TDK launched a double layer DVD writer capable of burning discs holding 8.5GB of data, that?s the equivalent of four hours of high quality DVD+R recording ? nearly double the amount of regular discs. Double layer recording is the newest addition to the DVD market and will significantly benefit people who require higher recording capacity.

Users will be able to edit feature-length home video footage and back up copies of non-copy protected DVD movies ? including added extras such as additional footage and menu options.

The new double layer drive is designed for PC and writes to both + and ? format standard media, so discs can be recorded in standard time and viewed on almost any device. The latest edition to TDK?s DVD writer range comes with the popular Nero 6 software which allows users to handle and master DVD writing. It includes excellent movie-authoring tools, MPEG-4 encoding, complete backup applications and play back functions. For example, it enables users to backup a dual-layer single-sided DVD (DVD 9), which can be up to 9.4GB in size, onto a 4.7GB single-sided disc. They can therefore save more data in less space so bonus material is not lost.

A quiet mechanism ensures that all these functions perform noiselessly on the inside, while on the outside the writer looks sleek with a shiny black bezel exterior. Takumi Kigoshi, TDK product manager, commented: ?The beauty of the latest edition to our DVD writers range, aside from its slick look, is that thanks to its double layer facility it can record twice as much data. This means people don?t have to worry about running out of space when recording a home video ? it will fit on with room to spare.?