According to Digitimes.com, leading international brands of DVD burners such as Philips and Sony are co-developing with Taiwanese manufacturers to produce single-sided double-layer DVD discs. Philips will begin marketing its 8x DVD+R DL (dual-layer) burners in Europe this month and Sony will launch its 8x DVD-R DL burners in the following month. The Taiwanese makers support that the production of compatible single-sided double-layer DVD discs that give users all the benefits of the new machines is quite urgent.

Because of Taiwanese OEM makers’ technology improvements and massive production scale as well as the need to minimize time to market, international brands may prefer co-development in R&D with Taiwanese partners to the conventional OEM model rather than adopting OEM technology. Ritek, CMC Magnetics, Prodisc Technology, Daxon Technology and Infomedia are all potential partners for this model, Taiwanese makers said. The makers expect production to begin in May-June.

Sony has quoted its 8x DVD-R DL at US$230 per unit and US$330 for an external model. Single-sided double-layer DVD-R discs are priced at US$5-6, Taiwanese makers pointed out. Philips and Ricoh have not yet announced their retail prices for 8x DVD+R DL burners and discs, they added.

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