Digital Media Group of Hitachi, Ltd. today announced that it has completed the 
development of 4.7 gigabytes DVD-RAM drive (GF-2000) for PC applications, and 
samples will be ready to ship in January 2000.

High-speed communications networks are growing at an explosive rate, driven by the 
increased use of PCs, the rise of the Internet and the start of digital satellite broadcasting.  
DVD-RAM's high speed, large storage capacity and rewritability make it the medium of 
choice in a multimedia environment that integrates the PC with home audio/visual 
systems.

For rewritable data storage, the GF-2000 accommodates single- and double-sided DVD-
RAM media, technology complying with the new DVD specifications approved by the 
DVD Forum's Steering Committee, providing a single-sided storage capacity of 4.7 
gigabytes, and double that for a two-sided disc. The new drive will be shown at 
Comdex99, held in Las Vegas November 15-19. 

In April 1998 Hitachi released a single-sided 2.6 gigabyte DVD-RAM drive, which has 
enjoyed good demand for PC and library system applications. The GF-2000 is the 
successor to that earlier drive.  In addition to offering some 1.8 times the storage 
capacity of the 2.6 gigabyte drive, during writing operations the 4.7-gigabyte drive 
transfers data twice as fast.

Areas in which DVD-RAM drives are already being used include video, music, 
computers, and industrial equipment.  With the higher storage capacity of 4.7 
gigabytes and the compatibility with the video recording standard formulated by the 
DVD Forum, DVD is set to go beyond the PC.  Future applications will include home 
DVD video recorders and DVD video cameras, and it will be possible to use PC DVD-
RAM drives to play, edit and store videos taken with the home DVD video cameras.  
In all scenarios of the multimedia world of the future, DVD is thus expected to play a 
central role. As a leading manufacturer of DVD drives, Hitachi will continue to provide 
products that meet market needs.


Features of the GF-2000
-	Complies with the 4.7 gigabyte rewritable DVD format standard
-	Provides read- and write-compatibility with 2.6 gigabyte DVD-RAM discs
-	Can play DVD-ROM, DVD-R and DVD-Video media
-	Can play the various CD formats

Outline of Specifications
-	Format			4.7GB DVD-RAM
-	Laser wavelength	650 nm (DVD)/780 nm (CD)
-	Writing rate		4.7GB DVD-RAM disc:  2.77 megabytes/sec
				2.6GB DVD-RAM disc:  1.38 megabytes/sec
-	Writable discs		4.7GB DVD-RAM
				2.6GB DVD-RAM
-	Readable discs		DVD-ROM, DVD-R, DVD-Video
				CD-ROM, CD-Audio
				CD-R/RW
				CD-Extra
 
Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is one of the world's leading global 
electronics companies, with fiscal 1998 (ended March 31, 1999) consolidated sales of 
7,977 billion yen ($65.9 billion*).  The company manufactures and markets a wide 
range of products, including computers, semiconductors, consumer products and power 
and industrial equipment. For more information on Hitachi, Ltd., please visit Hitachi's 
Web site at http://www.hitachi.co.jp.
* At an exchange rate of 121 yen to the dollar.