Combined Blu-Ray HD DVD Players Set to Come

[thunderhawk]

Combined Blu-Ray HD DVD Players Set to Come.
Atmel Enables Combined Blu-Ray HD DVD Drives



Atmel Corp., a developer of semiconductors, announced availability of its new laser diode driver chip for use in combined Blu-ray/HD DVD, DVD, CD players and optical disc drives for personal computers. The chip may enable combined Blu-ray/HD DVD drives, however, it still requires a number of different lasers for different types of discs.

Up to now, a cost-efficient Blu-ray/HD DVD/DVD/CD system required the use of four devices: three oscillator chips and one transimpedance amplifier, whereas Atmel’s new ATR0885 makes it possible “to build an extremely cost-efficient blue laser system with only one chip”. While several makers have announced combined Blu-ray/HD DVD players, it is unclear how they are designed.

Atmel’s ATR0885 chip contains three outputs, each of which can be used for either the connection of blue laser diodes with a wavelength of 405 nm (Blu-ray/HD DVD), DVD laser diodes with a wavelength of 780 nm, or CD laser diodes with 650nm. Blue laser diodes used for HD- Blu-ray/HD DVD systems need a voltage source which is capable of handling higher voltages than the 5V commonly used for DVD and CD laser diodes. To meet this demand, each of the ATR0885’s three outputs has a separate voltage supply pin providing up to 8V.

The developer claims that competing products only have outputs predetermined for the blue laser functionality, whereas the ATR0885 lets the system designer freely select which of the three outputs shall be dedicated to blue laser functionality. This means the designer can chose the output optimally located in a specific design so that the connection lines are as short as possible, which allows the creation of designs which are smaller and more cost-efficient while providing high performance, according to Atmel.

The San Jose, California-based chip designer explained that for automatic power control, a transimpedance amplifier is integrated and supports all three output channels. The gain of each channel can be set separately by using three individual resistors. An integrated oscillator reduces laser mode hopping. Using one external resistor, a frequency range from 200 to 500 MHz can be set for all outputs. Three additional resistors allow a swing of up to 100 mA (peak-to-peak) for each output separately. The oscillator can optionally be set in a spread-spectrum mode to reduce electro-magnetic interferences, Atmel indicated.

Samples of the ATR0885 are available now in small QFN24 packages. Pricing starts at $2.6 in quantities of 10 000 units.

Blu-ray and HD DVD formats compete for replacing the DVD standard. HD DVD discs can store up to 15GB on a single layer and up to 30GB on two layers. Its competitor, Blu-ray, can store up to 27GB per single layer and up to 50GB on two layers, but Blu-ray discs are more expensive to produce. The HD DVD is pushed aggressively by Toshiba and NEC as well as being standardized at the DVD Forum, which represents over 230 consumer electronics, information technology, and content companies worldwide. Blu-ray is backed by Sony and Panasonic, which are among the world’s largest makers of electronics. Among Hollywood studios HD is supported by Warner Bros. Studios, New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures and Universal Pictures, whereas Sony Pictures, Walt Disney, Warner Bros. and Twentieth Century Fox endorse Blu-ray.

Source:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/storage/display/20060414233242.html

Shared components yes. Dual format players: No. Both camps forbid the manufacturers to create dual format players so...

[zombie]

So they've come up with a way to play both formats but they aren't allowed to use it. Sounds great.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by nyg

So they've come up with a way to play both formats but they aren't allowed to use it. Sounds great.

I doubt it will matter, ultimately. I don't expect HD-DVD to even be around in a year or so.

[The Don]

Originally Posted by JTK

I doubt it will matter, ultimately. I don't expect HD-DVD to even be around in a year or so.

I was saying that at 1st...

I don't even know anymore...

BD should blow them out of the water...but then you have the 1,000.00 price tag...

ouch...

[JTK]

Originally Posted by The Don

I was saying that at 1st...

I don't even know anymore...

BD should blow them out of the water...but then you have the 1,000.00 price tag...

ouch...

You get what you pay for.

Remember: This is strictly an early adopter's market.

$1000 MSRP (street will be cheaper, we all know this) gets you in the door to immediate widspread movie support sans only Universal studios.

To me, if you're the early adopter type at all, or if you're even just dying for HD and tempted to be an early adopter for the first time...like me...I think it's a no-brainer, imo.

But of course: There's no such thing as bargains when we're talking first generation/early adoption era on ANY new consumer electronics venture. There's always that give and take and risk involved.

[zombie]

Originally I thought HD DVD would be dead by fall, now I give them till next spring. I'll admit that the lower price of HD DVD makes things less certain but I'm sure the makers of BD players will get their products out for less money shortly. They'll have to discount to win this thing and they will. They can't afford not to.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by nyg

Originally I thought HD DVD would be dead by fall, now I give them till next spring. I'll admit that the lower price of HD DVD makes things less certain but I'm sure the makers of BD players will get their products out for less money shortly. They'll have to discount to win this thing and they will. They can't afford not to.

They're already giving it away as is.

[SurfingMatt27]

I don't think personally that duel players will even come, it's more than anything just a pipedream.Sure it's a possibility but by the time they make one their would have been already a format winner.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by SurfingMatt27

I don't think personally that duel players will even come, it's more than anything just a pipedream.Sure it's a possibility but by the time they make one their would have been already a format winner.

Exactly! The only way I see a dual format player happening is if one format bites the dust. Then you'll see BD players capable of HD DVD playback as well.

[SurfingMatt27]

Beleive me..Toshiba's HD-DVD splash won't last long,already there are issues with titles and the players.

That's not to say Blu-ray won't have any as well but let's get real here, Blu-ray has more respectable manufacturers backing it and if there were any problems it would be very few compared to HD-DVD's lackluster choices in their players and mediocre choice of movies.

At least blu-ray has a few must haves.But getting back on topic i don't expect to see a duel format player if not ever.

[JTK]

The logistics of making a dual format player(especially expense) can't be worth it just so you can play Universal HD-DVD discs...meanwhile you own everything else on Blu-Ray anyways.

That's not worth any CE company coming within a mile of, because that's essentially what it boils down to: Just wait for Universal to finally get real and start supporting BR and that ends any conceivable useful purpose for a dual deck.

I'm just waiting to see later in the Fall when the last of the big hitting neutrals like Denon and Onkyo/Integra finally throw down for Blu-Ray and finish it.

[hmurchison]

The logistics of making a dual format player(especially expense) can't be worth it just so you can play Universal HD-DVD discs...meanwhile you own everything else on Blu-Ray anyways.

You make an assumption that Universal is the only studio that Blu Ray doesn't have when that really should be qualified by adding that it is the only "major" studio that Blu Ray doesn't have.

There are perhaps thousands of small distributors that have a say in this matter as well. The Weinstein Company may not sound like a household name to most people but their movies will carry a bit of weight. They're currently HD-DVD only but honestly I'm not sure if I agree with any company that refuses to address their client bases needs.

However point is major studios are a boon but I'm a movie lover and a good portion of my movies will indeed come from smaller independents who might not be getting that love from the BDA like they should.

I'm not sure I quite understand why LG is claiming to be working on a universal player when I'm hearing that such a product runs afoul of licensing. I'm going to have to assume that the universal player ban is simply rumor.

[zombie]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

However point is major studios are a boon but I'm a movie lover and a good portion of my movies will indeed come from smaller independents who might not be getting that love from the BDA like they should.

kevinca1 posted a thread yesterday @ AVS about Blu-ray now offering lower costs for the production of their discs. They specifically mentioned that this makes it easier for independents to get into the game. So maybe the BDA is looking out for the little guys after all.

[hmurchison]

Yeah I read the link on Bluray Technologies.

I'd like to see more on this. I think they're number are a little off. I
have my doubts that current plants have %75 defect rate.

I'd rather just have a universal player that combines both into one player. Both platforms get their respective licenses and the consumer gets a product
that plays everything.

[thunderhawk]

From the consumer point of view, a combo player is a safe investment. However, this only encourage both camps to continue the format war, so in the end it won't be good for the consumer after all since both formats will continue to exist.
A comparison with the +/- recording standards war is not a good comparison, since almost all burners (if not really all) support both the + and - standards of DVD recordable discs. The support for HD DVD and BD isn't this globally supported by the devices manufacturers.

[JTK]

Here's why I don't think you'll see a universal player anytime soon, if ever.

Universal is the ONLY studio that is EXCLUSIVELY supporting HD-DVD. Everyone else is either supporting Blu-Ray or both.

Essentially, for early adopters, unless something changes fairly soon, you buy HD-DVD so you can see Universal movies and you can basically buy everything else on Blu-Ray.

Why would any CE hardware company even bother at that rate?

You have 80 percent studio support for Blu-Ray right out of the gate. There's really no point to making a universal player unless all of a sudden a sharp line got drawn in the sand and studios really started to pick ONE side.

It certainly would have to be a lot more of a dramatic split than this. This isn't a split at all, as is.

It's a squash job by Blu-Ray.


Case in point. This is hmurchison's current sig:

Grrrrrr looks like i'm buying both a Blu Ray player and HD-DVD. Thanks a lot guys.

Actually, no you don't. If you can be a little patient and wait for Universal to do the most likely thing and end up supporting both formats, you can buy a Blu-Ray player and be pretty much set.

Ultimately, of course, it comes down to the content and what you really care about. If most of your favorite movies are Universal studios movies, and you just can't wait, then yeah, I guess you're going to buy both.

For my money, I just don't see any point in buying a second rate Toshiba piece of hardware just so I can watch the stray Universal studios title.

[thunderhawk]

How long did it take for the movie studios to stop producing UMD's?
A year?

I expect this to be the case for HD DVD as well.

[JTK]

Originally Posted by thunderhawk

How long did it take for the movie studios to stop producing UMD's?
A year?

I expect this to be the case for HD DVD as well.

Very likely, imo.

[hmurchison]

Why would the movie studios stop making HD-DVDs? By the time Blu Ray is shipping in quantity there will be thousands of HD-DVD players churning out movies.

You cannot compare UMD's plight because playing movies is not its forte.

[thunderhawk]

Originally Posted by hmurchison

You cannot compare UMD's plight because playing movies is not its forte.

Why not? I'm talking about the UMD's produced by the movie studio's with movies on. They kinda stopped producion because it doesn't give enough profit by their measures...
I don't see why it would be different for HD DVD.