Verbatim Corporation has begun shipping engineering samples of its new 4X DVD-R Dual Layer (DL) media to DVD burner manufacturers and their software suppliers for read/write and compatibility testing. Shipments for consumers will begin late in Q1 2005, after the official specification is finalized. The specification enables the new DL-compatible burners to write a complete 8.5GB Verbatim dual-layer DVD-R disc in about 25 minutes. Backed by a limited lifetime warranty, Verbatim 4X DVD-R DL media will be available through retailers, Internet resellers and distributors across the country late in Q1 2005.

Verbatim has also announced that it will begin shipping 1-16X speed DVD-R media later this month. With the ability to record video, photos, music or data files at about 21 MB/sec, users will be able to fill an entire 4.7GB disc to capacity in about six minutes, according to Verbatim. To ensure broad compatibility, Verbatim 1-16X speed DVD-R discs are compliant with the DVD Forum's 16x DVD-R Specifications. Drive manufacturers such as BenQ, Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Lite-On, NEC, Plextor, Sony and others have announced 16X DVD-R compatible drives. The new write-once media, which can be used at all recording speeds between 1X and 16X, is also backward compatible with existing DVD recorders and 1-8x DVD-R burners when appropriate firmware upgrades are installed. Like Verbatim's certified 1-16X-speed DVD+R, the new DVD-R discs are produced with the proprietary Advanced AZO™ recording layer technology developed by Verbatim's parent company, Mitsubishi Kagaku Media (MKM).

www.verbatim.com