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Sonic Solutions today announced that MediaTek, a market leader in fabless semiconductor technology for wireless communications and digital media solutions, is implementing CSS recording into the latest chipsets, which can ensure the Qflix compatibility of optical storage drives. Qflix technology enables the burning of Internet video content to DVD with Content Scramble System (CSS) encryption - the same copy protection found on commercially released DVDs. DVD writers using the new MediaTek chipsets, combined with online entertainment delivery services built on Sonic software, will create an ecosystem to provide consumers a safe, legitimate, and reliable way to purchase, download and record entertainment to DVD...With big names like MediaTek And PLDS supporting Qflix, it only be a matter of time before other drive and chipset manufacturers get on board. If you'd like to read more, Sonic's press releases can be found here and here. Add a comment
...Sonic Solutions today announced that PLDS (Philips & Lite-On Digital Solutions Corp.) is adopting Qflix technology for integration into a range of optical disc drives. The new drives will facilitate the recording of movies and video programs to DVD with Content Scramble System (CSS) encryption. As the industry-approved content protection mechanism used on mass-produced discs and incorporated into all DVD players, CSS has been deemed essential by major content providers for the on-demand digital distribution of premium entertainment. The optical disc drives from PLDS form a critical piece of the electronic sell through ecosystem, and will include Qflix branding as a symbol to consumers looking for legitimate and reliable "purchase, download, and burn" home solutions.
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Advanced Media, Inc. is the manufacturer and marketer of the popular RIDATA brand of recordable DVD media, electronic storage products, and digital media accessories. Today, the company announced that parent company RITEK is the only Taiwan-based optical disc manufacturer to offer certified HD-DVD-R (recordable, write once) and HD DVD-RW (rewritable) media. Advanced Media will provide marketing, sales and distribution of the discs to the United States.Volume production of HD DVD-R and HD DVD-RW media will begin in the second half of this year. If you'd like to read more, the entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
"What the certification means to consumers is that they can be assured that certified RIDATA HDDVD's are a compatible, high quality HDDVD to purchase. Taiwan is a large supplier of DVD media to the U.S. Through our parent company RITEK and its enormous production capacity, Advanced Media can quickly respond to market demands in the shortest time possible. We will continue to leverage our competitive manufacturing advantages to provide U.S. consumers both Blu Ray and HDDVD discs at affordable prices," stated Harvey Liu, president of Advanced Media Inc.
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The PX-810SA is scheduled to ship at the end of this month for a suggested retail price of $89.00. More information can be found here. Add a comment
Plextor LLC, a leading developer and manufacturer of high-performance digital media equipment, today announced the immediate availability of the TurboPlex PX-810SA DVD Super Multi Drive. The new model addresses growing customer demands for DVD burners that support Serial ATA, the evolutionary replacement for the Parallel ATA physical storage interface. The PX-810SA also includes a new bundle of value-added software applications for tasks such as data backup, video editing, and DVD authoring.
OEMs, VARs, integrators, and consumers all gain benefits from Serial ATA technology. End users enjoy fast 150 MB/sec data transfer rates. The interface supports one device per controller connection, eliminating master/slave configuration jumper issues for installers. SATA also provides a substantial pin count reduction from Parallel ATA, while thinner cables help air-flow and improve cable routing—big pluses for OEMs and integrators.
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No word on price yet. However, Toshiba plans to ship samples in July. More information, including a full list of specs, can be found here. Add a commentToshiba Storage Device Division (SDD) today announced the world’s first slim HD DVD-RW drive for mobile PCs, further extending high-definition recording capabilities to the IT arena. The new drive can read, write and rewrite to HD DVD-RW discs, as well as read and write to HD DVD-R discs and standard DVD and CD discs.
Toshiba’s SD-L912A enables mobile PCs to replace larger desktop systems in the home with this additional high-definition functionality. The drive allows backup of large-capacity PC hard disk drives to the reusable format of HD DVD-RW discs and provides capabilities to store data-rich, high-definition digital content. HD DVD-RW functionality also opens the door to a wide range of applications involving storage and rewriting of large volumes of data.
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The DVR-X122 and DVR-R200 are available now for a suggested price of $99.99 and $69.99, respectively. More information can be found on Pioneer's website. Add a comment
Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today announces two new high performance, multi-format DVD/CD writers for rapid and reliable preservation of digital movies, music, photos and data files. The Pioneer DVR-X122 external DVD/CD writer uses a high speed USB 2.0 port for quick connectivity to a PC lacking a built-in high-capacity writer, and also offers the portability needed to back up user files on multiple computers. For those who prefer a permanently installed drive, Pioneer offers the DVR-R200 internal DVD/CD writer. Both models are bundled with sophisticated software to create personalized videos, and the DVR-R200 features the LightScribe direct-to-disc labeling technology.
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| Writing Speeds: DVD±R: 16x DVD±R DL: 4x DVD+RW: 8x DVD-RW: 6x DVD-RAM: 5x CD-R: 40x CD-RW: 24x | Read Speeds: |
The DVR-AM16CV and DVR-UM16CV will ship in late June and are priced at 12,500 Yen ($103US) and 15,700 Yen ($129US) respectively. More information can be found here and here Add a comment
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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.If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
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.
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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.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
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.
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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
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.
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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.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
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.
