According to CNET, Chipmakers such as Broadcom, NEC and STMicroelectronics are preparing components that will allow consumer electronics manufacturers to release players and PCs that will play both Blu-ray and HD DVD discs. These combo players may come out sometime in 2007 or 2008. Technically, a combo player isn’t that difficult, the problem has been the politics. It’s all about the money. The creators of the separate formats could earn millions in royalties if their format wins out.

The format war, however, has caused consumers to shy away from buying products based on either standard. As a result, those companies that aren’t in the leadership group for either format are already saying they will revisit the concept of universal players in the future. Hitachi says it’s interested in coming back to the idea of a combo player in the future and NEC announced its dual-format chips earlier in the year.

Customer dissatisfaction could be a stronger motive than politics.

“It’s just a matter of time” before disc drives compatible with both formats hit the market, said Shigeo Niitsu, vice president responsible for system-on chip LSIs for PC peripherals and audio/video digital systems at NEC Electronics told EE Times. “PC companies like HP are looking for drives that are compatible with both formats. Technically speaking, LSIs for such drives are ready.”

Source: CNET