End of HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray DVD War? NEC Might've Taken the Step!

*R-iZZy* · 10-10-2006, 03:22 PM

NEC has announced a new invention which could mean the end of HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray conflict. According to Reuters, NEC is ready to ship a controller chip designed to play both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray content.

The price of the chip is around $84 and NEC has said that will reach estimated shipments of around 300,000 by April next year.

Another key part, an optical pickup usable on machines using both new DVD formats, is under development by another manufacturer. "We are in talks with that company so that the pickup can be built into a new line of personal computers due to hit the market next spring," an official with NEC said.

The DVD format, which was promising an unprecedented image quality a few years ago, was rapidly surpassed by various technological possibilities, so the digital entertainment needed new means of entering the market. Toshiba, came with the HD-DVD format – a standard which resembled the DVD more. On the other hand, Sony, invested in the Blu-Ray format, a standard far more revolutionary compared to the actual DVD and, furthermore, incompatible with it.

Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs are the same size as the current DVD, but employ a more advanced laser technology to expand storage capacities. Utilizing a shorter wavelength blue laser, these new formats offer massive storage capacity, a must for High Definition content.

High Definition videos/pictures contain more pixels and scan lines in a frame, and are thus capable of presenting objects in more significant details. Both formats can accommodate High Definition video content of resolutions up to 1080p.

Thanks to this greater storage capacity, the uncompromised, multichannel audio content is made available: more advanced Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, which offer up to eight channels of audio, are all supported by the new formats.

The conflict between two formats could mean a lot of trouble for both companies. Screen Digest forecasted that only $11 billion of the total $39 billion expected to be spent on video discs by 2010 in the United States, Europe and Japan will be generated by the competing high-definition formats, Sony Blu-ray and Toshiba-supported HD-DVD.

The unification of the formats may represent the best solution in the format wars. Moreover, NEC it's not the first company which tries to figure out a way to end the conflict between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, compared by many with the one from the '80s between Betamax and VHS.

In June, this year, IDG News Service reported about Samsung’s intention to explore the possibility to create a dual player.

During the last year, a unified optical format was the subject of more then one rounds of negotiations between Sony and Toshiba, but in the end all ended as a failure. None of the companies was willing to give up, so the project of a universal format was abandoned, every company moving on and preaching the superiority of the solution that they have and trying to get as much partners as they could get.

With the new controller chip from NEC, instead of a Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD finale, we could assist to a cease-fire.

SOURCE

Peanut · 10-10-2006, 03:26 PM

This is very good news, but the war was over before it started. It's already been proven that, besides being cheaper to manufacture, HD-DVD's had better picture quality on the whole. I honestly wished both formats would flatline, because the mass market just isn't ready for it yet.

**ThirdMarioBro** · 10-10-2006, 03:35 PM

True. We'll need them eventually, but not now. Besides, but the time people are ready to accept them, the industry will be pushing something else on us.

People speak with their wallets. In that regard, both formats are already smoke.

*Mecha Cow* · 10-10-2006, 03:40 PM

They both need to chill. Have DVD's even been around for a decade yet? Come back in about 10 years.

10-10-2006, 03:22 PM	#1
R-iZZy The Long Con Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: G'ville, FL (Gator Country), USA Posts: 3,007	End of HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray DVD War? NEC Might've Taken the Step! NEC has announced a new invention which could mean the end of HD-DVD versus Blu-Ray conflict. According to Reuters, NEC is ready to ship a controller chip designed to play both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray content. The price of the chip is around $84 and NEC has said that will reach estimated shipments of around 300,000 by April next year. Another key part, an optical pickup usable on machines using both new DVD formats, is under development by another manufacturer. "We are in talks with that company so that the pickup can be built into a new line of personal computers due to hit the market next spring," an official with NEC said. The DVD format, which was promising an unprecedented image quality a few years ago, was rapidly surpassed by various technological possibilities, so the digital entertainment needed new means of entering the market. Toshiba, came with the HD-DVD format – a standard which resembled the DVD more. On the other hand, Sony, invested in the Blu-Ray format, a standard far more revolutionary compared to the actual DVD and, furthermore, incompatible with it. Blu-ray and HD-DVD discs are the same size as the current DVD, but employ a more advanced laser technology to expand storage capacities. Utilizing a shorter wavelength blue laser, these new formats offer massive storage capacity, a must for High Definition content. High Definition videos/pictures contain more pixels and scan lines in a frame, and are thus capable of presenting objects in more significant details. Both formats can accommodate High Definition video content of resolutions up to 1080p. Thanks to this greater storage capacity, the uncompromised, multichannel audio content is made available: more advanced Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, which offer up to eight channels of audio, are all supported by the new formats. The conflict between two formats could mean a lot of trouble for both companies. Screen Digest forecasted that only $11 billion of the total $39 billion expected to be spent on video discs by 2010 in the United States, Europe and Japan will be generated by the competing high-definition formats, Sony Blu-ray and Toshiba-supported HD-DVD. The unification of the formats may represent the best solution in the format wars. Moreover, NEC it's not the first company which tries to figure out a way to end the conflict between HD-DVD and Blu-Ray, compared by many with the one from the '80s between Betamax and VHS. In June, this year, IDG News Service reported about Samsung’s intention to explore the possibility to create a dual player. During the last year, a unified optical format was the subject of more then one rounds of negotiations between Sony and Toshiba, but in the end all ended as a failure. None of the companies was willing to give up, so the project of a universal format was abandoned, every company moving on and preaching the superiority of the solution that they have and trying to get as much partners as they could get. With the new controller chip from NEC, instead of a Blu-Ray versus HD-DVD finale, we could assist to a cease-fire. SOURCE __________________

10-10-2006, 03:35 PM	#3
ThirdMarioBro Tea Time! Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 8,905	True. We'll need them eventually, but not now. Besides, but the time people are ready to accept them, the industry will be pushing something else on us. People speak with their wallets. In that regard, both formats are already smoke. __________________

10-10-2006, 03:40 PM	#4
Mecha Cow Gorgeous and modest too Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 3,699	They both need to chill. Have DVD's even been around for a decade yet? Come back in about 10 years. __________________

10-10-2006, 03:26 PM	#2
Peanut Second Gear Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: The New World Posts: 15,422	This is very good news, but the war was over before it started. It's already been proven that, besides being cheaper to manufacture, HD-DVD's had better picture quality on the whole. I honestly wished both formats would flatline, because the mass market just isn't ready for it yet.