Plextor today announced the October 2006 release of the PX-B900A Blu-ray Disc drive, the first Plextor burner to support the next generation of optical data storage technology.
The new multi-function drive, which carries an MSRP of $999.99 USD, comes bundled with a rewritable 25GB BD-RE media disc and a complete software package, including Ulead VideoStudio 10 and InterVideo WinDVD BD.
The Plextor PX-B900A Blu-ray Disc drive is capable of burning more than 9 hours of high-definition (HD) video, or approximately 23 hours of standard-definition (SD) video, on a dual-layer 50GB disc. The drive is backwards compatible with existing DVD and CD media formats, including DVD-RAM, Dual Layer DVD, Double Layer DVD, DVD+/-R/RW, and CD-R/RW. Designed for easy compatibility with Microsoft Windows -based personal computers, the drive features an ATA (ATAPI) interface.
The PX-B900A drive delivers recording speeds of 2X BD-R/RE (9 MBytes/sec transfer rate) on single layer and double-layer media. For DVD, the driver delivers 8X DVDR on single-layer media, 4X DVD+/-R on Double-Layer and Dual-Layer (DL) media, and 5X DVD-RAM. The drive also supports 8X DVD+RW, 6X DVD-RW, 6X max DVD-ROM, 24X CD-R, 16X CD-RW, and 32X CD-ROM. The PX-B900A drive features an 8MB data buffer.
Plextor's bundled software package offers functionality for playing, recording, editing, and authoring BD/DVD/CD discs. The full package from InterVideo, Inc. and Ulead Systems includes the following titles:
WinDVD BD(TM) provides a total BD playback solution, including support for BDAV video format. WinDVD BD fully supports BDMV (movie) titles with parental and region controls and the interactive features of the BD-J specification.
WinDVD(TM) DVD playback software, featuring superior audio and video technologies, future proofing with support for H.264, and media sharing for home networking.
Ulead VideoStudio 10 Plus(TM) enables video editing and DVD authoring with features that include full MPEG-4 support, Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound.
DVD MovieFactory 5 is easy-to-use BD and DVD authoring and burning software that turns standard or HD video and photos into DVDs with studio-quality personalized menus.
Burn.Now(TM) 1.5 is the latest in DVD audio software and disc burning technology, giving users the power to create high-capacity audio DVDs, CDs and data discs.
BD DiscRecorder(TM) allows users to record high-definition video content from HDV camcorders to Blu-ray Disc in full HDV resolution. Video may be recorded directly to disc in real-time or first captured to the user's hard drive for editing.
Data-Add 2.0(TM) enables users to drag-and-drop files and writes to disc through Windows Explorer.
Plextor's PX-B900A Blu-ray drive will ship to distributors in North and South America in October 2006, with a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $999.99 USD. All retail packages include one-year full warranty and unlimited toll-free technical support.