Tenth generation of dual format DVD burners tout industry's fastest speed with 8X DVD+R double layer recording.
Sony Electronics has once again raised the bar on the DVD recording speed front
with the introduction of its tenth generation of DVD burners.
The internal DRU-810A and external DRX-810UL models support the industry's
fastest 8X DVD+R Double Layer (DL) recording speed, and can burn up to 8.5GB
of video, data, music or images on compatible media in about fifteen minutes.
The 810 series of DVD burners also features 4X DVD-R DL, 16X DVD±R, 8X
DVD+RW, 6X DVD-RW, 48X CD-R and 32X CD-RW recording.
The drives come bundled with a feature-rich software package suite from Nero® for
burning, authoring and editing home movies, creating digital scrapbooks, and
backing up critical data.
"Sony continues to hold the leadership position for retail market share
of the industry's double layer DVD drives, and our 810 series is further testament
to our commitment to innovate where our users value it the most — in the
drive's performance," said Robert DeMoulin, marketing manager for branded
storage products in Sony Electronics' IT Products Division. "In addition,
users want the ability to select from a host of options when it comes to DVD
burning and by providing both dual and double layer recording, we enable them
to choose what media will best address their needs."
Sony's 810 series of DVD burners is designed at the optimum price/performance
for consumers wanting to store and share home movies, digital photos, and music;
businesses deploying DVD video-based training and sharing large files; and
filmmakers creating prototypes on recordable/rewritable DVD discs before proceeding
with mass replication.
The internal DRU-810A drive comes with an ATAPI interface for easy installation
inside a PC and includes a black replacement bezel for those with black-colored
PC cases. The external DRX-810UL drive features an award-winning, space-efficient
vertical design and offers connectivity with both i.LINK® (IEEE 1394) and
hi-speed USB (USB 2.0) digital interfaces for simple set-up and maximum flexibility.
Double Layer vs. Dual Layer
There are currently two formats
on the market that support recording to two layers of a DVD disc. The first
was presented by the DVD+RW Alliance for the
plus ("+") format and given the formal name "Double Layer." The
DVD Forum followed with its own standard for the dash format ("-"),
which it dubbed "Dual Layer." For now, drives are only available
in write-once formats called DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL.
"Sony has a rich history with double layer and dual layer formats for
our DVD burners," added DeMoulin. "As a pioneer of the dual format DVD
burners that support both plus and dash standards coupled with our experience
in introducing Double Layer recorders for the PC, we continue to drive this
market by offering burners that address a plethora of user requirements."
DVD and CD Software Suite
The burners come bundled with award-winning Nero DVD video authoring software,
as well as with DVD/CD burning software for creation of data, music, and video
DVDs and CDs. The comprehensive software suite also includes packet-writing
software for users to easily record files and folders by dragging to the icon
of a DVD+RW/CD-RW disc. All tasks and applications are accessible via the Nero
StartSmart launcher, which serves as a command center and gives the user one-click
access to all programs in the package.
The software suite includes:
- Nero Burning ROM 6 SE and Nero Express® 6 CD/DVD mastering software
for data, audio and CD/DVD writing and copying;
- Nero VisionExpress 3 VCD/SVCD and DVD authoring software for advanced video
capturing, authoring, full video editing and photo slideshow creation.
Users can crop, clean up, add special effects to photos and then add transitions
and
a soundtrack, as well as cut, edit, dub, and turn videos into Hollywood-style
masterpieces;
- Nero InCD® 4 packet writing software for formatting rewritable discs
so they can be used like large floppy disks with drag-and-drop capability;
- Nero ShowTime™ DVD-Video playing software for viewing DVD movies
and personal video projects, along with MPEG-4 compatibility;
- Nero PhotoSnap/PhotoSnap Viewer captures digital photos right from a digital
camera or scanner and provides basic image editing as well as
a viewer utility;
- Nero MediaHome streaming media server allows sharing of media files over
a home network;
- Nero Recode2 DVD-Video converter makes backup copies of unprotected DVDs
- ideal for making copies of home movie DVDs to share with friends
and family. Can also compile multiple DVD discs into a single DVD;
- Nero BackItUp backup software for complete PC backup, with an easy-to-use
wizard interface for multiple backup modes, automatically scheduled
backups, and backups spanning several CDs or DVDs;
- Nero MediaPlayer / Wave Editor management/jukebox software and audio editing
software for audio file creation with various filters and effects;
- Nero Cover Designer disc label creation software for creating individual
CD/DVD covers and labels; and
- Nero Toolkit drive tool software for critical media and drive analysis
used by drive manufacturers worldwide.
Availability and Pricing
The internal DRU-810A will be available next month for about $100, while
the external DRX-810UL is expected to ship in October for around $150. Sony
DVD/CD rewritable drives are sold through SonyStyle.com, at Sony Style retail
stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail) and at Sony Electronics authorized resellers
and retailers nationwide, mail order catalogs, and select online shopping sites.
Sony supports what it calls "worry-free" installation, along with
easy operation in addition to toll-free customer and technical service, Monday
through Saturday, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. CT. The company also provides a one-year
limited warranty from the original date of purchase.
Specification for Sony's New 810 Series of Dual RW Drives
- Sony DRU-810A DVD/CD Rewritable Drive
- ATAPI (EIDE) internal interface
- DVD+R DL: 8X P-CAV (max.) writing
- DVD-R DL: 4X CLV (max.) writing
- DVD+R: 16X CAV (max.) writing
- DVD+RW: 8X Z-CLV (max.) rewriting
- DVD-R: 16X CAV (max.) writing
- DVD-RW: 6X CLV (max.) rewriting
- DVD-ROM reading (single layer): 16X CAV (max.)
- DVD-ROM reading (dual layer): 12X CAV (max.)
- CD-R: 48X CAV (max.) writing
- CD-RW: 32X P-CAV (max.) rewriting
- CD-ROM: 48X CAV (max) reading
Dimensions: 146 x 41.2 x 172.5 mm - excluding bezel (W x H x L)
Compatible with Microsoft® Windows® 2000 / Windows XP
Burst data transfer rate: 66.6 MB/s max. Ultra DMA66
Random access time: 135 ms (CD-ROM), 130 ms (DVD-ROM)
Buffer memory: 2 MB
Buffer under-run error protection technology: Sony Power-Burn™ conformed
Recording method
- (CD): Disc at Once, Track at Once, Session at Once, Packet
Writing
- (DVD): Random Access Write
- (DVD+RW/DVD-RW/CD-RW), Sequential Write
- (DVD+R/+R
DL/+RW, DVD-R/-RW/CD-R/RW)
Compatible disc formats: DVD-ROM, DVD-Video, DVD+R DL, DVD-R
DL, DVD+RW, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD-R, CD-ROM, CD-DA, Video CD, Photo CD (multi-session),
CD TEXT, CD
Extra, and others
Others
- Sony DRX-810UL DVD/CD Rewritable Drive
- Hi-Speed USB (USB2.0) and i.LINK® external interfaces
- Full Speed USB (USB1.1) compatible with lower write/read performance
- DVD+R DL: 8X P-CAV (max.) writing
- DVD-R DL: 4X CLV (max.) writing
- DVD+R: 16X CAV (max.) writing
- DVD+RW: 8X Z-CLV (max.) rewriting
- DVD-R: 16X CAV (max.) writing
- DVD-RW: 6X CLV (max.) rewriting
- DVD-ROM reading (single layer): 16X CAV (max.)
- DVD-ROM reading (dual layer): 12X CAV (max.)
- CD-R: 48X CAV (max.) writing
- CD-RW: 32X P-CAV (max.) rewriting
- CD-ROM: 48X CAV (max) reading
- Dimensions: 52 x 164 x 250 mm excluding front panel
(W x H x L)
- DRX-810UL: Compatible with Microsoft® Windows® 2000 / Windows
XP
- Burst data transfer rate: Hi-Speed USB 2.0: 480 Mbit/s
max; i.LINK interface: 400 Mbit/s max
- Random access time: 135 ms (CD-ROM), 130 ms (DVD-ROM)
- Buffer memory: 2 MB
- Buffer under-run error protection technology: Sony Power-Burn
conformed