Hitachi, Ltd. announced it will start shipping samples of its double-speed (2x) GD-2000 DVD-ROM drive.
For more information visit: www.hitachi.com
Unedited press release follows:
Hitachi Ships Samples of Industry’s First 2x DVD-ROM Drive
March 3, 1997 — Hitachi, Ltd. today announced that it will start shipping samples of the industry’s first double-speed DVD-ROM drive on March 21. The GD-2000 is an internal unit that features a data transfer rate of 2.76 Mbytes/s and an average access time of 150 ms. Another feature is a double-lenses, double-laser pickup system mechanism developed by Hitachi, in which a 650-nm red-light laser is used to read DVD discs and a 780-nm infrared laser is used to read CD-ROM and CD-R discs.
Pricing & Shipping Schedule in Japan
| Product | Model | Sample Price | Shipping |
| DVD-ROM drive | GD-2000 | 90,000 yen | March 21, 1997 |
Main Features:
1. Industry’s first DVD-ROM drive
For a DVD-ROM drive, data transfer rate and access time are the two most important performance specification items. With its data transfer rate of 2.76 Mbytes/s and average access time of 150 ms, the GD-2000 is the first double-speed DVD-ROM drive.
2. Double-lenses, double-laser pickup system
The drive has a 650-nm red-light semiconductor laser for DVD-ROM read functions and a 780-nm infrared semiconductor laser for CD-ROM/CD-R read functions. These are combined with a high-speed actuator mechanism to provide high-speed playback of DVD-ROMs, CD-ROMs and CD-R discs.
3. Compatible with 20-speed CD-ROMs
By using a Constant Angular Velocity (CAV) drive mode the GD-2000 can function as a 20-speed CD-ROM drive. In this high-speed mode, it has a data transfer rate of 3 Mbytes/s and an access time of 100 ms.
4. Focus-Jump technology
Focus-Jump technology provides instantaneous switching between layers of double-layer discs.
5. ATAPI
PIO Mode 4 ATAPI interface compatibility gives the GD-2000 a maximum data transfer rate capability of 16.6 Mbytes/s.
6. Windows compatibility
The drive is fully compatible with the Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 operating system environments.
7. High dust-resistance
The dust-resistant structure for which Hitachi’s CD-ROM drives are so well known has been further enhanced to provide even higher reliability.
GD-2000 DVD-ROM Drive Specifications
GD-2000 DVD-ROM Drive Specifications
| (1) Main Specifications | ||
| Transfer rate (kbytes/s ) | DVD-ROM: | 2,760 |
| CD-ROM (max. 20x speed): |
1,290 to 3,000 (Mode 1) 1,470 to 3420 (Mode 2) |
|
| Burst-mode (ATAPI PIO Mode 4): |
16.6 Mbytes/s | |
| Access time | DVD-ROM: | Av. 150 ms |
| CD-ROM: | Av. 100 ms | |
| Drive speed | DVD-ROM: | Single-layer disc: 19.2 to 46.3 (1/s) 1,149 to 2,777 rpm) Double-layer disc: 21.1 to 50.9 (1/s) (1,264 to 3,056 rpm) |
| CD-ROM: | 77 (1/s) (CAV) [4,600 rpm] |
|
| Buffer memory | DVD-ROM: | 512 kbytes |
| CD-ROM: | 256 kbytes | |
| (2) Compatible formats | ||
| DVD-ROM | ||
| CD-ROM | CD-ROM Mode 1 | |
| CD-ROM Mode 2 | ||
| CD-ROM XA | ||
| CD-I | ||
| Audio CD | ||
| Data & Audio Mixed Mode | ||
| CD-Extra | ||
| CD-R, CD-RW | ||
| (3) Interface | ||
| Type of interface | Enhanced IDE (ATAPI) | |
| (4) Environment | ||
| Temperature | Operating | 5 to 45 C |
| Non-operating | -30 to 60 C | |
| Relative humidity | Operating | 15% to 85% (no condensation) |
| Non-operating | 10% to 90% (no condensation) |
|
| (5) Reliability | ||
| MTBF | 100,000 hours | |
| Non-recoverable error rate | 10-12 | |
| (6) Others | ||
| Dimension (W x D x H) | 146 x 190 x 41.3 mm (excluding front panel) |
|
| Weight | Approx. 1.0 kg | |
Note: Windows 95 and Windows 3.1 are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.