According to DigiTimes, Taiwan manufacturers of optical disc drives (ODDs), including Lite-On IT, BenQ and Quanta Storage, are considering manufacturing DVD camcorders, according to the makers.

OEM quotations for 16x DVD burners and DVD recorders have slipped to below US$70 and less than US$150, respectively, the Taiwan ODD makers indicated. Due to the relatively high technology barriers for producing DVD camcorders, competition is not strong enough to drive prices down, the makers noted.

The Taiwan makers can offer DVD camcorder samples in the first quarter of 2005. However, since it takes longer to certify DVD camcorders than it does optical drives, volume production would not come until the second half of next year at the earliest, the makers pointed out.