As demand for higher capacity storage continues to increase due to large video applications, including HD video, Western Digital has expanded its WD AV-GP line of hard drives to include a 2 TB capacity, the industry’s largest available drive to-date. According to WD, the AV-GP hard drives with WD GreenPower Technology provide cooler and quieter operation and lower power consumption, as much as 40 percent over standard drives in their respective classes.
"Our consumer electronics customers require hard drives that consume less power, generate less heat and operate quietly," said Sharad Srivastava, Director-Sales (India & South Asia), Western Digital. "Audio and video recording applications, such as DVRs, media servers, media centers and mainstream surveillance systems, often demand 24x7 operations from hard drives. Our drives meet the demanding requirements of these markets including higher reliability, universal compatibility, low power consumption and theability to simultaneously record multiple audio and/or high-definition video streams."

Following are several features of the WD AV-GP line of hard drives:

* The drives have been designed to last in high-temperatures for when they are required to be con for long periods.
* Noise levels have been minimized to less than one sone - virtually below the threshold of human hearing.
* The IntelliPark feature is designed to deliver lower power consumption by automatically unloading the heads during idle to reduce aerodynamic drag. IntelliPark improves non-operating shock characteristics, providing enhanced robustness in environments where excessive transportation and handling occurs.
* They’ve been tested for compatibility with a broad range of AV products including set-top boxes, DVD recorders and mainstream surveillance systems.
* SilkStream is a feature designed to optimize smooth, continuous digital video playback of up to 12 simultaneous HD streams. It’s compatible with the ATA streaming command set so CE customers can use standard streaming management and error recovery options.
* The drive arm frequently sweeps across the disk to reduce uneven wear on the drive surface common to audio video streaming applications.

The WD AV-GP 2 TB hard drive (model WD20EVDS) is available with select distributors. Maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) is Rs. 15,500.