HiFi Blog: digital audio goodness

Hitachi Global Storage Technologies today presented the Hitachi Microdrive 3K8, a.k.a. Mikey. It’ll be available in 6GB and 8GB versions, nearly 20% smaller and consumes 40% less power than its predecessor (quite a competitor for Seagate’s ubiquitous ST1 MicroDrive). Currently shipping in limited quantities, volume shipment planned for next month. Seagate’s ST1 Specs:

• 5 mm in height


• 13 grams maximum weight


• 3600 rpm


• 8.33 ms average latency


• 105 billion bits per square inch maximum areal density


• 1 glass disk platter


• 2 GMR recording heads


• 2000 G/1ms non-operating shock


• 400 G/2ms operating shock


• 12 ms average seek time


• 190 mA current read/write for +3.3VDC


• 20 mA current standby for +3.3VDC

The company also presented a 1.8-inch drive, the Travelstar C4K60 Slim. With a 30GB capacity, it’s 30% thinner than its predecessor, measuring a mere 5mm on the one-disk model. Volume shipment of the 30GB version at the end of this month, the 2-disk 60GB model will ship in Q1 2006. Specs for the one-disk and two-disk model respectively:

• 5/8 mm in height


• 46/57 grams maximum weight


• 4200 rpm


• 7.1ms average latency


• 101 billion bits per square inch maximum areal density


• 1/2 glass disk platter(s)


• 2/4 GMR recording head(s)


• 1500 G/1ms non-operating shock


• 600 G/2ms operating shock


• 15 ms average seek time


• 1.0 W active read/write


• 0.4 W active idle


• 0.08 W standby

Along with the new hard drive models, HGST introduced a shock-proofing technology called ESP. ESP stands for “Extra Sensory Protection” and in the words of the press release:

Acting like a sixth sense, ESP uses a 3-axis accelerometer—a type of drop sensor—to detect a fall in as short as four inches (10 cm). This in turn activates the hard drive controller to suspend a read or write operation and park the head safely away from the surface of the disk. By “unloading” the read/write head, the drive is placed into non-operational mode, avoiding potential head/disk contact—the most common cause of data loss. In effect, Hitachi’s ESP technology renders every shock or impact to be a non-operational one, significantly increasing the overall shock tolerance of the hard drive and, more importantly, the overall safety of consumers’ data.

In addition to ESP, a variety of shock-proofing technologies are put to use on Mikey:

• Snubbers: corner bumpers isolate the hard drive from surrounding host device components, reducing impact to the drive by up to 50 percent of what the host device actually sustains; effectively doubles the non-operating shock tolerance


• Head load/unload: Hitachi-patented technology, now widely used throughout the industry, moves the read/write head off disk surface while not operating to reduce incidence of head/disk contact; used in conjunction with drop sensors to comprise ESP technology


• Servo: series of technologies, patented by Hitachi as “TrueTrack,” uses closed-loop, digital-control system to maintain precision in track positioning of the read/write head even under adverse conditions


• Femto slider: a 30-percent reduction in slider size—the tiny flying wing supporting the read/write head above the surface of the disk—increases shock performance by 25 percent over previous pico slider technology

ESP will be an optional feature on the Microdrive 3K8 (“Mikey”), and it’ll be available in December. Along with the shock-proofing technologies mentioned above, Mickey is currently the most shock-resistant hard drive on the market with a non-operational shock rating of 2000 Gs.

Hitachi Presents Miniature Hard Drives as the New Must-Have Accessory—the New ‘’Bling’‘ [businesswire.com] (ed. note to Hitachi PR dept.: please stop it with the “bling” nonsense!)

Hitachi Uses ESP & Other Shocking Technologies To Protect Hard Drive Data; Hitachi ‘’Extra Sensory Protection’’ Technology Gives New ‘’Mikey’’ Hard Drive A Soft Landing [businesswire.com]