OR Technology's 120MB LS-120 floppy disk drive to comply with IEEE 1394 bus standard; a:drive will support Microsoft's SIPC platform Device Bay Initiative.

CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 1997--OR Technology Inc., an industry leader in the development of LS-120 storage solutions, Tuesday announced its a:drive will be compatible with the IEEE 1394 interface standard.

The product, slated for production in early 1998, also will support Microsoft's Simply Interactive PC (SIPC) platform and the Device Bay Initiative.

"Compatibility with the IEEE 1394 standard and the Device Bay Initiative will make our next generation of products more attractive to consumers," said John Haughey, president and CEO at OR Technology. "We see the computer and consumer electronics markets converging and anticipate a number of new innovative product introductions to support the a:drive."

The a:drive is a high-capacity, high-performance replacement for the floppy disk drive. It stores up to 120MB on LS-120 media and will read and write legacy 1.44MB and 720KB floppy diskettes.

The IEEE 1394 serial bus is a new connectivity standard key to connecting high-bandwidth consumer products such as television, radio and telecommunications with PC systems. This inexpensive, easy- to-use and high-speed bus easily handles multimedia bandwidth requirements and will serve as a universal interface for computer peripherals and consumer electronic devices.

Microsoft's SIPC platform proposes software and hardware advances to help consumers view the PC as a simple, convenient and approachable "household appliance." SIPCs will be sealed shut like a TV or VCR and will serve as the center for controlling home-entertainment equipment.

One of the many proposed components of the SIPC platform is the Device Bay Interface specification, jointly developed by Compaq, Intel and Microsoft. The Device Bay is a modular bay containing a number of simple connectors designed to expand the reach of the computer into consumer markets. It will allow users to directly plug IEEE 1394 compliant peripherals into the CPU of the SIPC, providing dynamic insertion and removal of devices like the a:drive, disk drives, accelerators, modems and audio/video interfaces. With SIPC designed systems, there is no need to open the sealed PC case to install add-on devices or upgrade components.

"The Device Bay initiative validates OR Technology's product migration path and interface strategy," said Haughey. "Our product development efforts are focused on broad market requirements for simple storage solutions that can be implemented across entire product lines, including ultraportable, portable and desktop computer systems."

Initial device bays will use the ATAPI/IDE interface. OR Technology currently offers two products compatible with this standard, the desktop a:drive, model FD-3120A and its slim-line product, model FD-2120A (available July 1997) targeting portable and ultraportable computer systems. To convert these products to the IEEE 1394 standard, the ATAPI/IDE block in the interface ASIC will be replaced with a 1394 block. For a smooth and rapid transition, converters will be used initially.

IEEE 1394 uses thin, flexible, durable cables and simple connectors to allow up to 63 devices to share a single bus in a daisy-chain or tree configuration. It can carry multiple channels of isochronous and asynchronous data simultaneously. Isochronous capabilities enable the bus to handle real-time data, digital audio and video streams, while the asynchronous capabilities control traditional forms of control information between devices. Combined, these capabilities support all the necessary data flow required to optimize the use of peripheral devices such as video cameras, CD-ROM drives, printers, storage devices, camcorders, VCRs or set-top boxes.

IEEE 1394's scalable data transport rates of 100, 200 and 400Mbits/second provide a universal solution for connecting computer peripherals and consumer electronic products on a simple, single bus. While the 400Mbit/second maximum transfer rate is well-suited to the multi-streaming I/O demands of today, an 800Mbit/second standard specification is in development.

OR Technology, with headquarters in Campbell, Calif., sells, designs and manufactures data storage products using laser servo technology for which it holds significant patents. OR Technology markets the a:drive, a product compatible with current floppy diskettes that stores up to 120MB of data on a single diskette.

For additional information on OR Technology and its products, contact OR Technology, 42 W. Campbell Ave., Campbell, Calif. 95008; phone [phone]; fax [phone] or visit their Web site at www.ortechnology.com . A faxback service is also available with information about the company, its products, and developments in LS-120 technology: local or international, 213/253-5640; toll free, 888/286-6422.

CONTACT: Leilani Smith/Eric Greene

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Mike Dalton

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OR Technology

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