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To: John Rieman who wrote (27152)	12/28/1997 2:12:00 PM
From: J Fieb	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 50808

John R, Nice to see Samsung with new models. Pioneer won't have the LD/DVD combo market all to themselves. What do you think a multisystem player is? Japanese component suppliers still control the supply of the essential servo IC control mechanism. "This is the only component the Japanese can still ask a high price for. BillyG Is it possible for CUBE to put this function on ZiVA2? techweb.com Hot or Hype? -- New and emerging technologies take the spotlight almost daily. Which ones do you really need in your next PC? DVD What's been promised: Take a long, hard look at your computer's CD-ROM drive and storage device-DVD will make them obsolete over the next several years. DVD is unique among PC industry acronyms: Depending on whom you talk to, DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc, Digital Video Disc or nothing at all. Despite its confusing appellation, DVD bears watching. DVDs look just like current CDs (DVD players will play your CDs), but with larger capacities than today's 650MB CD standard. DVDs can store a variety of digitized data, including movies, archived information, audio and other forms of data. A CD-ROM drive picks up information from discs at 900KB per second, whereas DVD data reads at a 1.385MB-per-second clip. To play DVD media, your computer needs a special drive that fits in one of its drive bays. First-generation DVDs are single-sided and single-layer, with capacities of 4.7GB (more than seven times that of CDs); they can play movies up to 117 minutes long. Other classes of DVDs under development include a one-sided, double-layer format with an 8.5GB capacity; a 9.4GB two-sided, single-layer format; and a two-sided, dual-layer format with a 17GB capacity. What's been delivered: The Dell Dimension XPS D300, which has a DVD drive with twin lasers and reads CD-Rs, is the best DVD-equipped system so far. Other computers equipped with DVD include the Toshiba Infinia 7231 and the Unicent Avanta 266XLA. IBM and Toshiba are also adding the drives to high-end notebooks positioned as desktop replacements. The Creative Labs PC-DVD Encore, a multimedia upgrade kit that comes with a DVD drive with MPEG II hardware, is shipping at $379. What's coming and when: Most desktop and notebook PC manufacturers will add DVD drives to their systems over the next two years. Initially, DVD drives will increase the cost of such systems by about $400. DVD drives that record are called DVD-RAM, and though this technology is currently in early development, it may not appear for another couple of years. DVD drives that read all CD-Rs are also beginning to emerge, with other vendors joining Creative Labs in offering multimedia upgrade kits with that capability. Hot or hype: DVD is a hot technology, and you'll want a DVD drive in a future system. It has the potential to turn PCs into entertainment centers or reference workstations; it also lets you store tremendous amounts of data on your PC. But you might want to hold off until high-capacity DVD formats become available. Few DVD suppliers will commit to delivery dates for 8.5GB, 9.4GB or 17GB DVD drives. -Jim Forbes

To: John Rieman who wrote (27152)	12/29/1997 12:46:00 AM
From: BillyG	Respond to of 50808

Semi-Tech to sell stock to fund DVD development.................... Semi-Tech unit to sell Konka B-shares HONG KONG, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Semi-Tech (Global) Co Ltd said on Monday its unit Kong Wah Holdings Ltd would sell its 100.33 million non-circulating B-class shares in the Shenzhen-listed Konka Group Co Ltd for HK$800 million. Kong Wah had agreed to sell the shares, which represent about 27.44 percent of the total issued share capital of Konka , to two China-related third parties at HK$7.97 a share, the company said in a statement. The share holding of Kong Wah in the non-circulating B-shares of Konka would be decreased to 1.37 percent from the existing 28.81 percent after the transaction, it said. Kong Wah also has about 1.49 percent interest in the circulating B shares of Konka, Semi-Tech said. The sale was subject to all necessary approvals and consents, the company said. It said colour television maker Konka announced a rights issue of shares on December 26 but the issue did not apply to the non-circulating Konka B-shares held by Kong Wah. The net proceeds of the sale would be used to fund new product development of high value products such as DVD products and plasma televisions, Semi-Tech said. Konka B-shares last closed at HK$7.90 per share on December 24. -- Hong Kong Newsroom (852) 2843 6369; Fax (852) 2845 0636 -- Email: hongkong.newsroomreuters.com