Asia (Region 3) • Toshiba: ?.
• Australia/New Zealand (Region 4) • ?Fujitsu supposedly released the first DVD-ROM-equipped computer on Nov. 6 in Japan. Toshiba released a DVD-ROM-equipped computer and a DVD-ROM drive in Japan in early 1997 (moved back from December which was moved back from November). DVD-ROM drives from Toshiba, Pioneer, Panasonic, Hitachi, and Sony began appearing in sample quantities as early as January 1997, but none were to be available before May. Creative Labs’ $499 PC-DVD upgrade kit (Matsushita drive, A/V decoder board; Warner DVD-V sampler) went on sale in the U.S. in April for $500. Samsung drives (and PCs with drives) were available in Korea in January. Hi-Val’s $799 PC-DVD upgrade kit (Toshiba drive, Quadrant decoder; 6 DVD-ROMS including Silent Steel, Daedalus Encounter, and Xiphias Encyclopedia Electronica) was scheduled for May, as was Diamond Multimedia’s $599 kit. STB Systems DVD Theater Upgrade Kit was be available in July for $699.
• Australia/New Zealand (Region 4) • ? Fujitsu supposedly released the first DVD-ROM-equipped computer on Nov. 6 in Japan. Toshiba released a DVD-ROM-equipped computer and a DVD-ROM drive in Japan in early 1997 (moved back from December which was moved back from November). DVD-ROM drives from Toshiba, Pioneer, Panasonic, Hitachi, and Sony began appearing in sample quantities as early as January 1997, but none were to be available before May. Creative Labs’ PC-DVD upgrade kit (Matsushita drive and A/V decoder board; Warner DVD-V sampler) went on sale in the U.S. in April 1997 for $500. Samsung drives (and PCs with drives) were available in Korea in January. Hi-Val’s $799 PC-DVD upgrade kit (Toshiba drive, Quadrant decoder; 6 DVD-ROMS including Silent Steel, Daedalus Encounter, and Xiphias Encyclopedia Electronica) became available in May 1997, as did Diamond Multimedia’s $599 kit. STB Systems DVD Theater Upgrade Kit was be available in July for $699.
