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Broadcom's Treaty In the Blu-Ray/HD-DVD War

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the everyone-holding-hands dept.

eldavojohn writes "For a while there, I didn't know what to buy. Blu-Ray or HD-DVD? Which would be the leader? Only a fool would buy discs of the technology that would be the next Betamax. Fortunately, my dilemma has been solved by Broadcom. From the article: 'Consumer and communications chip supplier Broadcom Corp. Thurs. (Nov. 9) introduced what the company labeled the first single-chip solution to support both Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD standards.' I guess I'll just wait until I can get a player that will play them both."

6 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. Not happening. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Sony has so far refused to allow Blu-Ray licensing to any device that plays nice with both formats. They still have too much at stake to let anyone give the consumer a choice that may not be theirs.

  2. Why bother? by bigwavejas · · Score: 3, Informative

    Is there even a market for Blu or HD-DVD's? I would think the market is shifting to downloads.

    --
    "Simplify, simplify, simplify!" Thoreau
  3. They solved your problem? by synergy3000 · · Score: 3, Informative

    Well what about NEC? http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-10/11/conte nt_5189776.htmChip. Been there done that last month. Any players with it yet? It won't be that easy.

  4. Re:Ricoh's has developed a laser... by tenton · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's never been a major technical hurdle to create a player that can handle both formats. Being that they use the same wavelength laser (405nm), it was clear that there could be hybrid players, without major scientific breakthroughs. No, the issue is much more difficult to overcome; it's about licensing (i.e. money). So, at this point, it seems these developments only reduce the cost of the components (as the manufacturers just neeed to make one product; thus increasing the volume and leveraging economies of scale).

    Hybrid players next year may be a bit optimistic. I hope I'm wrong about that, though.

  5. dual player by arazor · · Score: 5, Informative

    There wont be any legal dual format players any time soon. The Sony Blu-Ray license prohibits HD DVD playback in the same machine.

  6. Toshiba by certain+death · · Score: 1, Informative

    Released a chip to do the same thing about a month ago...and of course, I read about RIGHT HERE ON /. Jeezus!

    --
    "My immediate reaction is "WTF? What kind of moron doesn't make things 64-bit safe to begin with?" Linus