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.
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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.
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According to an article at DigiTimes, the DVD+RW Alliance has decided to set up compatibility and testing group in Taiwan.
The DVD+RW Alliance, in light of Taiwan's importance in the production of optical discs and drives, will set up a Taiwan branch of its DVD+RW Compatibility and Convergence Group (DCCG), the Taiwan Compatibility and Convergence Group (TCCG), tentatively by September of this year, according to the alliance at a seminar in Taipei on July 19.

Currently, Taiwan-based makers of DVD+R/RW burners and discs have to send their products to DCCG in Japan for compatibility testing and verification and the establishment of TCCG will reduce time and costs for the makers, according to industry sources.
The article also mentions that DCCG has offered certification for 8x DVD+RW DL discs to several makers and plans to finish the specs for 16x DVD+RW DL media at the end of this year. If you'd like to read more, head on over to DigiTimes. Add a comment
According to DigiTimes, Lite-On IT surpassed Quanta Storage in slim-type DVD burner shipments last quarter, delivering more than 500,000 drives a month.
Lite-On IT delivered 500,000 slim-type DVD burners a month last quarter, for the first time gaining the upper hand over Quanta Storage in monthly shipment volume of slim-type DVD burners, according to industry sources. (Slim-type DVD burners are used in notebook PCs.)

Quanta Storage is currently the largest maker of slim-type optical disc drives (ODDs) in Taiwan and shipped 300,000 slim-type DVD burners a month last quarter, the sources indicated. Since Quanta Storage obtained Dell's certification for slim-type DVD burners last quarter, the company's monthly shipment volume is expected to increase in the second half of this year, the sources noted.
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Along with their new Blu-ray burner, Sony has announced two new DVDirect recorders, the VRD-MC3 and VRD-VC30. Both models support Sony's new Hard Disc Handycam camcorders and can burn video to disc at the touch of a button.

Sony Electronics today expanded its DVDirect DVD recorder family with two new models - the video- and digital photo-capable VRD-MC3 and the video-only VRD-VC30 recorders.

Both sport "computer-free" synchronization with Sony's new Hard Disk Handycam camcorders, making it easier than ever to preserve and share memories.

The next-generation DVDirect recorders also enable easy, real-time recording of home video footage, digital still images (VRD-MC3 only) and TV shows from digital video recorders to DVDs, all without the need for a computer.
The VRD-MC3 and VRD-VC30 will ship in October and will cost about $250 and $200 respectively. More information can be found on Sony's website. Add a comment
Sony has officially announced their first Blu-ray Disc burner, the BWU-100A. This aftermarket, internal drive can burn up to 50 GB of data or 4 hours of HD video using BD-R or BD-RE discs.

The new drive(model BWU-100A) supports up to 50 GB of data on BD-R (write once) or BD-RE (rewritable) discs or up to four hours of high-definition video using HDV 1080i on a BD-RE 50GB disc. The new drive is capable of burning a full 25GB disc in about 50 minutes.

For personal content captured on a HDV camcorder, the BD drive is optimized for keeping the video in the native HDV 1080i for playback on home players compatible with BD-AV format and PCs with BD drives installed.

Sony's BD drive also supports recording of standard single layer 4.7GB DVD+R/+RW/RAM discs, 8.5GB DVD+R Double/Dual Layer Discs, and CDs, making it a multi-format burner.
The BWU-100A is expected to ship in August for about $750. If you'd like to read more, Sony's entire press release can be found here. Add a comment
The high price of oil is hurting more than just car owners. According to DigiTimes, concerns about the increased cost of optical-grade polycarbonate has pushed the stock price of CMC Magnetics, Ritek and Prodisc to record lows.
The stock price of CMC Magnetics and Ritek, the top two makers of optical discs in Taiwan, and Prodisc Technology, a leading second-tier maker, on July 17 hit their lowest levels of NT$8.18 (US$0.25), NT$7.20 and NT$2.85, respectively, since their listing on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TSE) due to concerns about the increased cost of optical-grade polycarbonate (PC) arising from price hikes of crude oil, according to industry sources.
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TEAC Japan recently unveiled a new "Super Multi" drive for the desktop market. Along with 16x DVD±R and 8x DVD±R DL writing speeds, DV-W516GDM can write to DVD-RAM media at 5x.



Writing Speeds:
DVD+R: 16x CAV
DVD+RW: 8x Z-CLV
DVD+R DL: 8x Z-CLV
DVD-R: 16x CAV
DVD-RW: 6x CLV
DVD-R DL: 8x Z-CLV
DVD-RAM: 5x CLV
CD-R: 48x CAV
CD-RW: 24x CAV

Access Times:

DVD-ROM: 160ms
CD-ROM: 160ms

Read Speeds:
DVD-ROM (Single): 16x CAV
DVD-ROM (Dual): 8x CAV
DVD-Video: 6x CAV
DVD±R: 16x CAV
DVD±RW: 12x CAV
DVD±R DL: 8x CAV
DVD-RAM: 5x P-CAV
CD-ROM: 48x CAV
CD-DA (DAE): 48x CAV

Buffer Size: 2MB


Not much else is known about TEAC's new Super Multi drive. As we find out more about the DV-W516GDM, we'll let you know. Until then, a list of specs can be found on TEAC Japan's website. Add a comment
According to article at DigiTimes, Ritek has started producing LabelFlash CD-R and DVD+R/-R discs for Fujifilm.
Ritek has begun OEM production of LabelFlash CD-R and DVD+R/-R discs for Fujifilm, with an initial small shipment volume of several million discs a month, according to industry sources. LabelFlash technology allows users to directly burn a label onto an optical disc.

Following Plextor's launch of the world's first LabelFlash-enabled DVD burners in the first quarter of this year, NEC, Pioneer, LG Electronics and I-O Data Device have subsequently offered such DVD burners, boosting the adoption of LabelFlash, the sources indicated. Fujifilm is currently the sole supplier of LabelFlash discs, and has outsourced production to Ritek because its own production capacity is not sufficient, the sources pointed out.
Plextor offering a LabelFlash enabled DVD burner? I think someone has their facts mixed up. In any case, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment
DigiTimes has reported that Lite-On will unveil their 18x DVD burner models this quarter or early next quarter and plans to offer 20x DVD burners in the 4Q of this year.
Lite-On IT, given the fact that several global leading brands will follow Japan-based Plextor and unveil 18x DVD burner models this quarter or early next quarter, is preparing to offer 20x DVD burners in the fourth quarter to enhance its competitiveness, according to industry sources.

Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST), NEC, Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS), Pioneer and I-O Data Device are among the brands expected to release 18x DVD burners soon, the sources indicated.
If you'd like to read more, the entire article can be found here. Add a comment