DVD playback

Emedia Professional, Dec, 1998

Digital Video Systems, Samsung Unveil High-Speed DVD-ROM Drives

Anyone who remembers the upward spiral of CD-ROM drive speeds a few years back will experience a sense of deja vu with two new DVD-ROM drive announcements from Digital Video Systems and Samsung Electronics America.

Digital Video Systems Inc. has introduced a 5.2X DVD-ROM drive. Aimed to meet the growing demands for high-quality drives for the OEM market, the DVS DVD-ROM 5.2X is expected to deliver cutting-edge performance capabilities such as superior error recovery and Ultra DMA 33 mode, which enables data transfer throughput at twice the speed of EIDE mode, which is used by most of the current DVD-ROM drives. The drive reads CD-ROMs at 32X speed, with the added capability of reading scratched or fingerprinted discs.

(Digital Video Systems Inc., 160 Knowles Drive, Los Gatos, CA 95032; 408/874-8200; Fax 408/8718220; http://www.dvsystems.com)

Samsung Electronics America's Storage System Division has announced the SDR-430, a 4.8X DVD-ROM drive. It lets users play CD-R and CD-RW discs as well as DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, and standard CDs. The tray-loading drive offers access times of 110ms for DVD-ROM and 90ms for CD-ROM, and data transfer rates of 6,480KB/sec for DVD-ROM and 4,800KB/sec for CD-ROM, along with a 512KB buffer memory. The drive reads CD-ROMs at speeds up to 32X. For compatibility with CD-R and CD-RW discs, the drive feature's Samsung's proprietary Annular Mask Pick-Up, a specially designed one-lens, two-laser system.

(Samsung Electronics America Inc., 105 Challenger Road, Ridgefield Park NJ 07660-05111 201/2294000; http://www.sosimple.com)

Hi-Val Offers 3 Versions of Its New DVD-3 Kit

Hi-Val Inc. has announced a new DVD-3 kit, the third addition to its line of DVD products. The drive has a 4.8X maximum data transfer rate (reading up to 17GB of information on one DVD disc), and a 32X maximum read speed for CD media. It has a 135ms average random access time for DVD data (95ms for CD), and a 256KB buffer. With Hi-Val's Wavelink RF transceivers, DVD information can be sent from the PC to a TV up to 150 feet away and through five walls or ceilings, giving users the convenience of playing DVD movies either on the computer or the TV in another room. Three versions of the kit are available: the drive is sold as a standalone product, or with the Hi-Val REALmagic DVD decoder board, and users will also have the option to purchase Hi-Val's RF devices to complete the kit. Prices are $179, $279, and $399, respectively.

(Hi-Val Inc., 1300 East Wakeham Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92705; 714/953-3000; Fax 714/648-0111; http://www.hival.com)

Xing Technology Develops "Software-Only DVD Player"

Xing Technology aims to provide computer OEMs with a high-quality, fully functional, software-only solution via its XingDVD Player. According to Xing, the product uses existing system components to provide unparalleled image quality, full-screen, full-motion MPEG-2 video, and Dolby AC-3 audio at a fraction of the cost of competing hardware solutions. Based on the XingMPEG Player, the XingDVD Player is cross-platform compatible and can be integrated into any system with advanced multimedia capabilities. It is optimized for use on systems with intel Pentium II processors, and is comprised of three main components: the graphic user interface, the DVD navigation layer, and the decoder engine.

(Xing Technology Corporation, 810 Fiero Lane, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401; 805/783-0400; Fax 805/783-4930: http://www.xingtech.com)

LSI Logic Decoder Chip Outputs DTS Surround Data Streams

LSI Logic has introduced a DVD decoder chip that can output Digital Theater Systems (DTS) surround data streams. The L64021C chip uses DTS technology that enables consumer electronic manufacturers to develop consumer DVD players that accurately play back movie soundtracks encoded with DTS Digital Surround. The DTS system is based on an encode/decode specification capable of delivering 5.1 channels of up to 24-bit/96KHz audio. The decoder sends DTS formatted audio output through the Sony-Philips Digital Interface for decoding in a separate audio receiver. A new generation of DVD decoders, which will process DTS Digital Surround on-chip, is set for release by LSI Logic in 1999. The L64021C is packaged in a 160-pin plastic quad flat pack, priced at $40 each in 25,000-unit quantities.

(LSI Logic Corporation, 1551 McCarthy Boulevard, Milpitas, CA 95035; 408/433-8000: http://www.lsilogic.com)

LaCie entered the DVD-RAM market in September 1998 with the release of external SCSI desktop solutions for both PC and Macintosh. The drives enable users to write 5.2GB of data to a single disc, which mounts like a floppy disk on a desktop, and can read a variety of formats including DVD-ROM, DVD-Video (with appropriate decoder and software), audio CD, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, and PD. Each unit ships with cables, the LaCie DVD-RAM software drivers for Windows and Macintosh, one double-sided 5.2GB DVD-RAM disc, and a SCSI card if required. "Until now, the industry has been unable to agree of universal standards, delaying investment from vendors such as ourselves," says Herve Petit, worldwide communications director for LaCie. "However, with the emergence of DVD-RAM technology, we recognize that the best solution for the desktop is now here. In addition, with fourth-generation DVD-ROM drives having coming out this autumn, read compatibility of DVD-RAM media is widely available for every desktop, and the market can take full advantage of this technology."