DVD-RAM for personal computers

Hitachi Australia has announced it will start shipment of the GF-1050, the world's first DVD-RAM drive for personal computers.

The new drive complies with the DVD-RAM format announced recently by the DVD forum and features high capacity, full rewritable capability and compatibility with existing CD and DVD devices.

DVD-RAM is a rewritable DVD format that offers a large storage capacity of 2.6GB per disk size and 5.2GB if both sides of the disk are used. The data transfer rate is 1.38MB per second in DVD-RAM mode.

As well as portability and reliability in reading and writing of data, full compatibility with other DVD formats such as CD-R and RW are offered.

The GF-1050 features a 650 nanometre laser mounted in a double-lens/double-laser head, a high-speed DSP chip set and high speed mechanism.

The drive has a double speed data rate in DVD-ROM and DVD-R modes and is compatible with all CD-ROMs. A separate 780 nanometre infra-red laser handles CD-R disc reading functions.

The product employs two lens/two laser head optical disc technology, high power lasers, recording/play back, large scale integrated circuits and CD and DVD-specific digital signal processors. The tray loading system permits operation in either horizontal or vertical orientation.

The Hitachi GF-1050 costs $1580.

Contact Hitachi; phone 02 9888 4100.