, the sources noted.

Unfortunately, LabelFlash drives and media have yet to make their way to the US nor do I think they will in the near future. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment

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Optical Storage

25 May 2007

DigiTimes has reported that support for HP's LightScribe technology is on the decline. According to their article, the number of LightScribe-enabled DVD burners has dropped by 30% in the second quarter of 2007.

Support for Hewlett-Packard's (HP's) self-developed direct disc labeling technology, LightScribe, appears to be on the decline as the percentage of LightScribe-enabled DVD burners to all DVD burners has dropped from 80-90% in the first quarter of 2007 to 50-60% in the second, according to sources from both Taiwan's optical disc and optical disc drive (ODD) making industries.

HP won support of LightScribe from global leading ODD brands and OEM makers, including Sony, Pioneer, Asustek Computer, Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS), Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST), and Lite-On IT, the sources pointed out. In mid-2006, HP's promotion of LightScribe culminated in more than 70 licensees, the sources indicated. A licensee of LightScribe has to pay initial lump-sum royalty fee of US$250,000-300,000, the sources noted.

The article also mentions that the declining support is most likely due to extra cost associated with the technology as well as the continued drops in OEM drive prices. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment