Matsushita pushes play on DVD recorders

Matsushita Electric, maker of Panasonic products, said Wednesday that DVD-RAM recorders would become a strong business emphasis for the company. Matsushita is aiming to make DVD-RAM recorder sales 40 percent of overall revenue. The company announced two new recorders, the Panasonic DMR-E50 and the Panasonic DMR-E60, which will be released worldwide. The DMR-E50 will be available in March and the DMR-E60 will be released within the next six months.

Matsushita and other consumer-electronics markers, such as Sony and Philips, are looking at DVD recorders to build off the popularity of DVD players and as a replacement for VCRs. Both recorders will support recording to DVD-RAM and DVD-R discs and use Panasonic Time Slip technology with DVD-RAM discs. Time Slip is similar to digital video recording technology, allowing consumers to pause live programming and to record shows.