According to DigiTimes, Lite-On IT plans to begin production of 16x Super-Multi DVD burners next month, the second such maker in Taiwan, following BenQ, which started shipping such burners in August. Lite-On IT will use MediaTek chipsets and pick-up heads (PUHs) made by Japan-based Sanyo Electric.

With prices for 16x DVD Dual and 16x DVD Dual DL (single-sided double-layer) burners bottoming out and given the fact that it will take two to three years for next-generation blue-laser formats to become widespread, other leading makers of optical disc drives in Taiwan, such as Asustek Computer, may start producing 16x Super-Multi DVD burners in the fourth quarter of this year or later, the sources indicated.

In related news, Pioneer will launch its DVR-A10 16x Super-Multi DVD DL burner in the Taiwan market by the end of this month with a recommended list price of NT$2,400 (US$73), according to Pioneer’s Taiwan subsidiary, Pioneer High Fidelity Taiwan. Pioneer formally introduced the DVR-A10 to the global market on September 13.

Source: DigiTimes