Toshiba Launches CD-ROM Drive with Maximum 15-time Rotational Speed

18 November, 1996


TOKYO--Toshiba Corporation today announced worldwide introduction of a high-performance CD-ROM drive that achieves maximum 15-time rotational speed. Designed for desktop computers and workstations, the new drive, XM-3801B, incorporates a fast SCSI interface and reaches new levels of performance with a fast data transfer rate of 2,250 kilobytes per second. Sales start today, with samples priced at 90,000 yen in Japan.

CD-ROM drives are enjoying a surge in popularity, with 25% growth to a market of over 40 million units forecast for this fiscal year. Growth is spurred by demand for faster, higher performance drives, a demand that Toshiba meets with the XM-3801B. The new drive offers users greater responsiveness and faster data downloads, achieving a seek time of only 90 milliseconds and an access time of 99 milliseconds

XM-3801B's high level of performance results from applying a combination of constant angular velocity (CAV) and Constant Linear Velocity (CLV) to data reads, and utilization of Toshiba's proven performance-improving digital servo system and variable speed playback, which allows the drive to starts to read data before the disc speed reaches any specific rotational rate. The new drive's operation is also enhanced by accelerated operation of the digital signal processor used for digital servo control, improved error correction capabilities, and use of a pick-up head and a motor designed for high-speed data access. Together, they realize the drive's fast maximum 15-time rotational speed, while keeping power consumption to a low 4.5W.


Specifications


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