CeBIT 2002 - The Background Info

DVD Format - Page 2

The race will continue as soon as Panasonic and Sanyo release their DVD-R drives around June time frame. Both drives are supposed to be Super DVD combo recorders (Panasonic LF-521: 3x writing DVD-R/RAM, 12/10/32 CD-RW and 1x DVD-RW, while the Sanyo DVR-DV1 will support 4x DVD-R, 24/12/40x and later around September, 2x DVD-RW). Other manufacturers are expected to come up with the 4x DVD-R speed (and probably 2x DVD-RW) later in September. There are also some other companies that have decided to support both formats.

In the DVD+RW conference during the CeBIT 2002 show, Sony stated (making other companies freeze!), that will support both DVD-R/DVD+R formats with a new drive, by the end of this year. We may also see some other manufacturers supporting both formats with dual drives, something that the most of the users are expecting. The problem here would be the technical issues of the implementation of both formats and again the price. If Sony's drive can work smoothly with both formats and offer a reasonable price, it will be a very good solution.

Sanyo is another company that will support both formats (DVD-R/DVD+R) but with two separate products. The DVD-R drive is supposed to come this June, while the DVD+RW drive will be available in the end of 2002.

Both Panasonic and Sanyo DVD-R drives will be faster than the DVD+R/RW drives. What happens next?

For sure new series of faster DVD+R/RW drives will come out (up to 4x). So a new writing race for the DVD format starts? Possibly… Of course this will bring users, faster and cheaper DVD recorders.

One advantage that DVD+RW format includes is the defect management system. For now, only the DVD-RAM format supports such an option that will prevent loss of important data. The already known Mt. Rainier will pass eventually to the DVD+RW format, making it stronger compared to the DVD-RW.

The companies that still haven't joined any DVD recording format are waiting for the confusion to clear. We heard some expressions of "...We must be upon the winners not the losers side…" from well known CD-RW manufacturer.