Cygnet Storage announces all-in-one automated CD-production system; CopyWriter integrates CD-mastering/recording and disc printing in single modular jukebox, ready for integration with mastering software.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 14, 1997--Cygnet Storage Solutions Inc. today announced the CopyWriter, the first jukebox configured specifically to automate CD publishing for corporate applications.

The modular platform integrates CD-R drives, disc carousels, a controller module and disc printer in a single compact unit, providing a flexible CD-publishing platform.

The Cygnet CopyWriter provides information managers and application developers with a flexible and powerful CD-R production system for a wide range of applications, including distribution and archiving of financial statements, check images and invoices; circulation of CD-recorded data to field offices and customers; and production of limited quantities of new software, such as Beta versions of applications.

"The design of the CopyWriter platform is a response to end-user concern about the complexity and cost of CD-publishing systems," said Wayne Augsburger, vice president of marketing for Cygnet Storage Solutions, Inc. "The CopyWriter will provide our resellers with a simple, integrated solution that makes CD-publishing accessible to corporate operations and more efficient for software and database publishers who frequently may need to produce short runs of a title, database or archive."

The CopyWriter, based on Cygnet Storage's popular Infinidisc CD jukebox platform, consists of separate modules for CD-R drives, discs, disc printer and controller. Each module is removable, and can be upgraded to support new technologies as they become available. The CD-R drives are SCSI interface devices, and the CopyWriter robotics interface is either RS-232 or SCSI-2.

Up to three separate drive modules, each containing two CD-R drives, can be installed in the jukebox, enabling mastering, recording and color label printing of up to 25 CDs per hour. The disc carousel holds up to 250 discs, supporting overnight (10-hour) production runs of data for customer billing, corporate archives or application distribution. After recording and verification, discs can be automatically loaded to the color (CYMK) disc printer, which supports both IBM-PC (parallel) and high-speed serial (Macintosh) printer interfaces.

The CopyWriter is currently being evaluated by leading suppliers of CD-mastering and jukebox management software, who will work with Cygnet Storage to test and certify their software for use with the system. The hardware platform is expected to be available late in the second quarter of 1997, at a suggested list price of less than $25,000.

Cygnet Storage Solutions Inc. is a leading supplier of optical storage systems, including the Infinidisc CD-libraries, Crossfire and Replicator CD-R duplication systems, and Terabyte-capacity Cygnet Series 1800 WORM and REWRITABLE libraries. The Series 1800 library -- equipped with WORM drives from Philips LMS, Sony, or ATG, or REWRITABLE (magneto-optic) drives from Nikon -- has been installed by more imaging and enterprise-class storage end-users than any other large-format optical library. Headquartered in San Jose, Calif., the company markets its products worldwide through a direct sales force and partnerships with leading imaging solutions providers in the U.S., Europe and Asia. -0-

Note to Editors: CopyWriter, Infinidisc, Crossfire, Replicator, and Cygnet Series 1800 are trademarks of Cygnet Storage Solutions, Inc.

CONTACT: Cygnet Storage Solutions, Inc.

Wayne Augsburger, 408/383-2199

or

FS Communications

Matthew Schmidt/Wendy Lewis, 415/691-1488