MPEG Tape storage................................
Thursday March 13 8:01 AM EDT
Exabyte Announces Universal Digital Tape Drive
Multi-Purpose Drive Offers the Capacity and Speed to Handle Applications From Backup on PCs to Digital Video Recording and Playback on TVs
BOULDER, Colo., March 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Exabyte Corp today announced that its Eagle(TM) division is developing a new digital tape drive to meet the converging storage needs of PCs, PC/TVs, Web TVs, set-top boxes and digital TVs. The new low-cost tape drive, called the Eagle DMi(TM) is based on Philips' DigaMax(TM) technology. It will offer up to 13 gigabytes native capacity on a single minicartridge and deliver variable data transfer rates up to 4 megabytes/second. For data storage applications, capacity and transfer rate will typically double using data compression.
"Today's digital storage solutions serving PC and consumer electronics markets are very fragmented," said Bob LiVolsi, vice president and general manager of the Eagle division. "But as the storage needs of these markets converge, a clear path has emerged for a universal digital storage platform that can record both data and video." LiVolsi pointed out that the implications are significant for both the PC data storage and consumer electronic markets. "The DMi offers a low-cost storage solution for handling the exponential increase in PC data driven by multimedia and Internet applications. It will also serve as a high-capacity, high-performance drive for network applications. It even has the potential for recording and playing back digital video broadcast signals in consumer electronic applications, which means that for the first time, a single drive could be used to move information from the living room to the study to the office."
"The industry has been frustrated for many years by the slow pace of advancement in minicartridge technology," said Sandy Stewart, vice president of engineering for the Eagle division.
"The DMi overcomes past constraints with the combination of a powerful multi-channel servo technology and multi-channel read-write electronics. These advances allow us to put more tracks on a cartridge and to obtain higher transfer rates and enhanced data reliability. And, unlike other new storage devices targeted at the PC and consumer electronics markets, the DMi drive leverages technology well proven in existing high-performance tape products." Stewart explained that these design innovations provide improved performance without large investments and risk inherent in new technologies. The results include a shorter development time, lower manufacturing costs and an extremely reliable design.
PC and network data storage
The DMi is expected to find broad application as a high-capacity storage device for PCs. Its combination of high capacity, high speed and low price, plus a data transfer rate that automatically adjusts to the incoming data stream, makes it an ideal solution for PC backup, archiving, file transfer and near-line storage of large multimedia files and Internet data. The capability of achieving fast SCSI, and Firewire data transfer rates makes it a high-speed solution for server applications as well.
By combining its high performance with new file-system drivers for Windows 95 and Windows NT, the DMi could very likely become a standard storage peripheral for PCs. Working as an integrated storage solution that combines DMi with a PC's hard drive, it could provide large amounts of on-line storage at very low cost. By treating data stored on tape the same as data stored on disk, and by applying techniques for using disk as a cache for tape _- much like RAM is used as a cache for disk -_ the drive would deliver the random access times required for an on-line storage device.
Home recording of digital satellite and cable programming
An important feature of the Eagle DMi is its ability to meet the high speed, variable data rate recording required in MPEG-2 standards for digital video. That, combined with its 13 gigabyte native capacity allows the DMi to store up to seven hours of continuous video programming, which is equivalent to five feature-length movies. The drive offers manufacturers of VCRs, set- top boxes and digital TVs -_ who are looking for the next-generation device to record digital programming _- an attractive alternative to digital VHS for recording and playback of digital broadcast over satellite and cable. Compared to DVD (digital CD), the DMi offers higher speed, higher capacity and lower cost. In addition, it provides rewritable capability today, something DVD is not likely to offer for another two years.
Multi-channel recording with servo head-to-track alignment
Key to the development of the Eagle DMi is a new thin-film, multi-channel head technology. By recording eight channels simultaneously, it provides data-transfer rates to 4 megabytes/second while the tape runs at slower speeds than existing minicartridge drives. The drive uses servo control, which incorporates a low-cost linear motor, and servo tracks buried in the media, being developed by Verbatim. 192 tracks are recorded on standard 0.31-inch- wide tape, providing up to 26 gigabytes compressed capacity on a minicartridge containing 1000 feet of tape.
First generation targets PC applications
The first drive introduced will be targeted at PC applications. It will be bundled with backup and archiving software, plus software that provides direct access to tape files within Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 programs. Second-generation drives will be video enabled with appropriate software to handle digital video recording.
The PC version is expected to be available from Exabyte in the fourth quarter of 1997. The company will offer the drive in internal and Nest(TM) configurations with an IDE interface. The Nest configuration allows plug-in drive sharing among multiple PCs. It also enables a single PC to accept the entire family of Eagle plug-in Nest-Ready(TM) storage devices, including the Eagle Nest TR-4i tape drive, the Eagle Nest Zip drive, Eagle Nest LS-120 super floppy drive and the Eagle Nest HD removable hard drive. Pricing for the PC version is expected to be equivalent to today's TR-4 minicartridge drives. A SCSI version with read-while-write capability, and a price significantly lower than DAT DDS-2 and DDS-3, is planned for the first quarter of 1998.
Headquartered in Boulder, Colo., Exabyte Corp. designs, manufactures and markets a full range of tape storage products: 8mm and minicartridge tape drives, 8mm and 4mm tape libraries, and recording media. Exabyte is the world's largest independent manufacturer focused solely on tape storage products, which it markets through original equipment manufacturers, distributors and resellers.
This release, as it relates to product announcements and other company matters, contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, risks related to development of technology and manufacturing capabilities, market acceptance of and demand for the company's products, impact of competitive products and pricing, dependence on third party suppliers, and intellectual property rights. Investors are directed to the Risk Factors section and other information contained in the company's filing with the Securities and Exchanges Commission, including the company's 1995 Form 10-K, copies of which are available from the company without charge, for a more complete description of the risks and uncertainties relating to the material in this release as well as to other aspects of the company's business.
Unless stated otherwise, all capacities and transfer rates cited in this press release are compressed and assume a 2:1 compression ratio.
Exabyte is a registered trademark and Eagle, DMi, Nest and Nest-Ready are trademarks of Exabyte Corporation. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.
For information on Exabyte products and services, call:
Asia/Pacific: 65-271-6331
Europe: 31-30-2548800
North America: 1-800-EXABYTE or visit Exabyte on the World Wide Web at
exabyte.com
For Exabyte investor information, call: 201-946-0091 SOURCE Exabyte Corp. |
