Blu-ray vs. HD DVD War Delayed By Blue Laser Diode Shortage

Posted Aug 31, 2006 at 2:08AM by QJ Staff Listed in: PS3 Tags: Hitachi-Maxell, Matsushita, Philips, Pioneer, Plextor, Sony
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blue laser diodeHolding your breath for the winner in the Blu-ray vs HD DVD War? Hold it a little longer. The next-gen DVD format war has been reset to sometime 2007 due to the shortage of blue laser diodes needed by the optical drives for both systems.

According to DigiTimes sources, manufacturers of the blue laser diodes admitted they are way behind. This prompted Sony to suspend shipping its own blue laser diodes to other customers. Instead, it is diverting them to its PS3 production line. Sony pledged to ship 4 million (or 2 million, depending on who's doing the PR circuit) PS3 units by the end of this year.

Philips, Sony, Matsushita, Hitachi, Ben-Q and other CE players already announced their HD DVD or Blu-ray drives, but according to DigiTimes only Pioneer, Plextor and possibly Toshiba are likely to meet their roll out dates.

Despite consumer demands, the race for the next-gen DVD format is still doing warm-up rounds for now and until blue laser diodes supply pick up around first quarter 2007.

 
 
 

Comments [refresh]

by hush404 - 2006-08-31 03:04
» ah well

At least Sony's got enough smarts to put what it has towards teh PS3.

by TheProfessor - 2006-08-31 04:01
» A less bias take on the situation commented from another source

"Sony has moved to commit nearly the entirety of it's own diode production towards satisfying component demand from Playstation 3. In turn, the remaining three have not been able to keep pace with the rising demand for blue laser devices, in spite of a steadily improving yield picture.



What this ultimately means for the format war is anyone's guess, though it is likely a net positive for Sony and Blu-ray. Not only should Sony be able to gain a significant lead over HD-DVD in player proliferation this holiday season via the Playstation 3, but the indication is that competing options may be fewer and far between, increasing the odds that the message will be 'Blu-ray' at retail this winter. "

by Sherjakt-Flawke - 2006-08-31 06:24
» It's Blu-ray, not Blue-Ray, Alaric S.

Check your spelling before you post an article

by hmm - 2006-09-01 01:59
» lol

#3 wow just wow

by - 2006-09-01 11:29
» It Is Blu-Ray

Just to avoid any confusion, let us clarify: "Blu-Ray" is a new HD-DVD format that uses 405nm-wavelength lasers (blue-violet lasers) as opposed to the traditional 650nm-wavelength (red lasers).

by Blu-Jeanz - 2006-09-01 21:13
» Since we're all nit-picking...

... #3 is actually correct, it is Blu-ray.



Check out the Blu-ray website;



www.blu-ray.com



Everywhere you look it says Blu-ray, including the official logo, and not Blu-Ray.

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