In view of emerging OEM and ODM orders for 20x DVD burners, drive makers are preparing to start volume production in the second quarter of 2007.

Reporting from Taiwan, Digitimes.com indicates that the 20x burners stand a good chance of replacing 16x to become the mainstream writing speed of DVD burners in the fourth quarter of 2007. Currently, both major PC manufacturers HP and Dell evaluating the feasibility of adopting half-height 20x DVD burners.

Lite-On IT and BenQ have started volume production of 20x DVD burners in late 2006, while Hitachi-LG Data Storage (HLDS) and Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST) began production of 18x DVD burners at the same time. However, the increased demand for 20x burners may also lead HLDS, TSST and Pioneer to start volume production in the second quarter of 2007, according to the Taiwanese web-site.