News

DVD+RW Format Gains Momentum in Consumer Electronics Space as New Recorders Come to Market for the Holidays (27/10/2003)

About two dozen manufacturers have announced plans to introduce new DVD recorders using the DVD+R/+RW recording format, the DVD+RW Alliance announced today.

According to the manufacturers' announcements many of the new recorders will be available in time for this year's Christmas holiday season.

"The Plus format already is becoming the de facto standard for DVD recording in personal computers," said Maureen Weber, general manager of Optical Storage Solutions unit at HP and chief spokesperson for the DVD+RW Alliance. "These new Plus-format recorders will further solidify DVD+RW's presence in the consumer electronics space at a time when DVD recording is moving into the mainstream."

According to Santa Clara Consulting, five out of every six DVD recording devices sold have been for use in personal computers. Because of this, many industry analysts suggest that the PC market will dictate which format will become the industry standard for both DVD drives in computers and DVD recorders that attach to TVs.

A major reason for Plus's strength in the PC market is that Dell and HP, the world's two largest PC manufacturers, both use the DVD+R/+RW format exclusively in their products. According to data from Santa Clara Consulting, two thirds of the computers shipped with DVD drives installed are using DVD+R/+RW only.

In media sales, NPD Group data shows that Plus format media has gone from two percent of the market in July 2001 to 41 percent in July 2002 to 55 percent in July 2003. Meanwhile Dash media has gone from 71 percent of the market in July 2001 to 53 percent in July 2002 and 44 percent in July 2003. RAM has gone from 27 percent in July 2001 to about one percent.

"Over the past two years, the Plus format has steadily established its place as the format of choice in the PC space," said Gerry Smith, vice president of Peripherals for Dell. "Now that consumer electronics companies are embracing DVD+RW technology, more customers will see the inherent benefit that Plus can provide. Because of the benefits to end users, we are doing our part to help DVD+RW become the industry standard."

DVD+R/+RW's leadership in personal computers is expected to continue as DVD recordable drives become more common in new computers. The percentage of new computers that come equipped with DVD-recordable drives has increased steadily in the past year and both HP and Dell expect well over half of the new computers they sell next year to be equipped with DVD-recordable drives.

"With recordable DVD drives becoming more commonplace in PCs, the addition of new Plus-format DVD recorders will provide even more flexibility for consumers interested in maximizing the convergence between DVD recording and editing on their computers and DVD recorders attached to their home entertainment centers," said Mark Poldervaart, managing director of AV Systems for Philips Consumer Electronics North America.

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