WD(R) Introduces 2.5-Inch SATA Hard Drives That Meet Demands for Today's AV/DVR and Surveillance Markets

LAKE FOREST, Calif., March 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As demand has increased for digital video storage, including high-definition (HD) video, and as the variety of video-systems configurations increases, WD® (NYSE: WDC) today expanded its line of hard drives for AV/DVR and surveillance applications to include small form factor, 2.5-inch SATA hard drives. WD AV-25 hard drives provide high reliability with a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of 1 million hours and are engineered specifically for demanding, always-on multimedia streaming applications, while running at cool and quiet temperatures.

In addition to high reliability, WD AV-25 hard drives meet the demanding requirements of the AV/DVR and surveillance markets by offering customers universal compatibility, low power consumption and the ability to simultaneously record multiple audio and/or high-definition video streams. The new WD AV-25 hard drive is ideal for applications such as DVRs (digital video recorders), digital video surveillance and other small form factor environments where power consumption and 24x7 reliability are critical.

"Customers that market audio and video recording applications, such as DVRs, media centers and mainstream surveillance systems, often require 24x7 operation from hard drives," said Jim Welsh, senior vice president and general manager of WD's branded products and consumer electronics groups. "WD AV-25 hard drives are designed to withstand these demanding environments and offer consumers a small form factor solution that consumes less power, generates less heat, and operates quietly and, most importantly, reliably."

Features of the WD AV-25 hard drive include:

• 24x7 reliability - Designed to last in always-on streaming digital audio/video environments such as DVR/PVR, digital video surveillance and other demanding multimedia applications.
• Advanced Format technology - Leading edge technology that delivers improved video quality and AV performance through enhanced error correction capability.
• SilkStream™ technology - Optimized for smooth, continuous digital video playback of up to five simultaneous HD streams. SilkStream is compatible with the ATA streaming command set so AV customers can use standard streaming management and error recovery options.
• Ultra-cool operation - A cool drive is a more reliable drive. WD continues to develop new and innovative ways to keep drives cool while they are operating.
• Quiet - Noise levels have been minimized to less than one sone* - virtually below the threshold of human hearing.
• Low power consumption - The drive draws less than 2 Watts while operating and a mere 4.75 Watts during spin up.
• 1 million hours MTTF (MTBF) - Best-in-class reliability for small form factor AV storage.+
• Preemptive Wear Leveling (PWL) - The drive arm frequently sweeps across the disk to reduce uneven wear on the drive surface common to audio video streaming applications.

Price and Availability

The WD AV-25 hard drive is offered in capacities of 160 GB, 250 GB, 320 GB and 500 GB and has a 3-year limited warranty. The WD AV-25 160 GB, 250 GB and 320 GB hard drives are available now from select e-tailers and distributors. The WD AV-25 500 GB hard drive will be available next month. MSRP for the WD AV-25 hard drives range from $50.00 USD to $80.00 USD depending on capacity. More information about WD AV-25 drives may be found on the company's Web site at http://www.wdc.com/en/products/Products.asp?DriveID=810.

About WD

WD, one of the storage industry's pioneers and long-time leaders, provides products and services for people and organizations that collect, manage and use digital information. The company designs and produces reliable, high-performance hard drives and solid state drives that keep users' data accessible and secure from loss. Its advanced technologies are configured into applications for client and enterprise computing, embedded systems and consumer electronics, as well as its own consumer storage and media products.

WD was founded in 1970. The company's storage products are marketed to leading OEMs, systems manufacturers, selected resellers and retailers under the Western Digital® and WD brand names. Visit the Investor section of the company's Web site (www.westerndigital.com) to access a variety of financial and investor information.

Western Digital, WD, and the WD logo are registered trademarks in the U.S. and other countries; SilkStream is a trademark of Western Digital Technologies, Inc. All other trademarks herein are property of their respective owner. As used for storage capacity, one megabyte (MB) = one million bytes, one gigabyte (GB) = one billion bytes, and one terabyte (TB) = one trillion bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending on operating environment.

* A sone is a subjective unit of loudness as perceived by a person with normal hearing.

+ Based upon dual tuner system operating in typical 30-degree C air ambient environment.

(Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000711/WDCLOGO)

SOURCE Western Digital Corp.