Yamaha Maintains Lead Position in CD Rewritable Markets with First 4X/2X/16X CD-RW Drive at PC EXPO '98; New York Javits Center June 16-18 Booth No. 4587.

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 10, 1998--The new generation Yamaha CRW2216E with 2X write, 2X rewrite and 16X read speeds and the CRW4216S with 4X write, 2X rewrite, and 16X read will be shown at PC Expo in New York in the Yamaha Systems Technology Inc. Booth No. 4587.

The two new drives represent the fastest read speeds of any CD-RW drive on the market, and boast the same high reliability of the previous members of the award-winning Yamaha Multifunction CD-RW drives. Both are available for the retail and OEM markets.

The CRW2216E will be shown with an ATAPI (IDE) interface; the CRW4216S will be shown with a SCSI interface. (Both will be available later, with both interfaces.) All of the features of the earlier CD-RW drives from Yamaha are incorporated as well, in the same half-height, 5-1/4 inch space.

In a related announcement, Yamaha Japan has completed a higher capacity production line for the CD-RW products, to meet the ever-growing demands of the CD-RW drive marketplace. The new production line is up and running.

"These announcements reflect Yamaha's continuing response to the needs of the market," said Dean Quarnstrom, CDR Sales Manager for the Yamaha CD-RW product line. "The consumer looking for a lower priced CD-RW with 2X write speed will love the high quality and fast read speed of the CRW2216E. The high end market, which traditionally wants more speed in their write function, will choose the CRW4216S. This new product pair spans the spectrum of user needs, with many new enhancements."

The CRW4216S writing speed, using standard CD-R media is 4X normal speed. Using CD-RW media, rewriting speed is 2X. Both can be read at 16X. The CRW2216E writing speed is 2X normal speed with 2X rewrite and 16X read speeds. The new drives conform to standard Orange Book Part II and Part III.

The CDs produced by the CDR function of the drives can be read on ordinary CD-ROM drives, CDR drives and Multi-Read CD/DVD drives. Media produced by the CD-RW function of the two new drives can be read on Multi-Read CD/DVD drives.

CRW2216 and CRW4216 Features

The new CRW2216 and CRW4216 include all of the features of the previous CD-R and CD-RW drives, as well as the new, advanced 16X read speed. Some of these features include: -0-

--   2MB data buffer on the CRW4216 to eliminate buffer underrun.

--   1MB data buffer on the CRW2216 to eliminate buffer underrun.

--   RapidLinked(TM) Packet Writing for higher performance data
     transfer.

--   SCSI models support synchronous data transfer for high-end
     duplication.

--   Flash ROM for simple downloading of firmware upgrades.

--   Packet writing, track-at-once, disc-at-once/session-at-once and
     multisession modes.

--   Eight standard formats supported including CD-Digital Audio,
     CD-ROM, CD-ROMXA (both Photo and Video CD), CD-I, CD-G (karaoke),
     CD-Extra and Video CD.

--   Running Optimum Power Control (ROPC) for maximized media writing
     integrity.

--   Support of all major platforms including Windows '95, Windows
     '98, Windows NT, OS2, UNIX, Sun, Macintosh, Novell, NLS, HP9000.
     DOS, DEC, Amiga and AIX.

-0- Price and Availability

Volume shipments of the Yamaha CRW2216E will begin in August 1998. Volume shipments of the Yamaha CRW4216S will begin in September 1998. Pricing has not been determined.

Yamaha CD-RW drives are available through distributors: Law Cypress Distributing Company, Optical Laser, Consan Storage Solutions, Advanced Optical Distribution, Applied Storage Products and Yamaha of Canada. A retail version, bundled with software is available through Yamaha Corp. of America, Consumer Products Division.

Yamaha Systems Technology Inc. was founded to manufacture and market integrated circuits, board level products and complete systems to OEMs and Distributors. The product line includes multimedia audio, graphics and communications products, as well as custom and semicustom ASICs, and CD Recorder products. http://www.yamahayst.com

Note to editors: Photos available on request.

CONTACT: Yamaha Systems Technology Inc.

Dean Quarnstrom, 408/467-2300

[e-mail]

or

The Lekas Group

Joyce Lekas, 650/948-8907

[e-mail]