Hitachi to Release World’s First 4.7GB DVD-RAM-Standard Compliant DVD Camcorder

DVD Video Recorder, and DVD Drives for PCs Also to be Released

Digital Media Group of Hitachi, Ltd. today announced that on August 25 it will release the world’s first DVD-RAM camcorder in Japan. In addition, a DVD-RAM video recorder will be released on the same day, and volume shipments of 4.7GB DVD-RAM and DVD-ROM drives for PCs will follow after the end of June. The DVD-RAM products are based on the 4.7GB DVD-RAM standard.

In the field of audiovisual (AV) equipment, the pace of the shift to digital video and audio continues to increase at a rapid pace. At the same time, the advent of faster CPUs and the growing capacities of hard-disk drives is driving a migration of AV applications to the PC and other digital appliances. To enable this process of convergence to achieve its full potential, there is a need for a large-capacity media format that is compatible with both AV equipment and PCs. DVD-RAM standard is based on the concept that holds compatibility in both video recorders and storage devices for PCs through DVD-RAM disk media. Setting DVD standards is a mission of the DVD Forum, which is comprised of more than 200 member companies from around the world. Through their efforts, DVD is fast becoming the key storage media for providing a bridge between AV devices and PCs in the DVD world of the 21st century.

The DVD camcorder DZ-MV100 will be available August 25 in Japan at a price of 248,000yen (ca. $2,350). The DVD video recorder DV-RX2000 will also start selling on August 25 in Japan at a price of 250,000yen (ca. $2,370). Internal and External DVD-RAM drives for PC, GF-2050(SCSI interface), GF-2055(SCSI interface) and GD-7500(ATAPI interface) also start shipping in July/August. For more information, please visit Hitachi’s website.