Pioneer Introduces Next Generation DVD|CD Recordable, RE-Recordable Drive Offering Multi Format Compatibility. Industry's Most Compatible Drive Offers Enhanced Features and Attractive Price Point

Pioneer Electronics (USA), Inc., Business Solutions Division, the leader in recordable DVD technology, today announced the DVR-A04, Pioneer's fourth generation combination DVD/CD recordable/re-recordable drive. The DVR-A04, supports multiple recording formats including DVD-R, DVD-RW, CD-R and CD-RW as well as CD buffer underrun protection, support for high speed CD-RW media, vertical-mounting capability, smaller form factor and with a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $499.

"With the new DVR-A04, recording your own DVDs is an exciting capability that is now accessible to even more computer users," said Andy Parsons, senior vice president of industrial video/mass storage sales and marketing, Pioneer Electronics (USA), Inc., Business Solutions Division. "This drive represents Pioneer's latest effort to package the features we believe both consumers and professional users want at an attractive price."

The rapid adoption of recordable DVD for video authoring and archiving by consumers and professionals has led industry analysts to estimate that 3.9 million recordable DVD drives will ship with PCs in 2002, a number expected to triple by 2003 and soar to 20 million by 2004.

Pioneer has helped to lead the recordable DVD movement through the introduction of innovative products such as the world's first DVD recordable drive in 1998, the first 4.7 GB capacity DVD-R drive in 1999, the award-winning DVR-A03 DVD-R/RW/CD-R/RW drive in 2001, and now the fourth generation DVR-A04.

"Both professional users and consumers realize that the largest application for recordable DVD is video. For this reason, we have always believed that playback compatibility with most DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives is the key feature driving mainstream adoption of DVD-R as the format of choice for recording and archiving video content," added Parsons.

In addition to supporting DVD-R, the DVR-A04 also writes and reads DVD-RW, a re-recordable format that can also be played on many DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives for use with content that changes frequently, testing of titles before committing to DVD-R, and data storage applications such as system backups. Both DVD-R and DVD-RW are approved members of the DVD Forum family of formats. The drive also supports reading and writing of CD-R and CD-RW media, and can be used as a DVD-ROM and CD-ROM drive as well.

The DVR-A04 will be available later this month and carries a manufacturer's suggested retail price of $499.

Pioneer's Mass Storage Group is a leading supplier of DVD-Recordable drives, as well as automated DVD library systems and M-O and WORM multifunctional optical drives and media. The Mass Storage Group is part of the Business Solutions Division, which provides professional business-to-business products across a wide range of markets including cable television, professional video/audio, educational, medical, legal and banking.

Pioneer Corporation is a leader in optical disc technology and a preeminent manufacturer of high-performance audio, video, computer and cable equipment for the home, car and business markets. The company focuses on four core business domains including DVD, display technologies, Digital Network Entertainment™ and components. Founded in 1938 in Tokyo, Pioneer Corporation employs more than 31,000 people worldwide. Its shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:PIO). Pioneer's U.S. headquarters is located in Long Beach, California.