DVD storage - Statistical Data Included

Emedia Professional, August, 1999

Matsushita Announces First 9.4GB DVD-RAM Drive

Matsushita Electric Corporation has developed what is reportedly the first DVD-RAM drive capable of reading from and writing to dual-sided DVD-RAM media, with 4.7GB on each side yielding a total capacity of 9.4GB. The new drive is read/ write-compatible with 2.6GB DVD-RAM discs and read-compatible with DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-R and various CDs The new DVD-RAM drive is based on the 4.7GB DVD-RAM format; some of the new developments that made it possible include: high-density recording and reading technologies for phase change-type optical discs; optical disc pick-up technologies for phase change recording layers and disc substrates; optical pickup technologies that enable writing and reading of both 4.7GB and 2.6GB discs; three-axis actuator technology; and single-chip LSI technology for the optical disc controller. Matsushita will manufacture media for the drive; pricing and availability have not yet been announced.

(Matsushita Electric Corporation of America, One Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094; 201/348-7000; Fax 201/348-7016; http://www.mei.co.jp)

Panasonic Announces Latest DVD-RAM Drive

The Computer Peripherals Division of the Panasonic Document Imaging Company has announced its latest DVD-RAM drive, the LF-D1013U. The new drive can read and write in both DVD-RAM and PD formats and read DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD-R, VideoCD, CD Audio, CD-ROM, and CD-R/RW. Panasonic's LF-D103U offers a 2MB buffer and data transfer rates of 1.385MB/sec for DVD-RAM, 2.77MB/sec for DVD-ROM, and 20X CD-ROM read capabilities. A 2.6GB single-sided cartridge is included with each drive, as are drivers for Windows 95/98 and NT.

(Panasonic Document Imaging Company, Two Panasonic Way, Secaucus, NJ 07094; 800/742-8086, 201/348-7000; Fax 201/348-7016; http://www. panasonic.com/alive)

Six Companies Announce DVD Patent Licensing Program

Six DVD technology developers--Hitachi, Ltd., Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Time Warner, Inc., Toshiba Corporation, and Victor Company of Japan, Ltd.--have announced that they have begun a worldwide joint licensing program for patents essential to DVD-Video players, DVD-ROM drives, DVD decoders, and DVD-Video and DVD-ROM discs. This announcement was made following receipt of an affirmative business review letter from the U.S. Department of Justice and filing of a notification with the European Commission. The license portfolio consists of the six companies' essential patents for DVD-Video and DVD-ROM. Licenses for the portfolio will be available for products that comply with DVD formats adhering to DVD Forum specifications. Interested parties will also be able to negotiate separate license agreements, rather than taking a single portfolio license, with each of the six companies. The companies have authorized Toshiba to be the agent for the program, with Matsushita and Hitachi providing support and the first point of contact in certain regions.