Adaptec Eliminates Barriers to Mass CD-R Adoption; New DirectCD Provides Industry Standard For Fast, Easy, Reliable CD-Recording.

MILPITAS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 30, 1996--With the introduction of Adaptec's new DirectCD, the first standard packet writing software, CD recording is becoming a serious alternative to floppies and removable drives as the storage medium of choice.

DirectCD so drastically increases data transfer speeds when storing data to a CD that recording 2MB of data to a CD will take the same amount of time as it takes to store 1MB of data to a floppy disk today. Additionally, a single 650MB CD holds the same amount of data as 450 floppy disks.

The data storage process becomes easier, too, as a result of the new software. Under DirectCD and Windows 95, the installed CD-R (Compact Disc Recordable) drive appears with a single drive letter designation, just as a floppy drive or hard drive appears today, enabling users to store files to a CD with simple drag-and-drop, "Send-To" or "Save As" commands from any application, in effect turning a CD-R drive into a large digital floppy drive.

"As CD-R drive prices have tumbled and software has improved, the number of CD-R users has increased over 3,500% since 1994," explained Dave Ulmer, Adaptec's software marketing manager. "DirectCD will propel the next explosion in CD-R shipments, by making it unquestionably easy to copy files to a CD, at speeds over twice as fast as copying to a floppy. With the ever-increasing demand for storage space, caused by massive Internet downloads, home publishing, and multimedia applications, a CD-R drive with DirectCD becomes the perfect desktop storage device."

Details About DirectCD

DirectCD is the first CD-R packet writing software that adheres to the industry-standard UDF (Universal Disk Format) specifications. This new standardized software, DirectCD, transforms CD-R with drive-letter access and data storage in small increments, virtually eliminating the possibility of data interruption while recording to the CD.

The packet writing technology behind DirectCD installs transparently under the Windows 95 operating system. Users can save files directly from the Windows 95 Explorer, or by using the "File Save" command within all popular applications such as Microsoft Word, Netscape Navigator, or Internet Explorer. Discs can be maintained in either the DirectCD UDF file format or the CD-ROM standard ISO9660 format, both providing broad compatibility and support by all major drive manufacturers.

Industry Leaders Support DirectCD

According to Cor Klik, program director for CD-R, at Philips Key Modules, a major player in CD-R, "DirectCD is a major breakthrough in CD-R technology. We will now see more PC manufacturers bundling CD-R drives in place of CD-ROM drives, allowing users to read and store data to their existing CDs and distribute that information to the large installed base of CD-ROM users."

"DirectCD enables users to write files to the HP SureStore CD-Writer in the same way they can to any other drive letter in Windows 95," said Gary Kaiser, Marketing Manager of the Hewlett-Packard's Colorado Memory Systems, producers of the HP SureStore CD-Writer. "Functionality of this kind significantly increases the ease-of-use and reliability customers are requiring and further positions the CD-Writer as a storage device for everyone."

"With industry backing by OSTA (Optical Storage Technology Association), Sony, Philips, Hewlett-Packard, and many others, the UDF standard implemented in DirectCD will propel CD-R to become the next wave in data storage," said Tom Shea, General Manager of Adaptec's Software Products Group. "As the market leader in CD-R software, including Easy CD Pro and CD Creator, we are pleased that the industry has come together in agreement on a single standard to promote ease-of-use, compatibility, and reliability for the benefit of CD-R users worldwide."

DirectCD Licensing and Availability

DirectCD is now available to CD-R drive manufacturers for their CD-R drive shipments. Manufacturers interested in ensuring DirectCD drive compliance and support should contact Adaptec at 408/957-4937 to inquire about the DirectCD Compatibility Program.

About Adaptec

Adaptec provides bandwidth management technologies for organizations building the global information infrastructure. Its high performance I/O, connectivity and network products are incorporated into the systems and products of major computer and peripheral manufacturers. Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Milpitas, Calif., Adaptec (NASDAQ: ADPT) employs 2,500 people worldwide in design, manufacturing, sales, service and distribution. Adaptec's home page address is http://www.adaptec.com.

CONTACT: Adaptec

Marci Pedrazzi Gottlieb, 408/957-4937

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