Z and all,
Have been away for a few days, have a lot of posts to catch up on. Don't know if this has been posted yet: QNTM/Panasonic (MKE corporate sibling) in deal. Seems pretty bullish to me, though revenue won't be seen until autumn or so, I would guess. This kind of product could help smooth out some of the drive cycles, if MKE/QNTM can produce them during the summer doldrums.
biz.yahoo.com
Panasonic Partners With Quantum to Utilize
Audio/Video Hard Disk Drive Technology in
High Definition TV Application
Joint Demonstration Of Quantum QuickView at National Association of Broadcasters Show
in April; Companies to Cooperate on Additional AVHDD-enabled Products
MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 8, 1999-- Quantum Corp. (NMS:QNTM) and MEI/Panasonic today
announced the completion of a development project incorporating Quantum QuickView digital storage technology in a
Panasonic High-Definition Television (HDTV) application.
The successful design will be the first demonstration of Quantum QuickView that enables an HDTV receiver to record
in multiple HD formats and to immediately access any recorded content. The demonstration will be shown by both
Panasonic and Quantum at the National Association of Broadcasters Show April 19-22 in Las Vegas.
Development work between Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (MEI), its subsidiary Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics
Industries Ltd. (MKE), and Quantum is expected to result in a series of AVHDD-enabled Panasonic products available
to consumers beginning this year.
Panasonic expects the first product to be a home video editing console with unique image control functions enabled by
AVHDDs. Later, the company plans to offer other products that take advantage of the AVHDD potential, including an
HDTV receiver with pause, instant replay, fast, noiseless searching, and extended time recording of satellite and other
broadcasts.
Soon movies, music, games, and other types of entertainment or educational programs could be sent to consumers in
the form of large, digital files via digital set top boxes (STB) from a variety of sources, including digital broadcasts and
full-motion images from the Internet. Quantum QuickView represents a medium to allow users to store these
programs and also allow them to gain access to the content easily and conveniently.
''This is another significant milestone in the acceptance of Quantum QuickView technology by the global consumer
electronics industry,'' said John Gannon, president of Quantum's Hard Disk Drive Group. ''Our development work
with Matsushita and the resulting product demonstrations in April at the NAB show give us confidence that the time is
right for this digital recording technology in a variety of consumer applications.''
Quantum QuickView digital storage technology is based on hard disk drives that can be installed in a TV set-top box,
television set, or digital VCR. Quantum QuickView makes random access recording and playback possible. So instead
of a VCR winding its way through hundreds of feet of tape, Quantum QuickView technology enables instant rewind,
slow motion, even pause of live broadcast television.
''We are confident that our relationship with Quantum will allow Panasonic to deliver exciting new features to our
customers,'' said Dr. Yoshitomi Nagaoka, director and board member of MEI. ''Quantum shares our vision that
AVHDDs provide tremendous value to consumer electronic products.''
About Quantum
Founded in 1980, Quantum Corp. (www.quantum.com) is a diversified mass storage company with leadership
positions in both fixed and removable storage markets. Quantum is the highest volume global supplier of hard disk
drives for personal computers, a leading supplier of high capacity hard drives and the worldwide revenue leader among
all classes of tape drives. The company sells a broad range of storage products to OEM and distribution customers
worldwide. Quantum's sales for the fiscal year ending March 1998 were $5.8 billion
About MEI
Based in Osaka, Japan, and best known by its Panasonic brand, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. is one of the
world's leading producers of electronic and electric products for the home, the office and in between. Consolidated
annual sales for the fiscal year ended March 31, 1998 reached a record 7,890.7 billion yen (US$59.78 billion).
Matsushita has more than 275,000 employees worldwide, with overseas operations that include over 220 companies in
46 countries and regions. Matsushita's products are marketed worldwide under the Panasonic, Technics, Quasar and
National brand names.
About MKE
Matsushita Kotobuki Electronics Industries, Ltd. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of MEI, and specializes in the
manufacturing of optical/hard/floppy disk drives, combination TV, video cameras and heating equipment.
The foregoing statements regarding future technology, products incorporating that technology, the anticipated
performance, capabilities and estimated availability of future products, as well as the potential market acceptance and
impact of the new products are forward looking statements and actual results could vary. Factors which could affect
actual results include the success of the ongoing technology development efforts, the ability to successfully integrate
new technology into products in a cost-effective manner, the ability to successfully manufacture and distribute new
products at sufficient volume, quality and reasonable cost, the timing of new product introductions, competition and the
significant uncertainty of market acceptance of new products.
Note to Editors: Quantum and the Quantum logo are trademarks of Quantum Corp., registered in the United States and
other countries. Quantum QuickView and the Quantum QuickView logo are trademarks of Quantum Corp.
An advisory will be provided in early April with specifics of the NAB show and information on booths where the
Panasonic implementation of Quantum QuickView will be demonstrated. |
