HD DVD/Blu-ray dual format drive on sale now

This is Buffalo's USB 2.0 take on the Super Multi Blue.

We've heard plenty about the dual-format Super Multi Blue drive for PCs that allows them to play both HD DVD and Blu-ray disks, but have yet to see one of the beasts in action. Nevertheless, Japan has just had a taste of them, albeit from suppliers other than Korean firm LG.

Buffalo and I-O Data have both announced rebadged versions of the drive for sale only in Japan, starting with a read-only model from the former that is on sale now.

In or out?

Each company offers a choice of either external or internal drives, with the read-only version from Buffalo available now at ¥47,000 (£206) for an internal SATA drive, while the external USB 2.0 version costs only slightly more.

At the end of September Buffalo and I-O Data will both start selling drives that add the ability to write Blu-ray disks to the above hardware. BD-RE rewritable disks can be burned at 2x speed and BD-R write-once disks at double that. HD DVD functionality is limited to playback only in both cases and all models can handle DVDs and CDs.

Pricing for the top-end kit starts at ¥63,500 (£279) for the I-O Data SATA model and rises to ¥74,800 (£328) for the Buffalo USB drive. There's no word on availability outside Japan from either company.

TOPICS

J Mark Lytle was an International Editor for TechRadar, based out of Tokyo, who now works as a Script Editor, Consultant at NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation. Writer, multi-platform journalist, all-round editorial and PR consultant with many years' experience as a professional writer, their bylines include CNN, Snap Media and IDG.

Latest in Blu-ray
The movie Punch-Drunk Love playing a TV, with a logo saying Blu-ray Bounty
3 new 4K Blu-rays to add to your collection from February 2025
4K Blu-ray action movies splayed out on a kitchen counter
Movie sales – including 4K Blu-ray – fell again last year, but if you're going streaming only, you're massively missing out
The Wild Robot on Panasonic MZ1500 screen with Blu-ray Bounty logo in bottom right
3 new 4K Blu-rays to add to your collection in January 2025
4K Blu-ray action movies splayed out on a kitchen counter
I love 4K Blu-ray and although 2024 was a rollercoaster year to be a fan, I'm hopeful for 2025
Godzilla (1954) image of buildings on OLED TV
4 new 4K Blu-ray discs to add to your collection in December 2024
blu-ray disc in player drive
Bad news, Blu-ray fans: LG just discontinued its entire range of 4K Blu-ray players and I’m really worried
Latest in News
Mufasa is joined by another lion, a monkey and a bird in this promotional image
Mufasa: The Lion King prowls onto Disney+ as it finally gets a streaming release date
An American flag flying outside the US Capitol building against a blue sky
Sean Plankey selected as CISA director by President Trump
An Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 on a table with its retail packaging
Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU spotted in Acer gaming PC, suggesting rumors of imminent launch are correct – and that it’ll run with only 8GB of video RAM
Indiana Jones talking to a friend in a university setting with a jaunty smile on his face
New leak claims Indiana Jones and the Great Circle PS5 release will come in April
A close up of the limited edition vinyl turntable wrist watch from AndoAndoAndo
This limited-edition timepiece turns the iconic Technics SL-1200 turntable into a watch, and I want one
A close up of Gemma sitting down in Severance season 2 episode 7
'I'm like Gemma – I'm in the dark': Severance star Dichen Lachman shares disappointing filming update for the popular Apple TV+ show's third season