Lite-On IT announces HD-DVD support

(Auszug aus der Pressemitteilung)

30th August 2006 – Lite-On IT, Taiwan’s No.1 manufacturer of optical disk drives (ODD), today announced it will support the HD DVD format, the next-generation DVD standard for the high-definition era, and that it has started development of a half-height HD DVD drive, aiming for commercialization in March 2007. The participation of Lite-On IT, in the fast growing ranks of HD DVD supporters adds to the momentum propelling the market growth and success of HD DVD by expanding the number of ODD suppliers working to sustain the HD DVD industry. HD DVD products are expected to see a rapid boost in demand during the Christmas and year-end shopping season, and Toshiba Corporation of Japan has already launched a Notebook PC with HD DVD-ROM in selected markets, HD DVD players in the U.S. and Japanese markets, and a hard disk recorder with HD DVD in the Japanese market.

Lite-On IT has undertaken an extensive evaluation of HD DVD technologies, and concluded that HD DVD will be a major driving force in connection with the coming generation of ODD with blue laser pick-up heads, because of its cost advantage and its proven technical reliability, including superior backward compatibility with DVD. By joining the HD DVD market ahead of many other suppliers of ODD drives, Lite-On IT intends to take full advantage of the excellent market opportunities provided by HD DVD and contribute to the sound growth of the next generation DVD industry.

“We looked at the market and we looked at the technology, and we saw that HD DVD is a great fit with our business strategy,” said Michael Gong , General Manager, Optical Disc Drive Business Unit of Lite-On IT. “It provides a quality, cost-effective, technically elegant solution that can be applied to all kinds of platforms, from Home Entertainment to computing and game systems. We look forward to working with our collaboration partners to advance HD DVD as the format of choice in the Digital Age.”

“We are delighted that Lite-On IT, one of the major players in the optical disc drive market, has declared its support for HD DVD,” said Yoshihide Fuji, the President & CEO, Digital Media Network Company, Toshiba Corporation, and the Chairman of the HD DVD Promotion Group, the international industrial association of over 130 companies committed to the promotion of the HD DVD format and products. “This announcement shows that yet another key industry leader has recognized the advantages offered by HD DVD’s backward compatibility, product feasibility and marketability. We welcome Lite-On IT and look forward to its contributions to a winning format.”

Lite-On IT merged its ODD operation with that of BenQ on April 10, 2006, a move that pushed it into the runner-up position in half-height ODD among world-class manufacturers, with production almost on par with HLDS.