Philips Blu-Ray


Philips demonstrated its prototype Blu-ray optical storage unit at CES 2005 in Las Vegas last week. The OPU81 PC disc writer (http://www.opticalstorage.philips.com/about/news/article-14836.html) utilizes an optical pick up with three discreet lasers, infa-red, red and blue. All three lasers share the same optical pathway and provide the OPU81 with read/write capability for CD, dual layer DVD /-R, and dual layer Blu-ray (up to 50Gig). The first universal CD/DVD read/writer to include Blu-ray for the PC appears to be step in the right direction for the Blu-ray format as a disc storage medium.

Philips Blu-Ray

Cor Saris, CEO of Philips Optical Storage: "With the introduction of this new product concept we have created the ultimate consumer product. Combining the success of CD and DVD recording with the Blu-ray Recording formats into one PC writer will accelerate the acceptance of this new format in the PC and Consumer market."

The PC drive will ship Q4 2005 in the US with a retail price of $450. The triple laser PC storage technology should be released in a set top box soon after the PC writer. The Philips booth at CES demonstrated a prototype set top player/writer for use with home theater.

Philips Blu-Ray Player
Philips Blu-ray set top prototype: Coming to a home near you?

By releasing Blu-ray technology first as a multi-format PC drive it appears Philips hopes to secure the acceptance of consumers already familiar with burning CDs and DVDs. If consumers buy into the PC drive it should set up the release of the set top component for what Philips and allies hope will be the game winner in the format war with HD DVD.