http://www.hardwarezone.com/news/vie...id=3409&cid=10

December 27, 2005, Tokyo, Japan – Pioneer Corporation announced today that the company’s first internal BD/DVD writer with ATAPI connection for Windows PCs has recently been developed. The new Pioneer BDR-101A complies with the latest specifications for the BD-R (Blu-ray Disc recordable), BD-RE (Blu-ray Disc rewritable), and the BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc read-only memory). It is expected to start shipping at the end of January, 2006*1.
Single-layer BD-R and BD-RE discs can store up to 25 gigabytes*2 of data, about five times more than a conventional DVD disc, supporting a high-speed data transfer rate of a maximum of 72Mbps (2x) for both reading and writing. It is possible to record over two hours of a high-definition (HD) video (at 24Mbps transfer rate) on a single disc. This level of storage capacity and transfer speed is expected to make possible a wide range of applications, such as server data backup and video storage.

For BD-ROM discs, a wide variety of Blu-ray Disc titles, including films, music, and games, will be released in the future. The BDR-101A Blu-ray Disc writer will write and read single-layer BD-R and BD-RE discs (without cartridge), and read single-layer and double-layer BD-ROM discs (without cartridge). Also, featuring proprietary Pioneer optical technology, such as the Ultra Dynamic Resonance Absorber and the Multi-Effect Liquid Crystal Tilt Compensator, the new writer will ensure high reliability in high-density recording and playback with Blu-ray Discs as well as DVD discs.

With the release of the BDR-101A offering the industry’s highest level of performance and reliability, Pioneer is responding to users requiring greater storage capacity, as well as contributing to the expansion of the Blu-ray writer market. Pioneer will continue to actively develop the Blu-ray disc format and promote its use as one of the Blu-ray Disc Founders. Pioneer will be exhibiting the BDR-101A at the 2006 International CES being held from January 5, 2006, in Las Vegas, USA. Visitors will be able to see the BDR-101A at both the Pioneer booth and the BDA*3 booth.

*1 Shipment schedules may change depending on the start date for the Blu-ray Disc format logo license and the copyright protection technology license.
*2 Double -layer BD-R/BD-RE discs can store up to 50 gigabytes of data.
*3 Blu-ray Disc Association. The BDA is a worldwide organization made up of enterprises and organizations engaged in the research and development or the manufacture of Blu-ray products, and of software and hardware manufacturers and other members dedicated to developing and promoting Blu-ray disc standards. The BDA establishes and promotes Blu-ray standards.

Main features
(1) Newly-developed BD/DVD compatible lens
The pickup equipped with the Pioneer’s newly-developed BD/DVD compatible lens realizes high-speed recording at a maximum of 2x for BD-R/BD-RE 2x media. This will also play BD-ROM and DVD-ROM discs, and play or record on DVD-R/DVD+R, DVD-RW/ DVD+RW, Dual Layer DVD-R, and DVD+R Double Layer discs*4.
*4 Please use Pioneer-designated disc media and appropriate application software.
(2) Various proprietary high-quality recording technologies for both Blu-ray and DVD discs
- Ultra DRA to suppress vibration - a technology developed based on know-how that Pioneer has been cultivating in the development of DVD writers
- Limited Equalizer LSI to dramatically improve reading reliability
- Multi-Effect Liquid Crystal Tilt Compensator to improve the recording and playback characteristics by adding astigmatism correction to the existing tilt correction and spherical aberration correction.

About Pioneer:
Pioneer Corporation, headquatered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the leading manufacturers of consumer and business-use electronics products such as audio, video and car electronics on a global scale. Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (ticker symbol PIO), Euronext Amsterdam, Tokyo Stock Exchange, and Osaka Securities Exchange. For further information, please visit http://www.pioneer.co.jp .

Good news, but also look here

hehe ;]

i just posted it in hurry because it's realy good news sorry =/

i wouldn't mind if u delete this Thread

cheers ;]

Well this is nice.

I do hope that BLU-RAY might kill the HD-DVD race. It would be so nice if we only got ONE format from now on and not the format wars all over again :/

I am interested in initial price for the unit, another good thing is that the blu-ray media has been developed for a while so it is pretty good quality.

That was not the case when DVDs first came out :/

I am guessing that the price for the blu-ray burner won't be higher than 1300 USD at the most. And then drop within a year to about 500USD or less.

The price on the unit it self isn't a problem for most users, it is how much the price of the media will be :/

Thanks for information.

see that won't happen, looking back at sony track record,

i wouldn't count on that

Have you gotten ahold of an engineering sample [/or retail] or are you defending a point you are not sure of?

he is full of BS

I didn't want to gop straight to the point like that. :lol:

Anyway, I KNOW for a fact that I will never pay more than $250 for new burning equipment.

As HD/dvd discs can be produced on current dvd lines the price of media should be quite reasonable.
BLU-ray will have to have new manufacturing techniques and equipment installed for mass production so initialy they wont be cheap!

The battle between the two systems will be interesting I think

don't forget the HVD is close by. This war won't be long

GAAAAHHHH

Sigh, the never ending war on formats. Seems the only way to go (as usual) is harddrive recording. This is not for safekeeping of course but we will have to wait the war out on the sidelines.

No one cares about the consumers now adays :/

i still will either pick up the HD-DVD or Blu-ray (only if it comes in catridges)

DVD-R is just to small

Dennis.
This is the price of progress. If we didn't progress then we would still be living a hand to mouth existence in caves.
Personally I find these new developments exciting and can't wait to see what’s coming next, although it hits me in the pocket?
If you haven't deep pockets then be like me wait until you can afford it, at this rate of progress I think 12 months should suffice. By this time production models and firmware should be stable and with other Freaks comments the good drives will soon become apparent so we won’t buy a dud (hopefully).
Regards

Weedougie I know. We will just have to wait and see. At least I will not be contributing my money, I will get the new standards when prices come down say (200USD) for a burner (blu-ray or HD-dvd I don't know).

I only care about how much media will cost me and quality of media. The burner it self can cost money. I only use media for storage, I don't buy say dvd movies and stuff like that.

Thats why I love the harddrive PVR systems finaly getting out there, with EPGs and all that. Easy to use and I can watch something, save for a while the DUMP. It's going to be nice to get Sky Digital Plus soon

Further news about gen 2:
http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News...x?NewsId=16049

Pio added in the database.
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters....ist=2#comments

Retail price is here approx. €810.

I just don't think these things will become main stream. By today’s standards 25 or even 50 gig is just not that big. The prices on these things are not going to drop that much. They boxed themselves into a technology corner. The tolerances of the devices just won't allow for 10.000's a day to come off some assembly line in china. They still have trouble making regular DVD's that are of consistent quality, both the drives and the discs. Only one company makes fair DVD DL and they are still $3 each and many still have problems writing or reading them. Where you going with a 50 gig that is a duel 25. Now they have to blast through 2 layers with more precision and lower reflectivity. Then throw Hollywood, Sony, and Microsoft in the mix. I mean how many hours of High Definition Ad's and director comments do you want to watch. There has to be a better way but nobody found it yet.

Don't forget to purchase your special cable in the lobby.

Why China? They are manufactured in Japan, of course.

Maybe today, This to shall change