Sony Electronics is upping the ante for DVD recording with its second generation of DVD+R Double Layer (DL) burners that support 16X DVD+R recording.

Burning a full write-once single layer disc in approximately six minutes, the Sony internal DRU-710A and external DRX-710UL drives make great options for consumers interested in high-speed burning and substantial storage capacity at an attractive price.

The 710 series marks Sony's seventh generation of Dual RW drives, and can also support 16X DVD+R, 8X DVD-R, 4X DVD±RW, 48X CD-R and 24X CD-RW recording speeds.

With 2.4X DVD+R DL recording, users can burn up to four hours of high-quality MPEG-2 video or up to 8.5 GB of data, music and/or images on compatible DVD+R DL media. This is equivalent to about seven days of music without a commercial break.

In addition, the latest duo of high-speed burners feature an unmatched software bundle from Nero, providing users with a comprehensive suite of tools for burning and authoring home movies, creating digital scrapbooks, and backing up crucial data.

"As we reach the physical limitations of DVD recording speeds and the price of drives continue to drop, now is a great time for consumers who have been waiting on the sidelines to take the DVD burner plunge," said Robert DeMoulin, marketing manager for branded storage products in Sony Electronics' IT Products Division. "Sony's DVD burners stand out as a solid and reliable choice for first-time buyers and DVD burning veterans alike."

The internal DRU-710A 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-710UL drive features a radical, stylish and space-efficient 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.