Just what we need, a new disc format -- DVD+RW...............
Leaders in CD-R and CD-RW Announce Phase-Change Rewritable,
DVD-Compatible Disc Format
PALO ALTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 3, 1997-- Hewlett-Packard Company, Philips Electronics N.V., Sony
Corporation, Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation, Ricoh Company Ltd. and Yamaha Corporation today announced the format
specifications for Phase-Change ReWritable, a 120mm disc format designed to be read easily by future DVD-ROM drives.
This data-storage format specifies an initial capacity of 3.0 gigabytes (GB) per disc surface. In the Constant Angular Velocity
(CAV)(1) mode, high-performance random-access and transfer rates are achieved by using techniques similar to those used in
hard-disk drives. The new format enables the development of products that will read DVD discs and write/rewrite
ReWritable discs. According to the companies, these products will be known as DVD+RW drives.
The six companies are widely recognized as industry leaders in CD-Recordable and CD-ReWritable technology and
represent a combined share of more than 75 percent of the drive market. The DVD+RW proposal aims to offer data-storage
and distribution markets a smooth migration path from the world of Compact Disc into the DVD domain. By building upon the
established success of CD technology, DVD+RW products can be optimized to preserve present and future customer
investments.
The ReWritable media has the familiar look and feel of CDs and DVD-ROM discs. The new format adds only the minimal
features to the existing DVD-ROM spec to allow random rewritability, thus allowing DVD-ROM drives to read DVD+RW
discs at virtually no additional cost. The DVD+RW proposal is based on input from a wide range of key stakeholders,
including end users, PC manufacturers, CD- and DVD-ROM drive manufacturers, media manufacturers and software
developers. As such, the proposal encompasses key requirements for capacity, cost/MB, performance and ROM
compatibility.
Developed by HP, Philips and Sony, the ReWritable specification is an open format that has been submitted to ECMA(2), a
widely recognized international standards body, for review and adoption.
"DVD+RW addresses the most fundamental storage requirement of customers, and that is compatibility," said Mike Matson,
Vice President and General Manager of HP's Information Storage Group. "HP is committed to preserving customers'
investments in storing and managing their information, and we believe DVD+RW best meets that need."
"Much attention was given to make the ReWritable format flexible and extensible to the future," said Dr. Teruaki Aoki,
President of Computer Peripherals and Components Company of Sony Corporation. "The format provides superior capacity
and performance, as well as the flexibility to meet the storage needs of customers now and in the future."
"The ReWritable specification was designed to heavily leverage from existing CD and DVD-ROM investments within the
industry infrastructure, thus minimizing implementation costs," said Jan Oosterveld, Senior Director of Philips Electronics. "It
offers the most straightforward migration path during the extended period of time that CD and DVD products are expected to
coexist."
REWRITABLE FORMAT SPECIFICATION HIGHLIGHTS
disk diameter 120mm
disc thickness 0.6 mm x 2
physical address FM modulated in CAV wobble groove
track pitch 0.8 micrometer
formatted capacity 3.0 GB/side
laser wavelength 650 nanometers
modulation code 8-16 modulation (2, 10) RLL
recording principle mark-edge recording on phase-change material
writing method CAV/CLV
written format CLD (Constant Linear Density)
ABOUT HP
HP is the official information-technology hardware and maintenance supplier to the 1998 World Cup soccer tournament.
Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications
products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 120,500
employees and had revenue of $38.4 billion in its 1996 fiscal year.
Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at hp.com .
ABOUT MITSUBISHI CHEMICAL CORPORATION
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation is one of the world's leading manufacturers of information storage products as well as
chemical products. In a line-up of information storage products, we are marketing various products such as floppy disks,
magnetic tapes, hard disk media, 130mm and 90mm MO disks, 130mm WORM disks and CD-R and CD-RW disks.
Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. recorded around $14 billion for 1996 ended March 31, 1997 on a consolidated basis and
employs around 30,000.
ABOUT PHILIPS ELECTRONICS
Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is one of the world's largest electronics companies, with sales of $41 billion in 1996. Its
262,500 employees in more than 60 countries are active in the areas of lighting, semiconductors and components, consumer
products and systems, and software and services. Quoted on the NYSE, London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and other stock
exchanges, it is a world leader in lighting, color television sets, electric shavers and recorded music (PolyGram).
ABOUT RICOH COMPANY, LIMITED
Ricoh Company, Limited, is one of the world's leading manufacturers of office equipment, including copiers, facsimiles, and
digital equipment. The Ricoh group consists of 128 consolidated subsidiaries and affiliates in Japan and 232 overseas, which
includes production, sales and research and development facilities. As of March 1997, the Ricoh group employed
approximately 60,000 people with recorded annual revenues of $10.6 billion.
ABOUT SONY CORPORATION
Sony Corporation is one of the world's leading manufacturers of audio, video, and information technology products in both the
consumer and professional fields. Its music, pictures, and video game businesses also make Sony one of the world's most
comprehensive entertainment companies. Sony recorded consolidated annual sales of over $45 billion in the fiscal year ended
March 31, 1997 and employs 163,000 worldwide.
ABOUT YAMAHA CORPORATION
Yamaha Corporation, the world's largest musical instrument manufacturer, offers a diversity of sound, music, and multimedia
products. Yamaha's recent venture into sound source technology applied to sound generator chips and electronic devices is
enjoying exponential growth. It also developed the world's first 4X-speed CD-R and commercialized CD-ReWritable.
Yamaha recorded sales of $3.2 billion in the fiscal year ended March, 1997.
(1) Constant Angular Velocity (CAV) -- A recording technique that rotates the disk at a constant speed.
(2) ECMA -- ECMA is an international, Europe-based industry association founded in 1961 and dedicated to the
standardization of information and communication systems.
CONTACT: Hewlett-Packard Company
Dave Deane, 970/635-6720
dave_deane@hp.com
Paul Guerrero, 970/635-6013
paul_guerrero@hp.com
or
Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation
Kouji Yamamoto, +81-3-3283-6274
or
Philips Electronics
Marty Gordon, 408/467-3666
Marty.Gordon@NA.KM.philips.com
Marijke van Hooren, +31-402-734-866
hoorenm@am.umc.philips.nl
or
Ricoh Corporation
Jeff Lengyel, 702/352-1600
jlengyel@ricohcpg.com
or
Sony Corporation
Aldo Liguori, +81-3-5448-2200
aliguori@ccom.sony.co.jp
Andy Bubala, +81-3-5448-2200
abubala@ccom.sony.co.jp
or
Yamaha Corporation
Yuji Hoshino, +81-3-5488-6601
hoshino@caucus.yamaha.co.jp
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