Toshiba Announces Industry's First Slim-type DVD-ROM drive for Notebook PCs Also introduced DVD-RAM drives based on Version 1.0 Format

21 August, 1997


Tokyo -- Toshiba Corporation, a world leader in DVD innovation, today announced that it has started shipping the industry's first slim-type DVD-ROM drive, SD-C2002, specially designed for notebook computers, a 17 millimeters high drive that operate at a maximum 2x speed for reading DVD-ROM discs. At the same time, the company also announced that it will commercialize two DVD-RAM drives, SD-W1001 and SD-W1002, based on the version 1.0 format specification recently finalized by the DVD Forum.

The DVD-ROM drive, SD-C2002, features a range of innovations allowing incorporation in notebook computers. Among them are a thin-type optical pickup head and a thin-type disc motor that reduces height and cuts power consumption. Volume production will start in September.

The DVD-RAM drives, SD-W1001 and SD-W1002, SCSI and ATAPI compatible respectively, can store 2.6 gigabytes of data on a single side of a disc and 5.2 gigabytes for a double-sided disc. Both models provide read compatibility with DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD-R, CD-Audio, CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW, giving users the freedom to use the vast software assets available in these media. Samples of these two drives will be available in September and November this year, respectively.

Toshiba pioneered the development of the DVD format and is leading the way in bringing innovative products to the market. The company will follow up these latest drives with a series of DVD-ROM and RAM drives designed to meet a wide range of user requirements. In fiscal 1998, the company will launch a super-slim DVD-ROM drive only 12.7 millimeters high, and 17-millimeter high DVD-RAM. The following year, Toshiba plans to introduce a higher capacity DVD-RAM drive able to store 4.7 gigabytes of data on each side.


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