Colorado Springs-based Laser Magnetic Storage International Co is catching up with Pioneer Corp’s Pioneer Communications of America, headquartered in Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, in terms of optical disk drive product. Last October, the Japanese company revealed its DE-U500 disk subsystem designed to be used with write-once and erasable 5.25 optical disks (CI No 1,289), and these are now being distributed in the UK by HTEC Ltd of Southampton (CI No 1,339). Now Laser Magnetic Storage also has a dual-function drive subsystem of its own, called the LaserDrive 520. Its drive has very similar specifications to the Pioneer unit which will sell in September at an OEM price of $2,395. End-user prices will be approximately double this. Laser Magnetic was a joint venture set up by Philips NV and Control Data Corp in 1979 to develop optical media and disk drives, but is now coming under the complete control of Philips (CI No 1,384). The LD 520 will be able to read disks written by existing LD 510 write-once drives and can use LM 510 write-once cartridges that cost $113 as well as rewritable optical disks that cost $200.
