SuSE Delivers Linux 2.4 Support for Panasonic 4.7GB DVD-RAM Drive
May 9th, 21:02 UTC
SuSE Linux 7.1 Features Robust Kernel with Personal, Departmental, Enterprise Rewritable DVD Support
MILPITAS Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 8, 2001--Panasonic and SuSE Linux, the international technology leader in open source operating system software, announced today that SuSE Linux 7.1 provides complete driver support for Panasonic 4.7GB DVD-RAM drives. With driver support for the drive, Linux users have low-cost, rewritable storage for feature-length videos, system back-up/recovery and multimedia applications as well as a 6x DVD reader and a 24x CD reader.
SuSE Linux 7.1 is a comprehensive collection of the best solutions on Linux today and includes the new Linux 2.4 kernal which provides increased USB support for personal computer users and enhanced scalability for network administrators. Two versions of the product are available: a Personal Edition for home and small office users, and an advanced Professional Edition for developers and network administrators. Both versions include the link Linux users need to take advantage of the many benefits that the Panasonic rewritable DVD offers. The Linux driver treats DVD-RAM media like any other removable hard drive media, allowing users to treat the DVD-RAM drive just as they would any other hard drive in Linux.
Easy to install, configure and use, SuSE Linux 7.1 Personal automatically detects and resizes window partitions during installation so users can quickly set up their sound cards, Internet access and support for peripherals such as the Panasonic DVD-RAM drives. In addition to including a complete office suite package, SuSE's Personal version offers more than 700 open-source application packages, web browsing and email support and sophisticated image editing software.
SuSE Linux Professional is an enterprise-level package with more than 2,500 programs for servers, networking, security, cross-platform data exchange and multimedia applications. The new version incorporates comprehensive server support for databases, email, e-commerce, Web, ftp, and file servers, as well as library and logical volume management. The longevity and reliability of the removable DVD-RAM media, combined with its low storage cost, make it an excellent centralized storage solution for these high-volume applications.
The Panasonic DVD-RAM drive combines the ease of use and random access of a hard drive with transfer rates of up to 22.16Mb/sec and 95msec access times. Offering 4.7GB of fast, random access on a single-sided disc (9.4GB on the double-sided disc) and more than 100,000 overwrites for about $.005/MB, the drives are ideal for meeting the growing storage requirements of businesses and individuals that are enhancing their communications with digitized audio signals, 3-D graphics, animation, and high-resolution videos.
``SuSE is committed to bringing the advantages of Linux to a broader audience,'' said Roland Dyroff, SuSE Linux AG CEO. ``Now that Linux is easier to use, application and support for peripherals such as the Panasonic DVD-RAM drive will play a key roll in increasing its market share. With SuSE Linux,'' he continued, ``Linux users can simply install the drive and take advantage of the many capabilities of the drive.''
``SuSE has developed one of the most complete and most well-documented Linux distribution packages on the market,'' said Dana Berzin, DVD product manager at Panasonic Industrial Company's Global Computer Group. ``We appreciate their efforts and are certain SuSE Linux will be instrumental in fueling the growth of rewritable DVD in the Linux market.''
Pricing, Availability
SuSE Linux 7.1 is available now from SuSE's web site, www.suse.com, and from software retailers worldwide. The Personal version has a suggested list price of $29.95 and includes three manuals and 60 days of installation support by fax or email. The Professional version lists for $69.95 and includes four manuals and 90 days of installation support.
Panasonic Industrial Company's 4.7GB OEM DVD-RAM drive is available as an internal drive with a SCSI-2 interface (model LF-D291N) or with an ATAPI interface (model LF-D211V). The Panasonic-branded internal drive, model LF-D201U, is available from Panasonic Digital Document Company (PDDC) and has an MSRP of $549. Double-sided 9.4GB DVD-RAM media, 4.7GB single-sided media and 4.7GB bare disc media, which are marketed under the Panasonic brand name, are also available from several other leading manufacturers. The 4.7GB bare disc DVD-RAM media can be played back on the latest Panasonic DVD-ROM drives, as well as Panasonic's new DVD Player and DVD Recorder.
About SuSE
SuSE Linux is the international technology leader and solutions provider in Open Source operating system software. SuSE's unique expertise in Linux and its largest development team worldwide dedicated to Open Source software has contributed to the recognition of SuSE as the most complete Linux solution available today.
SuSE Linux AG, headquartered in Germany, and SuSE Inc., based in Oakland, CA, are privately held companies focused entirely on supporting the Linux community and Open Source development. With a workforce of more than 500 people worldwide, SuSE has offices throughout Europe, Latin America and in the US.
About Panasonic
Panasonic is the best known brand name of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (NYSE:MC - news), a world leader in electronic and electric products for consumer, business and industrial use. Panasonic has introduced some of the world's most innovative DVD products to the market including portable DVD players with a built-in LCD screen, DVD-Audio players, DVD video and DVD-Audio players for automobiles, TV/DVD/VCR systems and DVD-RAM drives. Panasonic's DVD expertise ranges from research and development to the manufacture of DVD mastering and replication equipment. In Los Angeles, its Digital Video Compression Corporation (DVCC) performs DVD encoding, artistic authoring, and services for full-length motion picture transfer. Torrance, CA-based Panasonic Disc Services Corporation (PDSC) performs pre-mastering, mastering and replication of discs for DVD and DVD-ROM products. Additional information on Panasonic and Matsushita Electric is available at www.panasonic.com.
For more information on the Panasonic DVD-RAM OEM drive and media, contact Panasonic Industrial Company, 1600 McCandless Drive, Milpitas, CA 95035; 408/945-5600, FAX 408/262-4214, E-mail berzind@panasonic.com. Or, visit the company's Web site at www.panasonic.com/oemdvd-ram. For more information on Panasonic-branded DVD-RAM drives and media, contact Panasonic Digital Document Company, Two Panasonic Way 7D-8, Secaucus, NJ 07094 800-742-8086, www.panasonic.com/storage or E-mail vidalc@panasonic.com. In Canada, contact Panasonic Canada, Ambler Drive, Mississauga, Ontario L4W 2T3, Canada; 905/238-2254, FAX 905/238-2414, E-mail rkwong@panasonic.ca.
Note to Editors: SuSE Linux AG is not a part or in any way legally affiliated with Panasonic Industrial Company. Panasonic Industrial Company assumes no responsibility for the performance of or customer satisfaction with SuSE Linux products. All company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective manufacturers. Features, pricing, availability and specifications are subject to change without notice.
Contact:
Marken Communications
Andy Marken, 408/986-0100
Andy@markencom.com
(Submitted by Xenia von Wedel of TERPIN COMMUNICATIONS)
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