Hitachi America Extends Line of Industry Leading DVD-RAM Drives; Award Winning
Drive Now Available In ATAPI and SCSI-2 Models
Business Editors and High Tech Writers
BRISBANE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 12, 1999--Hitachi America,
Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., (NYSE:HIT), today announced that
it has begun volume shipments of the GF-1000 rewritable DVD-RAM drive,
an ATAPI interface version of the company's award-winning DVD-RAM
computer data storage product family.
The GF-1000 makes the industry's lowest cost per Megabyte
high-capacity removable storage solution more accessible to PC owners,
since the ATAPI interface is the most common internal connection for
data storage devices on Intel processor-based systems. Hitachi is now
shipping two DVD-RAM drives models to computer manufacturers,
integrators and upgrade kit resellers.
The GF-1050, shipping since 1997, is a SCSI-2 interface drive
used in personal computers, workstations and storage library systems.
"With volume shipment of the GF-1000 drive, Hitachi's personal
computer OEM and upgrade kit integrator customers can offer end-users
an easy way to tap into the power of DVD-RAM," said Werner Glinka,
Hitachi America's senior director, marketing, optical and multimedia
products.
"The need for high-capacity rewritable and removable storage is
growing along with the increasing popularity of such multimedia
applications as desktop and web publishing, photo editing and video
production. The GF-1000 provides virtually unlimited rewritable
storage capacity, and it can read data recorded on all types of CDs
and DVD-ROM media. It is truly the one drive that does it all."
Hitachi's DVD-RAM drives have received numerous industry awards
since they were introduced in 1997, in recognition of user benefits
such as low cost per megabyte, multi-read capability and wide adoption
as an industry standard.
EDN Magazine named the GF-1050 as a 1997 Innovation Award winner,
while Research & Development Magazine recognized Hitachi's
contribution to the DVD-RAM specification as one of the top 100
developments of 1997. The GF-1050 also won a VAR Business Labs
Recommendation in a November, 1998 evaluation of removable optical
storage solutions.
For rewritable data storage, the GF-1000 drive accommodates
single and double-sided DVD-RAM media with capacities of 2.6GB and 5.2
GB, respectively. Additionally, the drive can read all currently
available 120-cm optical disc formats, including single and multilayer
DVD-ROM, DVD-R and DVD-Video, and all prerecorded and writable CDs
including CD-ROM, CD-R/RW, Photo, CD Audio and Video CD.
The GF-1000 has a DVD-RAM data transfer rate of 1.38 MB/s, and a
data access time of 200 ms. The ATAPI interface supports a burst
transfer rate of 16.6 MB/s (PIO Mode 4 and DMA Mode 2). Access and
transfer rates vary when reading other media types.
Hitachi sells the GF-1000 drive in volume quantities to computer
manufacturers and systems integrators for installation into new
computer systems, and through distributors for re-sale as upgrade kits
through retail channels. While these companies establish actual
pricing for systems that include DVD-RAM drives, Hitachi estimates
that typical drive pricing is approximately $749.
DVD-RAM standard media is available from multiple manufacturers
at published costs of approximately $40 for a double-sided, 5.2 GB
capacity disc and $25 for a single-sided, 2.6 GB capacity disc.
Hitachi America, Ltd., Computer Division, supplies
high-performance computer storage products and multimedia products to
OEMs, value-added resellers, system integrators and distributors. The
division's products include high-capacity hard disk drives and optical
drives, digital multimedia recorders, hand-held computers, LCD
projectors, color laser beam printers, and flat panel displays.
Hitachi America, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi,
Ltd., Japan, markets and manufactures a broad range of electronics,
computer systems and semiconductor products, and provides industrial
equipment and services throughout the U.S. Additional information is
available at Hitachi America's web site at hitachi.com.
Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the
world's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 1997 (ended
March 31, 1998) consolidated sales of 8,417 billion yen ($63.8
billion(a)). The company manufactures and markets a wide range of
products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and
power and industrial equipment. |
