Hitachi's DVD-ROM and DVD-RAM drives...........
Hitachi's DVD Drives Win Honors From Top Industry Publications
BRISBANE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 12, 1998--Hitachi America, Ltd. today announced that the company's
new DVD drives have been cited by two industry publications as outstanding and innovative products. In February, the editors
of KM WORLD (Knowledge Management World) magazine presented an "Outstanding Product Award" to Hitachi America
for the GD-2000 DVD-ROM drive. Separately, the editors at EDN Magazine selected the Hitachi GF-1000 DVD-RAM
drive family as a finalist in the magazine's prestigious "Innovator and Innovation of the Year" competition.
"In designing our read-only DVD-ROM and rewritable DVD-RAM products, Hitachi made a commitment to provide its
OEM customers and computer end-users with new capability while supporting all of the applications and millions of data files
already recorded on CD media," said Werner Glinka, senior director of marketing for Hitachi's Optical Storage Group. "We
are pleased to be recognized for the successful development of the next generation of standard, removable storage products
for personal computers."
The 2X speed GD-2000 drive, introduced in April 1997, incorporates an innovative dual-laser, dual-lens optical pickup that
enable the drive to read all types of CD media, including CD-R (CD recordable) and CD-RW (CD rewritable). The
GD-2000 is available as an integrated part of award-winning personal computers from leading manufacturers, and in an
aftermarket upgrade kit produced by Pacific Digital Corporation.
The GF-1000 series rewritable drive also incorporates the dual-laser, dual-lens optical pick-up to read all types of CD media.
Based on the DVD-RAM standard published by the DVD Forum in April 1997, the GF-1000 can record up to 5.2 GB (2.6
GB per side) of data on standard rewritable media. Sample shipments of the GF-1000 series to Hitachi's OEM customers
began in late 1997, and the drives will soon be available in personal computer systems and end-user upgrade kits.
KM WORLD (formerly IW) is a semi-monthly publication focused on products and technologies for knowledge management.
In its "Annual Industry View," published last month, the editors of the magazine reviewed the 32 "hottest" products introduced
in 1997.
In addition to the KM WORLD citation, the GD-2000 drive was also recommended in a review in the February issue of
EMEDIA PROFESSIONAL. Contributing editor Hugh Bennett cited the GD-2000's ability to read CD-R and CD-RW discs
as a key advantage.
"If you currently need or want a DVD-ROM drive and can't wait to find out what all the fuss is about, then Hitachi's GD-2000
is an excellent choice," said Bennett. "Given its solid backward compatibility with existing compact disc formats, including
CD-R and CD-RW, 8x/20x CD-ROM read performance comparable to current CD-ROM drives, and double-speed
DVD-ROM capability, it would be hard to go wrong with this unit."
EDN Magazine is a widely read, semi-monthly publication focused on electronic systems design. Since 1990, the magazine has
paid tribute to the people and products with the most impact on the electronics industry in it's annual "Innovator and Innovation
of the Year" competition. Hitachi's GF-1000 DVD-RAM drive is one of four finalists in the computer and peripherals
category. The magazine states that DVD products will soon supplant CD technologies.
The Computer Division of Hitachi America, Ltd. sells high-capacity, high-performance hard disk drives, CD-ROM, and DVD
drives through its Storage Products Group. Hitachi America, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., Japan, markets
and manufactures a broad range of electronics, computer systems and products, semiconductors, and provides industrial
equipment and services throughout the U.S.
Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 1996
consolidated sales (ending March 31, 1997) of $68.7 billion. The company manufactures and markets a wide range of
products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power and industrial equipment.
CONTACT: Hitachi America, Ltd.
Werner Glinka, 650/244-7630
werner.glinka@hal.hitachi.com
or
FS Communications
Matthew Schmidt, 650/691-1488
matt@fscomm.com
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