RSSNEC Ships Hybrid Blu-ray/HD DVD Chipset
By Scott M. Fulton, III | Published October 10, 2006, 1:28 PM
In what sources are describing as the first serious attempt by a major electronics firm to bridge the arguably short technology gap between Blu-ray and HD DVD, NEC Electronics revealed to the Japanese trade publication AV Watch today that it is now shipping an LSI chipset that incorporates all the logic necessary for manufacturers to produce either HD DVD or Blu-ray players and recorders.
Naturally, this has led many to speculate that a hybrid high-definition disc player/recorder for both formats could be in the works. But at present, the number of consumer electronics manufacturers committed to producing such a device is zero, with the recent waffling by LG Electronics over whether it actually said it would produce a hybrid player by the end of the year.
According to an English-language translation by the publication CDRInfo, samples of the two-chip set are now available at 10,000 yen (about $83.55 USD), with mass production expected to begin by the end of the fourth quarter of 2006. The company, according to the translation of the AV Watch article, expects to ship 300,000 units per month by next April.
With no single manufacturer committed to hybrid drives, it would actually appear NEC's motivation isn't really to enable hybrid drive production - although this could happen anyway. Instead, NEC may be more interested in simply creating a single, mass-produced chipset for high-def device manufacturers.
Last March, electronics producer Atmel created the first System-on-a-Chip (SoC, another form of a chipset) that encapsulated all the necessary logic for Blu-ray and HD DVD players (not yet recorders), under last spring's specifications. Atmel's SoCs are apparently selling well enough, even though no one is producing hybrid drives.
When a logic chip manufacturer can produce fewer types in higher quantities, it can reduce its own costs, drop its own prices in turn, and sell more units to more customers. In today's market, if an LSI manufacturer produces a Blu-ray-only or HD DVD-only chip, it automatically limits its outreach to half the market. So many of next year's players and recorders from NEC's customers could end up being tuned to play one high-def format, even though they contain both the logic and the laser diode for the other format.
Another extremely important revelation from NEC's news this morning is that its hybrid chipset also contains the full logic for implementing Advanced Access Copy System (AACS) copy protection, which is formally supported by the architects of both HD DVD and Blu-ray even though the first players for both formats left this scheme out.
Once implemented, AACS will enable users to connect their players and recorders directly to the Internet, ostensibly so that they can enter into a sophisticated bartering process with content providers as to whether they can make backup copies of discs they've purchased. Content providers can allow or disallow copies on a case-by-case basis, through an AACS process with the historically confusing title "mandatory managed copy" (MMC).
Even though the final AACS specification has been completed, content providers and electronics manufacturers who participated in the process continue to disagree as to what MMC will actually mandate. While content providers contend it will make certain they have final say over whether copies can be made, manufacturers state it will certify the user's right to make copies of legitimately purchased discs, once they've been authenticated.
In either event, AACS inclusion could conceivably create a whole new ballgame for high-definition content, as it becomes feasible that movie studios could enter into the direct sales business. Under this model, consumers would simply download purchased content directly through the AACS Internet stream, bypassing video stores and rental outlets.
It's believed that the final AACS scheme retains one of the more controversial features that had been under debate: the ability to self-destruct. If an AACS-equipped device determines it's being used to circumvent copy protection, it could conceivably flash the chipset with noise data, rendering the entire player unusable until professionally repaired.
Such a determination would depend on how the player/recorder handles encryption schemes. NEC said today its chipset will support CSS -- which has already been notoriously defeated in the DVD realm -- as well as CPRM encryption for DVD-R and DVD-RW, and VCPS for DVD+R and DVD+RW. With those schemes in its arsenal, it could very well have all the self-destruct codes it needs.
NEC's hybrid chipset, once mass-produced, could become the carrier for a new wave of content control, albeit at a lower cost to the consumer. But it might not necessarily mean a resolution to the high-definition format war is at hand.
NEC - the biggest hd dvd supporter steps into the BLU again? Cool!
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|Fascinating.
The only pertinent part they conveniently left out is the small issue where current Blu-ray licensing agreements specifically prohibit any HD-DVD combination discs and players.
And the distinction between manufacturing and licensing the technology and logo for use in one unit is effectively the same.
Oppps.....
This is like watching 2 little kids on a playground fight - with hordes of cheering idiots on the sidelines arguing over who should win.
And now the kids have discovered AACS. Can we say - several years behind the curve. One can only guess what the whine will be when they discover the intricacies of HDCP!? ;-)
Bottomline...all this advancement allows is for the slightly more complex and expensive hybrid configuration to potentially realize a long term cost savings by virtue of the economy of scale. But all the kids do is whine about AACS...
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|I think the article is saying that NEC made this chip so they don't have to make 2 chips later on. They don't make the players.
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|Do a little market research - you can ONLY buy NEC CD and DVD units as OEM, as they are a MAJOR OEM supplier for others!
Extrapolating out a bit further in time...Why should this radically change when they can leverage the cost savings of producing the chipsets by OEMing HD drives for others?
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|So what exactly did I say wrong?
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|You completely missed his point.
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|As he missed mine!
What he said was fine!
But I was originally commenting not only on the content of the post regarding the economy of scale of producing a hybrid chip, but on the larger context of the article which sequed into AACS and the subsequent continual whine on this site! And that is the crying over AACS!!!!!
And if you are familiar with NEC's business model, they are not a pioneer in unit manufacture, they are an OEM for units when the market grows to the point where their economy of scale for assembled units offers a strategic marketing advantage.
And THAT is a major point! Thus the distinction that they are not currently listed as a manufacturer of the assembled units at this point in time totally misses the reality of NEC's business model!
So, congrats, as you have missed both our points!
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|I don't think so. He just said they were doing this so they would only have to make one type of chip instead of two. Which is true, it's going to save them money. I don't know how you took that and went into your long business model rant.
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|Don't worry too much about him, he gets pissed off rather easily.
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|TY skyfrog your right on par.
"The only pertinent part they conveniently left out is the small issue where current Blu-ray licensing agreements specifically prohibit any HD-DVD combination discs and players."
All I was saying is NEC doesnt care, they are just manufacturing a hybrid chip to say time and money. I never mentioned any of that marketing crap your ranting about.
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|And again you think you are adding something by repeating Again what I originally said that you needed to comment upon! That is what an economy of scale offers!!! But then I suspect the problem is that you are not familiar with the meaning of the term.
And then you made a point thinking it significant that NEC is not now making drives, and totally disregarding NEC's business model - the way they do business - which you now say is superfluous - as you obviously don't understand the meaning of a business model!
Let me restate the original point yet again for you rocket scientists: NEC will make the hybrid chips so that their economy of scale can lower the total production costs. They will recoup their initial fab costs by selling to others, and then they will follow up by supplying themselves the chip at their cost - substantially below what others can get as they will have already recouped their costs - so that they can OEM drives, be they HDDVD, BluRay or hybrid later on at a cost below the competition.
The REST of the article (that you ignored) addresses the capabilities of AACS - something the rest of the site is continuously whining about in the incessant victim mentality role. And Paul will whine about having to supply basic information in order to travel into another country - as if his values should decide the actions of others- as it behooves and confuses him that if he disagrees, he doesn't have to travel there! And besides, he feels that the US should focus equally on preventing Eskimos, Norwegian grandmothers, and Argentinian teenagers from travelling to the US as they do groups more closely linked to organizational centers of Islamo terrorism.
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|HE responded to my post and restated what i said and what was said in the article! Start from the beginning! But he tried to make the point that NEC is only a chip manufacturer - which is NOT correct! They are primarily an OEM supplier who creates a strategic advantage by sourcing some of their own fundamental components!
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|I've read 2 paragrams of your junk and thats it, not even gonna bother with the rest.
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|good
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|Wow.
....just...
...wow.
Start cutting down on the caffeine, man. That stuff'll kill ya.
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|Question:
I've had to flash the chipset on a couple of cd/dvd burners. If this "self-destruct" nonsense happened, couldn't I just reflash the chipset?
To the best of my knowledge, there isn't a security 'feature' that disallows multiple flashing of a chipset. It just overwrites whatever is there.
I guess it would prevent my mom from copying disks....but not anyone that actually copies disks.
Thoughts?
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|That'd be my guess as well. "Professional", in this case, means knowledgeable, I suspect.
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|The AACS self-destruct "feature" it's insane. And I bet many people will experience "the bug" of self-destruction being triggered "by chance" ...
The politicians worldwide should sue MPAA and the DVD-Forum for this thing, manufacturers can't be allowed to sell defective products like this. It's like selling a car with a self-destructing engine that refuses to work for his owner because the owner might have wanted to use a compatible product on the car instead of buying what the manufacturer obliges to buy...
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|A better "car" analogy might be an automatic shut-off due to excessive speeding, cornering without signals, etc.
A glitch in such a system could cause some pretty nasty series of events to occur. From thieves, murderers, and rapists figuring out how to trigger it remotely to trap their prey, to accidents, to stopping a parent from getting home to his/her children.
Of course, the whole thing falls apart when you realize not being able to watch DVDs isn't going to kill anyone...
Such a feature in DVD players might have unseen benefits as well. Perhaps I could code it to self-destruct if my wife puts Barney in for the kids more than once a day^Wweek^Wyear^W^W^W^W^Wever.
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|Nonsense!
Yeah POLITICIANS should sue...for what...copying THEIR SOP EULA!?
There is no fraud whatsoever! Those are the terms up front! You either agree to them or you don't. If you don't, don't pony up your money! DUH!
The truely fascinating part of this continuous whine is that so many 17 year olds (OK, so I have over-estimated some of your mental ages)think they are entitled to other's material! They are free to market it anyway they choose. If you don't like the terms, DON'T BUY IT!
It is also fascinating that so many are seemingly unable to find any alternative source of entertainment that such issues are a serious impediment to their tiny world view.
But then I suspect that most of those folks find slumming in Best buy to be a radical and exciting cultural experience.
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|Calm down little girl. What are you getting pissy about now?
People *like* to stick to subject matters and discuss articles.
"It is also fascinating that so many are seemingly unable to find any alternative source of entertainment that such issues are a serious impediment to their tiny world view."
And why are you here again? Because you *like* discussing articles? Oh, right, you're here for the same reason as everyone else.
Everyone has a right to their opinion, and a right not to be ridiculed by someone with illusions of grandeur.
Now sssh, unless you have something constructive to say.
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|I'm slowly realize that foxfyre is just retarded. Damn, I was thinking his ranting actually had some meaning. LOL
Note to self: ignore foxfyre from now on.
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|1st!
:p
I'm just curious if there'll be anybody who hates this for it's dual formats! :D
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