Hitachi unveils digital video focused drives

The C5K500 includes SmoothStream technology to enhance streaming functionality

Storage firm Hitachi has taken the wraps off a new drive aimed at digital video applications that require compact design and low power usage.

The new CinemaStar C5K500 is a 2.5in 5,400rpm hard drive with between 160GB and 500GB of capacity, designed to be small and rugged enough for use in devices such as digital video recorders, set-top boxes and surveillance systems.

As part of its digital media focus, the C5K500 includes Hitachi's SmoothStream technology, which is designed to enhance streaming functionality in digital video applications, as well as time-limited error recovery, enhanced thermal monitoring capabilities and silent-seek acoustics for ultra-quiet operation.

The drives feature a read/write power specification of 1.4W, which Hitachi reckons is only around three quarters of the power consumption of previous models.

"The explosion of digital music and photos, combined with widespread access to high-definition television content, is driving DVR capacity requirements to new levels," said Brendan Collins, vice president of Product Marketing for Hitachi Global Storage Technologies.

"Home theatre systems are becoming increasingly compact, as users seek out space-saving and power-efficient component designs. The new CinemaStar drive will allow DVR manufacturers to deliver compact DVRs with all the capacity and features of larger form factor products."

As the number of affordable IP-based cameras is increasing, Collins pointed out there has also been a growing shift towards digital video surveillance systems, which are more secure and easier to manage, monitor and back up than their tape-based counterparts.

However, many standard hard drives are not well suited to the strain that the constant writing and reading of digital video recording places on the drive.

The CinemaStar C5K500 will be available exclusively to OEMs that manufacture consumer electronics products, and is expected to ship to customers worldwide early in the second quarter of 2009.