Long Beach, Calif. — Pioneer Electronics introduced Wednesday two DVD/CD computer writers with Qflix DVD download and burn technology that enables downloading movies directly from the Internet to DVD.
The internal DVR-2920Q and external DVR-X162Q DVD/CD writers are designed to take advantage of the rapidly developing movie downloading trend.
The Internal DVR-2920Q will be available at retail this month at a $69.99 suggested retail, and the external DVR-X162Q DVD/CD will begin shipping in November at $114.
Qflix, which was jointly developed by Pioneer and Sonic Solutions, is an emerging DVD technology that gives consumers the opportunity to purchase licensed Hollywood films, and eventually TV shows, from CinemaNow.
Some of the content available through the service has previously been unavailable at retail, the company said.
“Consumer adoption of digitally distributed entertainment will happen at a far greater rate than the extinction of the DVD player,” stated Mark Ely, Sonic Solutions strategy executive VP. “Qflix is an important and necessary bridging technology that allows content owners to deliver a more flexible product that combines the convenience of digital distribution with the permanency and portability of the DVD.”
Unlike streaming-movie services or services that download content only to hard drives, the Qflix system will enable preserving digital content for playback on standard DVD players and television screens.
“Our commitment to enhancing the digital entertainment experience has driven us to expand offerings in new ways, far beyond the traditional computer screen. Now we can provide a packaged media option that can be enjoyed on multiple disc drives or players located throughout a home,” said David Cook, CinemaNow president and COO. “Being able to offer a selection of feature films that are compatible with Qflix technology unlocks a dynamic collection of content for consumers who are searching for movies or shows that do not even exist on DVD.”
Both Pioneer drives will include Roxio’s Venue software to simplify management and writing of downloaded digital content. Also included in the software bundle are applications that allow users to backup and play their disc media on a PC via the Roxio CinePlayer and Easy CD & DVD Burning software.
Both drives feature 20x write speeds to DVD-R and +R media, automatic write speed adjustment, quite drive operation and improved durability.
