HP Launches 1st Combination DVD+RW/CD-RW Drive

HP Launches Its First Combination DVD+RW/CD-RW Drive

Rewritable Drive Offers Affordable, Easy Creation of Custom DVDs and CDs

New Zealand, 17 October, 2001 - Creating your own DVDs and CDs from video, photos and other data is now easier with the combined DVD+RW/CD-RW drive from HP.

Easy to install inside a PC, the HP DVD-writer dvd100i drive lets you create DVDs from your own videos using the DVD+RW format. You can also transfer analog or digital video directly from a camcorder or VCR to a DVD disc, create and play digital music CDs and store large amounts of data safely and securely on both CD and DVD.

Richard Moss, HP’s Consumer Peripherals marketing manager says that by using the premier DVD+RW standard this drive will change the way people create and share their videos.

“With this drive, consumers can safely store large amounts of information, explore new ways to create custom video and music discs and share those discs with almost anyone who owns a DVD video player or DVD-ROM drive. And unlike videotape, the quality will last up to 100 years.”

The HP DVD-writer dvd100i drive comes with HP MyDVD Video that allows you to transform home videos into interactive DVDs, using an easy step by step method. Also included is HP Recordnow to quickly and simply make custom music and data CDs and DVDs. Power DVD by Cyberlink lets you play DVD movies on PC and HP Simple Backup you store critical data reliably.

The HP DVD-writer dvd100i drive comes with one blank DVD+RW disc. Each DVD media can store up to 4.7 GB of data on a single DVD disc, equivalent to seven CDs. HP will also be offering DVD+RW media, that provide optimum compatibility and performance with HP DVD+RW drives and are also compatible with other DVD+RW drives.

The HP DVD-writer dvd100i drive offers the following technical specifications:

- IDE/ATAPI DVD+RW/CD-RW drive with buffer underrun protection technology;

- 2.4x DVD (re-write), 8x DVD (read) speeds; and

- 12x CD-R (write), 10x CD-RW (re-write) and 32x CD (read) speeds.

Availability and Pricing

The HP DVD-writer dvd100i drive is expected to be available in New Zealand from today and available at all major retails stores at an estimated retail price of $1,799(3).

The HP DVD-writer dvd100i drive comes with two blank DVD+RW discs. HP DVD+RW discs are available at an estimated retail price of $39(3).

About HP

Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services -- is focused on making technology and its benefits accessible to individuals and businesses through simple appliances, useful e-services and solutions for an Internet infrastructure that’s always on.

HP had total revenue from continuing operations of $48.8 billion in its 2000 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

Hewlett-Packard (NZ) Limited was one of the most awarded technology companies in the recent 2001 PC World magazine Readers’ Choice Awards. Best Home PC for the HP Pavilion series was one of nine awards, that also included Best Service and Support - Hardware and Best Removable Media for the CD-Writer plus CDRW series. HP won all six awards in the hard copy awards including best printer in four of those categories, Best Multifunction Device and Best Scanner.

# # #

(1) Requires separately purchased video capture and compression hardware for download of video to PC.

(2) HP DLA and HP Simple Backup are powered by Veritas.

(3) Actual prices may vary.

HP does not endorse or encourage the use of the HP DVD/CD-writer products for purposes other than those permitted by national copyright law.

Editorial Contacts:

Richard Moss

09 356 6672

richard_moss3@hp.com

Claudia Macdonald, WRC

09 306 1809

claudiam@wrc.co.nz

© Scoop Media