DVD+ format doubles rewrite speeds

By Matt Whipp

Posted on 1 Oct 2004 at 13:42

The DVD Alliance has given the all clear for an eight-speed rewrite specification for its +RW DVD format.

Currently, the + format has reached the limit of write speeds at 16x, but the rewrite speeds - previously at four-speed - are catching up too.

'Eight-speed DVD+RW rewriting is the next step in the DVD+R/+RW format roadmap after bringing write-once DVD+R to the maximum achievable 16-speed recording speeds,' said Frank Simonis, Chair of the DVD+RW Alliance Product Promotions Group and Strategic Marketing Director for Philips Optical Storage.

An eight-speed drive can rewrite - that is, remove existing data on the DVD and write new data - an entire 4.7GB disc in less than eight minutes, according to the organisation.

The final draft of the specification should mean the 1.0 official spec is imminent. Discs and drives from the likes of HP, Sony, Ricoh, Philips, Yamaha and MKM, supporting eight-speed rewrite will be available by the end of the year.