NEC Develops Digital Video Recording System

Multimedia corporation NEC has developed a digital video recording system aimed at home users and based on optical discs. The GigaStation provides two hours of S-VHS quality recording on a rewriteable CD-sized optical disc (or four hours in a lower quality extended model. While the resolution capability falls short of that provided by DVD, the GigaStation will provide the fast content search and non-linear editing expected of PVR hard drive video recorders and recordable DVD. GigaStation will provide analog and digital inputs/outputs for connection to PCs, DV VCRs and camcorders. The system will be introduced in Japan in September.