Verbatim has launched two new multi-media hard drives, MediaStation and MediaStation Pro. Offering upto 500 GB in storage capacity, these drives enable users to easily store videos, photos, music and films and then play it back directly via the TV or an audio system. These drives weigh just around a kilogram.
The MediaStation features a 3.5" SATA hard drive for smooth writing and reading of data. It can store upto 1,000 hours of video (Mpeg 4) or 6,300 hours of music (MP3) or 250,000 5-Megapixel photos. The multimedia drive can play back all popular video, audio and graphics formats, including MPEG4, DivX, MP3, WMA, WAV, Ogg Vorbis, JPEG and PNG. All connection cables required for this are available with the drive. The included composite and S-video connection cables ensure picture-perfect playback. The standard version of MediaStation offers a scaled resolution of 1080i. A USB 2.0 connection allows additional data media to be docked with the MediaStation Pro and content transferred or displayed directly onto TV.In addition to all the features of MediaStation, the MediaStation Pro version offers a WLAN connection with the help of which data from the PC can not only be transferred conveniently to the MediaStation Pro, but can also be played back directly in real time on the TV. Offering an HDMI connection for the best possible audio and picture quality, and full HD (1080p), the MediaStation Pro is also capable of receiving Internet radio streams, Shoutcast and Icecast, directly via the Internet connection. Both MediaStation and MediaStation Pro supports Digital Audio 5.1 format and offer a state-of-art remote control that enables easy on-screen navigation. It is even possible to create personal playlists and set up private, password-protected folder options on both the drives.

Both MediaStation and MediaStation Pro will be available by November '08 at an MSRP of Rs 15,000.

Verbatim Corporation, the guys behind double layer optical media, announced that it has produced 2X speed 50GB Dual Layer (DL) Blu-ray Recordable (BD-R) and Blu-ray Rewriteable (BD-RE) media. The same will be available for Indian market next month. Verbatim India has already launched Blu- Ray recordable discs of 25 GB.With the ability to store up to 50GB or about 4 hours of HD-quality video on a single disc without having to flip or change the disc, the new media offers distinct advantages. The recording layers used for Verbatim/MKM BD-R and BD-RE DL media have wide power margins. This is good for critical applications because it ensures quality on the entire disc surface, regardless of drive power fluctuations or smudges on the disc surface. Verbatim and MKM are contributing members of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA).