LG to launch "cheap" 6x BD burner in Q3

[jsl]

LG Germany has announced that it will ship the GGW-H20N, 6x BD burner with HD DVD read support, in Q3 for about €400. That's almost half the price of what LG's first gen hybrid drive, the GGW-H10N, cost in Germany now. Not bad! (but I guess LG noticed that no one bought them at that price)...
It looks like the GGW-H20N will also be the first 6x BD-R burner (and according to CDrinfo it will also support 4x BD-R DL writing, 3x HD DVD reading, 16x DVD±R writing and 40x CD-R writing).

Currently Lite-On's drive seems to be the cheapest BD burner in Germany for about €475.

[Ian]

according to CDrinfo it will also support 4x BD-R DL writing, 3x HD DVD reading, 16x DVD±R writing and 40x CD-R writing

That is probably pure speculation, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was true. Also, the GGW-H10N reads single layer HD DVD at 3x already so that really wouldn't be new.

Actually, I'm seeing these specs at other places so they're probably true.

[Ian]

I got a present from LG.

[jsl]

Nice, so can you verify the specs?

Is it a pre-production sample you've got or have LG already started mass production of these? I didn't think we would see them until the end of Q3 or, with the usual delays, in Q4, but perhaps they'll be available quite soon?

[dolphinius_rex]

The problem will be getting 4x BD-Rs to burn at 6x...

[Ian]

The problem will be getting 4x BD-Rs to burn at 6x...

I haven't tried burning any BD-R's yet, but I'm guessing that this is the case... especially since the previous model writes to only one type at 4x.

The drive has an actual serial number, something that the last engineering sample LG sent me didn't have. However, judging by the odd firmware version, it probably is one.

I've spent most of last night setting up my Star Wars toys so I didn't get a chance to check its specs. Maybe tonite...??

[jsl]

The complete specs:

from LG Japan
Should be available in Japan later this month according to watch.impress.

[Ian]

Thanks jsl. I was going to post that this morning but I forgot.

LG let me know that I should have final, retail units soon. Tomorrow?

[Ian]

Woot. Got retail units today.

[Ian]

Okay, I take back what I said about them being retail units. They came in retail boxes but the GGW-H20L only came with a software CD.. and it was a copy. I'm not even sure if the firmware is final. It is a newer than the last drive though.

[Wesociety]

Okay, I take back what I said about them being retail units. They came in retail boxes but the GGW-H20L only came with a software CD.. and it was a copy. I'm not even sure if the firmware is final. It is a newer than the last drive though.

Retail, non-retail, at least you got the drives.