According to Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Pioneer plans to expand capacity for DVD-R and DVD-RW discs at its fully-owned subsidiary Pioneer Video. DVD-R capacity will be doubled to 600,000 units a month, and DVD-RW capacity will rise to 400,000 units a month, 2.7 times the current amount.

Pioneer has decided to make DVD players, DVD-RW burners and PDP (plasma display panel) TVs its dominant product lines. In fiscal year 2001 (April 2001-March 2002), the company expects to ship 80,000 DVD players and one million DVD-RW burners.

U-Tech raises DVD-video capacity ratio

Jimmy Hsu, Taipei; Noah Sauve, DigiTimes.com [Wednesday 16 January 2002]

Ritek subsidiary U-Tech Media is converting some CD-ROM disc production capacity to manufacturing DVD-video discs this month.

The company will increase the number of its DVD-video disc lines from 15 to 23. The total number of its CD-ROM lines will drop by 16. Consequently, by unit shipments, U-Tech’s CD-ROM to DVD-video disc product ratio will fall from 2:1 to 1:1.

The majority of DVD video copyrights are still held by Warner Advanced Media Operations (WAMO) and the eight largest movie studios: Paramount, Universal Studios, DreamWorks, MGM, Twentieth Century Fox, Warner, New Line and Buena Vista (Disney). U-Tech has already secured orders from five of the eight. It is striving to ensure that its orders are not too heavily concentrated in a small group of customers.

Sonic Solutions and Microsoft Announce Licensing Agreement on DVD Authoring Technology
REDMOND, Wash. & NOVATO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 2002--Microsoft Corp. and Sonic Solutions today announced that Microsoft has licensed Sonic's DVD-Video-authoring technology. Under the terms of the multiyear agreement, Sonic will provide core technology and development expertise to Microsoft. The companies will also cooperate in a number of ways in marketing, customer education, and standards development for their DVD-related products.

This agreement will cover technologies that Sonic has developed, including Sonic AuthorScript®, the underlying technology behind Sonic's award-winning DVD-authoring applications that has become the Hollywood standard to create DVD titles which provide the ultimate in performance and player compatibility.

``We're delighted that Microsoft has chosen Sonic DVD technology,'' said Bob Doris, President of Sonic Solutions. ``The features of Sonic AuthorScript will create new opportunities for Microsoft customers in the future.''

Introduced in 1997, DVD-Video is the most successful new consumer entertainment format ever, surpassing by a wide margin the adoption rates of the audio compact disc and VCR. By the end of 2002, more than 50 percent of all U.S. homes will have DVD players or DVD PCs, according to Adams Media Research. MORE

Alera Technologies DVD+RW Cruiser Goes to Hollywood
DVD+RW Cruiser and 3Oh!5 Create Professional Digital Video
VAN NUYS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 9, 2002--Alera Technologies, developer and manufacturer of Advanced DVD and CD Recording Solutions, is supplying DVD technology products to 3Oh!5 Creative, Inc., a Hollywood creator of film and video productions for the entertainment industry.

Alera Technologies DVD+RW Cruiser(TM) is used as a Digital Video production tool for 3Oh!5's DVD features and film trailers for the major Hollywood Studios and other corporate clients.

The DVD+RW Cruiser DVD Recorder provides video professionals and enthusiasts with the key features needed for creating DVDs or CDs. It has the tools to author professional video presentations and put them on DVD discs in a format that can be played back on most DVD set top players and computer DVD-ROM drives. The DVD+RW Cruiser is also an excellent tool for archiving and exchanging data.

``The DVD+RW Cruiser is a powerful Digital Video creation solution. The design features flexibility and ease of use bringing users the latest DVD+RW technology as a complete professional and home external FireWire DVD recording system,'' states Perry Solomon, President and CEO of Alera Technologies. ``The successful 3Oh!5 application of the DVD+RW Cruiser in a highly demanding professional environment is a testimonial to the strength of the solution.''

``In our world, where video content and special effects must be flawless, the end product quality is everything,'' stated Melissa Wayne, President of 3Oh!5. ``The Alera Technologies DVD+RW Cruiser gives us a portable means to both compile and store the highest quality video for our products.''

The DVD+RW Cruiser is based on the newly released DVD+RW technology which boasts the fastest DVD ReWrite speeds and also reads DVD+RW, DVD Video, DVD-ROM, CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW discs and writes CD-R and CD-RW. The DVD+RW Cruiser solution is offered with a FireWire IEEE 1394 interface. Additionally, the DVD+RW Cruiser can be connected with optional A-Connect(TM) USB 2.0 (Alera Technologies Part No. 240111) and Cardbus/PCMCIA (Alera Technologies Part No. 240112) connection kits. A-Connect kits extend portability between systems with different connection ports and buses.

The DVD+RW Cruiser (Alera Technologies Part No. 270103) has an estimated street price of $699. Complete information is available at www.aleratec.com. The Alera Technologies full line of DVD and CD recording and duplication solutions is featured at CompUSA, J&R and available at other leading retailers. MORE

Recordable DVD Council welcomes 11 new members
Tuesday, 8 January 2002

The Recordable DVD Council (RDVDC) announced today that 11 new companies have joined the organization, bringing the total membership to 83. New members will be introduced at the RDVDC's CES press conference Wednesday, January 9, at 11:30 a.m. in Room S221 of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
They include:

- Prodisc Technology Disc Manufacturer
- DAX Archiving Solutions DVD Libraries
- SCM Microsystems PC Peripheral Solutions
- Software Architects (SAI) Connectivity Software
- GEAR Software Video Production Software
- LaCie PC Peripheral Solutions
- MedioStream Video Production Software
- NewTech Infosystems (NTI) Recording & Backup Software
- Pinnacle Systems Video Production Software
- QPS PC Peripheral Solutions
- Gigmedia Publications Industry Trade Magazines

Founded in March 2001, the RDVDC supports all DVD Forum-approved recordable DVD formats - DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD-RW. RDVDC members are leading hardware, software and solution providers with recordable DVD products that span the complete range of consumer to business, and A/V to computer-based applications. Available products range from DVD drives and DVD camcorders to DVD recorders and DVD recordable media.

``It's gratifying to see the rapid growth of the RDVDC,'' said council chairman Bon-Guk Koo, senior corporate advisor and former executive vice president of Samsung Electronics. ``In the past nine months alone, our membership has increased to 80. This is a strong indication of the growing popularity of the DVD Forum-approved recordable DVD formats, their products and applications worldwide.''

The user-proven DVD technologies meet the storage needs of personal and professional audio/video production and limited volume content distribution. The established formats also meet user requirements for backup, data archiving, radio and television broadcast storage and distribution, education, healthcare and enterprise knowledge management.