The new BWU-300S model burns single and dual layer BD-R media and can record a full 25GB disc in about 15 minutes and a full 50GB disc in about 30 minutes.. The drive also records DVDs at up to 16X, CDs up to 48X, and supports DVD-RAM recording.
Sony will bundle the initial pack with the "Men in Black" Blu-ray Disc and CyberLink’s software suite for capturing, authoring, editing, burning and viewing high-definition personal content.
"Sony’s new 8X Blu-ray Disc writable drive significantly improves the BD recording speed, a key feature in the optical storage technology," said Wolfgang Schlichting, research director for removable storage at IDC. "The explosion of digital media usage by consumers, whether in the form of high- definition video, music or data, continues to grow at exponential rates. Innovative products such as this next-generation drive will help fuel the acceleration of Blu-ray adoption in the years ahead with more than 100 million drives shipping worldwide by 2011."
The BWU-300S drive can record up to 50GB of data for random access storage and backup on BD-R (write once) or BD-RE (rewritable) discs, or up to 230 minutes of high-definition HDV 1080i video on a BD-R/RE 50GB disc. It also supports recording on standard single layer 4.7GB DVD+-R/+-RW/-RAM discs, 8.5GB DVD+-R double/dual layer discs, and CDs.
The new drive will become available next month and will retail for around $400.