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Plextor launches new drives with Qflix

by on10 November 2008

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Download and burn titles with new drive

Plextor has announced the launch of two new drives, both an internal (PX-806SA) and the external (PX-840U) drive that feature the Qflix technology from Sonic Solutions, which allows the downloading and burning of movie and TV titles using these new Plextor drives.

The Qflix technology from Sonic Solutions utilizes movie and TV content that is provided by CinemaNow. The Qflix technology was developed in conjunction with Sonic Solutions and Pioneer in 2007, but these are Plextor’s first drives that offer this technology.

Currently, the titles that can be downloaded and burned using the Qflix technology via CinemaNow numbers about 100 titles and it is expected to grow to over 1,000 titles before 2009. Qflix titles that are downloaded from CinemaNow cost less than $10 per title. Once a title is burned using a writer with the Qflix technology, it can be played in the majority of standard DVD players.

The external version of the drive, which is known as the PX-Q840U, will retail for $149.99 and the internal version, which is known as the PX-806SA, will retail for $89.99. Plextor is already shipping these drives to distributors now and expects them to be on retailer shelves for the holiday season.

Of course, discs recorded with the Qflix technology are not able to be duplicated, and this content locking is part of what you are paying for with the purchase of the drive. Even with the titles costing less than $10, we are just not sure that is going to be enough to entice consumers to use the Qflix technology.

Currently, the variety of titles that are available is not wide enough and the cost is really too high for what you get for your money. It will be interesting to see if Plextor is able to make a dent into this space with these new drive offerings with Qflix being the primary reason to upgrade.

Last modified on 10 November 2008
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