It's some 60 percent smaller in size, but other than that Sony's new VRD-MC6 DVDirect looks and acts an awful lot like the previous VRD-MC10 and VRD-MC5: it can take 1080i video with 5.1 audio off your Handycam's drive or Memory Stick and shoot out an AVCHD DVD that plays back on compatible Blu-ray drives like the PS3. If you're not into the all-Sony seamless end-to-end HD experience, you can also bring in SD video over FireWire, composite, or USB to churn out regular old DVDs with automatic chaptering and custom menu backgrounds, or you can go totally old-school and just drop in an SD card full of photos and MP3s to generate a slideshow. Yeah, it's not nerd heaven and you won't be editing Oscar-winners here, but at $230 it's a pretty painless way for everyone else to archive and share their videos. Ships in September.

We know you're struggling to believe your eyes, but those Qflix burners actually are still hanging around. For those who missed all the action last year, these devices enable users to download a DRM-laced film onto their PC and burn it onto a specially-keyed DVD for playback. In other words, you can forget about toasting flicks to that dusty stack of DVD-Rs you've got laying around from late '05. For whatever reason, Dell has seen fit to extend its partnership with Sonic Solutions by offering internal Qflix drives on the Studio XPS Desktop, Studio XPS 435, Studio Desktop and Studio Slim Desktop. The wild part? Its actually charging more for having you clean out its inventory.

While it's certainly not the most invigorating release from Sony today, those stuck with too much video on their Handycams will be head over heels. The firm is expanding its DVDirect line by two, and while one of 'em (the VRD-MC10) has been released in Japan previously, this marks the first time it'll ship to American consumers. Said unit incorporates HDMI, component and composite inputs, and features the ability to transfer AVCHD-quality video to DVD; it also includes an i.LINK (FireWire 400) port as well as a USB socket for use with a wider range of devices. Moreover, the MC10 touts a 5-in-1 multicard reader for taking flash-based media straight to DVD, and the 2.7-inch LCD is just fine for previewing things beforehand. The DVDirect Express VRD-P1 DVD writer is tailor made to work quickly and easily with some of Sony's newly announced camcorders, and the lack of advanced functionality means it'll only run $150 (compared to the $300 stick on the MC10) when it ships in March.

Two new ones have arrived today from the labs of LaCie, and neither are destined to ever end up inside of your PC. Up first, we've got the slightly speedier d2 external DVD±RW drive with LightScribe, which toasts discs at up to 22x and connects to PCs via USB 2.0 or FireWire (400, presumably). For those in need of HDD-based storage, the glossy black Hard Disk MAX comes with a pair of 1TB drives that can be set in either a RAID 0 or RAID 1 configuration with the simple flick of a switch on the back panel. There's also a USB port on the front for additional expansion, and the USB 2.0 socket 'round back is what links it up with your computer. Both are available right now for $119.99 / $269.99, respectively.

Read - d2 external DVD burner
Read - Hard Disk MAX

Ah, Qflix. That snazzy burn technology that enables users to toast CinemaNow flicks onto specially-keyed blank DVD media for playback in your DVD player. For the eight people out there that still find this appealing, Pioneer is looking to compete with a handful of rivals by introducing the internal DVR-2920Q and external DVR-X162Q DVD / CD writers, both of which are Qflix-enabled. Each drive is also bundled with Roxio Venue software to facilitate the whole download-to-DVD process, and the Roxio CinePlayer will allow you to play back the resulting disc right on your PC (should you so choose). Mum's the word on a price / release date, but the pair ought to be hitting soon enough.

It's been almost a full year since we first saw DataPlay's CSS-compliant DVD burner, so let's recap the model -- you download a DRM-protected movie to your PC, grab a piece of specially-keyed blank DVD media, use the DataPlay burner to commit the movie to disc and then enjoy your oh-so-legal fun on the run. For all of you who want to live that dream right now, Dell has brought out its $120 Qflix drive bundle so you can save your CinemaNow movies to Qflix DVD media using the included drive, software and two pieces of media (in case one coasters). Seriously, what else are you going to use for long-term archiving of your movies -- hard drives or something?

[Via Electronista]

Okay, so we definitely appreciate a slim little external DVD burner that cooperates with more than one computer (natively), but no matter how hard we try to peer around the similarities, there's just no denying the likeness here. Amex Digital's Portable Super Multi Drive is, for all intents and purposes, a direct rip of Apple's MacBook Air SuperDrive. The unit gets all the power it needs from a spare USB port, arrives in black or white, burns dual-layer DVD media at 10x (single-layer at 20x) and sports a palatable $89 sticker. Can you imagine what this thing would cost with actual R&D overhead factored in?

Just a week after the DVD CCA approved an unexciting (and incredibly restrictive) download-to-burn scheme, DataPlay has unveiled what it calls the "world's first CSS-managed recording DVD burner." Of course, this isn't the first time we've heard about this type of setup, and as it turns out, DataPlay is actually "participating in the Qflix technology and IP licensing program." The aptly-named MovieWriter is an external USB 2.0 device that is "capable of writing CSS encrypted content for playback on standard DVD players," but alas, you'll be forced to pick up the presumably expensive CSS-MR pre-keyed recordable discs through Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden before any burning can take place. Currently, no pricetag is being listed, but we are told that the outfit is already planning an internal version for OEMs to integrate into pre-fabricated machines. [Warning: PDF read link]

For those not quite ready to take the high-definition plunge, LG is looking to make burning those vanilla DVDs a whole lot easier whilst on the road. The uber-slim GSA-E50N (and LightScribe-equipped GSA-E50L) measure in at just 6.14- x 6.5- x 0.84-inches and weigh 0.84-pounds, come in black or white motifs, and play nice with Windows Vista. Moreover, the unit is powered completely via USB, and can burn DVD+R / RW, DVD-R / RW, and DVD-RAM discs at up to 8x speeds. Both units are slated to hit the streets soon, and while the GSA-E50N will ring up at €89 ($122), the GSA-E50L will demand an extra €10 ($14).

[Via The Inquirer]

We already glanced at Samsung's SpinPoint F1, but the firm also let four other storage devices out of the bag (officially, at least) alongside its 1TB behemoth at its storage press conference in NYC. Up first is the SpinPoint N2 series of 1.8-inch HDDs, which offers up a "world's largest" 120GB flavor at 4200RPM for a dollar under $250. Catering to the 2.5-inch hard drive buyer, the MH80 lineup that we've been hearing about finally went official, and the "world's first" hybrid HDD to come in a 160GB iteration was introduced alongside a bevy of other SpinPoint M5 offerings ranging from 60GB to 250GB (in the dual-disk model). In the burning realm, the WriteMaster SE-T084L portable slot-loaded DVD writer enables USB disc writing with minimal fuss for just $150, while the $70 Super-WriteMaster SH-S203 SATA burner (falsely) claims the "world's fastest" title by churning out discs at 20x. Thankfully for those intrigued, all of the aforementioned devices are currently shipping, so snagging one (or more) in the near future ought not cause too much grief.

Sure, there's been more than a few attempts to offer up DRM-laced burns, and while the overall success level is certainly debatable, DTR is giving the whole secure writing thing a go anyway. The company, which specializes in making sure that content guardians rest easy, has announced a two-faced DVD burner that can write both normal, non-protected discs or "burn secure downloaded content." Apparently, the Protected Disk Recorder (PDR) will arrive in an external flavor that can connect to "PCs, game consoles, and more" via USB, and while it can reportedly add-in whatever flavor of protection the manufacturer wants, DTR also states that its new device can "provide additional access control functions which further enhance the security of downloaded media." Currently, we've seen no details in regard to price or the actual target market, but if history continues to repeat itself, this is just another layer of DRM waiting to be cracked. [Warning: PDF read link]

While a company not typically associated with consumer electronics can make the leap at any point, it's usually a relatively modest entrance, but Gibson has apparently had a bit too much fun at NAMM, and has thrown its logo on just about every device it could think of in the process. You won't find much of anything new in Gibson's lineup of consumer electronics, but if you're a Gibson purist and live life one riff at a time, these goods are for you. The company announced its own line of USB 2.0 Gibson Signature Series Les Paul flash drives, which currently come in a 1GB flavor and mimics a 1959 Les Paul Standard, and the firm plans to roll out more collectible drives shaped like other classic instruments in the future. Additionally, a 500GB external HDD was released, boasting USB 2.0 and a glowing Gibson logo on the side, and it seems that the firm is looking to snag a bit of that high-end interconnect market by offering up "premium gold" versions of optical audio, USB, and HDMI cables. Also on tap was a 7.1 AV receiver with a built-in guitar input, XM capability, and HDMI 1.3 video switching, various forms of recordable media, a dual-layer DVD recorder, surge protectors, and a few home theater speakers to boot. Although pricing is still up in the air at this point, it looks like you'll have the opportunity to get your external storage, surround sound gear, and a few spare E-strings all at the same place here soon.

[Via Macworld]