SAN JOSE, Calif., Jan. 13, 2004 - Sony Electronics is rewarding owners of its 530 series of dual format DVD/CD-recordable drives with a free firmware upgrade that will allow them to achieve up to 8X DVD-R and 4X DVD-RW recording speeds.
Owners of the internal DRU-530A or external DRX-530UL Dual RW drive will be able to download the free firmware upgrade from Sony's Storage Support Web site at http://sony.storagesupport.com/dvdrw/dru530adwn.htm before the end of February.
With the firmware upgrade, users will be able to record a full 4.7GB DVD-R disc in around 10 minutes, using 8X DVD-R media to achieve the faster speed. In addition, using 4X DVD-RW media, users will be able record a full 4X DVD-RW disc in less than 15 minutes.
The firmware upgrade will increase the drives' DVD-R speed from an original 4X, and their DVD-RW speed from an original 2X. Both drives also support up to 8X DVD+R and 4X DVD+RW, as well as up to 40X CD-R and up to 24X CD-RW recording speeds.
"Our goal is to maximize customer satisfaction and deliver the best experience possible for users of our Dual RW DVD drives," said Robert DeMoulin, marketing manager for branded storage products in Sony Electronics' IT Products Division. "By offering speed upgrades free of charge, we are providing our customers with higher performance without having to purchase new hardware, while allowing them to fully enjoy the fun and creativity made possible by the 530 line of DVD burners."
Sony has been recognized as the leader in PC-attached DVD drives since it introduced the world's first multi-format DVD burners in September 2002. Its Dual RW drives have garnered a number of industry awards and continue to be a top choice for consumers looking to transfer their VHS tapes to DVD, edit and share their home movies and back up their personal and business data.
Availability and Pricing
The DRU-530A and DRX-530UL DVD/CD rewritable drives are sold through nationwide resellers and retailers, mail order catalogs and select online shopping sites, including SonyStyle.com. The estimated selling price for the internal DRU-530A model is less than $220, while the MSRP for the external DRX-530UL drive will be less than $300 when it becomes available in early February. There is an additional $30 mail-in rebate in place for both models through July 4, 2004.
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