News Release : 20070320

March 20, 2007

Maxell launches the world’s first*¹ Removable Hard Disk Drive iV capable of recording copyright protected High Definition content.

Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. (President & Chief Executive Officer: Yoshito Tsunoda) today announced the launch of its Removable Hard Disk Drive iV, the world’s first*¹ iVDR*² standard hard disk drive capable of recording copyright protected High Definition (HD) content without quality loss.

In recent years, as terrestrial digital broadcasting has become more commonplace, HD video content has become more widespread. Recording long HD broadcasts requires a lot of storage space. Moreover, recording copyright protected digital content or moving it from a recorder or other internal hard disks requires media capable of copyright protection.

The small Removable Hard Disk Drive iV fits in the palm of the hand, and yet features a maximum capacity of 160 GB of data storage and a data transfer rate of 540 Mbit/s. Employing SAFIA*³ copyright protection technology, Removable Hard Disk Drive iV is a new iVDR-Secure type*⁴ media ideal for recording and transferring HD and SD (Standard Definition) content. Compatible with copyright protected content, Removable Hard Disk Drive iV is being launched for use with Hitachi’s Wooo flat-panel TV, which features the iVDR-compatible slot iV Pocket and is the world’s first appliance employing iVDR.

The iVDR Consortium was established in March 2002 and now consists of more than 50 companies promoting the iVDR standard. With this, the diffusion of iVDR-compatible devices is expected to increase dramatically. These iVDR devices will be used as bridge media to record HD and SD content that can then be viewed on a player or in a car, for example. With this vision of the future, Maxell has designed the Removable Hard Disk Drive iV with a glass-fiber plastic cartridge housing that protects vital internal parts while withstanding a wide range of ambient temperatures. The drive’s shock resistance characteristics have also been improved to boost its ability to withstand external shocks that may occur with normal use.

Maxell is to release an 80 GB model and a 160 GB model. Both come with storage cases. The packaging carries the following statement: “Removable hard disk drive can record copyright protected HD content without quality loss.”

Maxell’s recording media products concept, “Play, Record, Archive,” reflects its goal of becoming an HD storage solution provider. Maxell will continue to expand the capacity of its media and provide users with an array of HD storage solutions, such as Blu-ray Discs, HD DVDs, SDHC memory cards and hard disk drives.

*1	As removable hard disk drive that can store copyright protected content; as of March 2007.
*2	iVDR (information Versatile Disk for Removable usage) is a trademark that indicates iVDR Technology Standard compliance.
*3	iVDR-Secure type, compiling the iVDR Standard of contents protection technology (SAFIA), can record copy-protected content.
*4	SAFIA (Security Architecture For Intelligent Attachment device) is content protection technology provided by the SAFIA License Group for use with digital TV, digital audio, and other digital media.

・Major features

Can record copyright protected content, allowing recording and transfer of lengthy digital content

Uses SAFIA copyright protection technology and is capable of long-time recording of HD content without loss of quality.

Compact yet high storage capacity with high 540 Mbit/s data transfer rate

Has a maximum data transfer rate of 540 Mbit/s, 7.5 times faster than Blu-ray Discs.

Unique shock-resistant inner frame greatly improves*⁵ shock resistance

A special frame is employed to reduce the effects of external impacts and soften external impacts that may occur through regular use.

*5	There is no guarantee against destruction of data caused by dropping of device.

・Product Information, Price and Release Date

Product	Model	Capacity	Quantity	Price	Release Date*⁶
iVDR-Secure type	M-VDRS160G.TV	160GB	1	Open	April 10
iVDR-Secure type	M-VDRS80G.TV	80GB	1	Open	April 10

In Japan

・About SAFIA Copyright Protection Technology

Security Architecture For Intelligent Attachment device (SAFIA) is a content protection technology for digital television, digital audio, and other digital content, and is promoted by the SAFIA License Group. Employed in iVDR-Secure type, SAFIA is a content protection technology for removable recording media (iVDR) mountable on digital broadcasting receiving equipment. This technology is acknowledged by the Association for Promotion of Digital Broadcasting (D-pa Japan) and the Association for Promotion of Satellite Broadcasting (BPA Japan) as a “Content protection method for removable recording media,” and appears in the latest technical reports TR-B14 and TR-B15 (revised in March 2006) of the Association of Radio Industries and Businesses (ARIB Japan).

・Potential uses of Removable Hard Disk Drive iV for coming future

・New Removable Hard Disk Drive iV high-capacity model development plan (road map)

*	As of March 2007; may change without notice

・Removable Hard Disk iV – Major Specifications

Items	Specifications
Outer dimensions	80mm (W) x 110mm (H) x 12.7mm (D)
Capacity	160GB / 80GB
Disc rotation speed	5400 rpm
Data transfer rate	540 Mbps (67.5 MBs)
Operating environment	5 to 50 deg. Celsius / 8 to 90%RH*
Storage environment	-40 to 65 deg. Celsius / 8 to 90%RH*
Interface and connector	Serial ATA / 26 pin iVDR original

*	Without condensation
・	Conforming to HDD industry practices, Maxell defines the memory storage capacity of 1MB (megabyte) as 1,000,000 (bytes) and 1 GB (gigabyte) as 1,000,000,000 bytes.

・About Hitachi Maxell, Ltd.

Since its foundation in 1960, Hitachi Maxell, Ltd. has led the electronics industry at home and abroad in the fields of memory and mobility Maxell is a leading manufacturer of information storage media products, including magnetic tapes, optical discs, and battery products such as lithium ion rechargeable batteries, micro batteries and dry cell batteries, and its brand; “Maxell” is globally well recognized brand of recording media and battery products. For more information on Maxell, please visit the company's Web site at www.maxell.com/.