News Releases

Hitachi America Delivers Enhanced DVD-ROM Drive To Computer Manufacturers, Upgrade Kit Suppliers

BRISBANE, CA

Oct 23, 1998 00:00 AM

The Computer Division of Hitachi America, Ltd. today announced that it is shipping its third-generation DVD-ROM drive to computer OEM and upgrade kit suppliers.

The new GD-2500 drive has a maximum DVD-ROM data transfer rate of 5.52 MB/s, and data access rates nearly 15 percent faster than the company's previous generation DVD-ROM drive.

Hitachi's new DVD-ROM drive also provides faster performance when reading CD media, achieving transfer rates up to 3.6 MB/s (24X). Additionally, the GD-2500 reads pre-recorded DVD-R media, enabling software developers who use this disc mastering technology to verify their content on a state-of-the-art DVD-ROM drive.

Through the first half of 1998, more than one of every four DVD-ROM drives sold worldwide were manufactured by Hitachi. The company's second generation GD-2000 drive was highly-rated by reviewers for its consistent performance reading all types of CD media, including data and audio CD-ROMs, and user-recorded CD-R and CD-RW discs.

The new GD-2500 builds on this proven platform, supporting computer owner's investment in CD media while helping them adopt the higher-capacity standard optical disc storage technologies defined by the DVD Forum.

The GD-2500 is an enhanced IDE (ATAPI) interface drive, designed for installation in personal computers running a Microsoft Windows(R) operating system. It has a DVD disc data access speed of 180 ms., reads data recorded on single- and dual-layer DVD-ROM discs at speeds up to 4X, or 5.52 MB/s., and reads DVD-R discs at 2X speed, or 2.76 MB/s. Data access performance with CD media is 120 ms.

Hitachi is now shipping the GD-2500 drive to computer manufacturers and systems integrators, for installation into new computer systems and re-sale as upgrade kits through retail channels.

The Computer Division of Hitachi America, Ltd. sells high-capacity, high-performance hard disk drives, CD-ROM, and DVD drives through its Storage Products Group.

Hitachi America, Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., Japan, markets and manufactures a broad range of electronics, computer systems and products, semiconductors and provides industrial equipment and services throughout North America. For more information on Hitachi in North America, visit http://www.hitachi.us/.

Hitachi, Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, is one of the world's leading global electronics companies, with fiscal 1997 (ending March 31, 1998) consolidated sales of 8,417 billion yen ($63.8 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 132 yen to the dollar.

For Media/Investor Inquiries, please contact:

Gerard F. Corbett
Hitachi America, Ltd.
Vice President
Corp. Communications Group
Tel:(650) 244-7900
Fax: (650) 244-7920
gerard.corbett@hal.hitachi.com

Hitachi America, Ltd.
Werner Glinka
Tel: (650) 244-7630
werner.glinka@hal.hitachi.com

FS Communications
Matthew Schmidt
(650) 691-1488
matt@fscomm.com

For all other inquiries please call:
1-800-HITACHI

If you have any questions specifically about Investor Relations in the United States, please contact our Investor Relations Department at investor.info@hal.hitachi.com