CD-R system prices dropping
Storage maker Pinnacle Micro begins shipping recordable CD systems for $499.
The CD systems act as a storage device, like a CD-ROM drive, except that in addition to playing back multimedia content, the drives can also record data. Like a floppy disk drive, users can record, erase, and save data on rewritable CDs. The CDs are compatible with standard CD players.
Pinnacle RCD 4X12 drives can store 650MB of data, or 74 minutes of audio per CD, the company said. The CDs read data at 12X or 1800 kilobytes per second (K/sec), and record data at 4X or 600 K/sec per second.
The Pinnacle RCD 4X12 internal drive has a suggested retail price of $499, while the external drive is $599. Both come with kits that include Adaptec software and hardware for recording files and two blank CDs.
Previous kits featuring Adaptec software cost around $699, and other CD kits from companies like Philips have cost as much as $774.
Additionally, Hewlett-Packard recently announced its HP SureStore CD-Writer Plus 7200, a rewritable CD drive with 650MB storage capacity.
The SureStore CD system is also bundled with software from Adaptec, as well as Adobe's PhotoDeluxe imaging software, and Corel's Print House Magic graphics software.