Broadcom debuts reference design for HD DVD / Blu-ray SoC

Unphased by the recent string of bad news for HD DVD, the company has gone ahead with announcements for dual-format chips for both HD DVD and Blu-ray players.

Broadcom debuted a reference design built around the system-on-a-chip (SoC) design it had announced last year. Broadcom says it would be a 'turnkey solution' for those looking to build either format of player.

Ironically, though such a chip could help someone build a combo player, that's likely not what this chip is for. It's simply less expensive for someone like Broadcom to mass-produce a single chip that can handle one or the other format's intellectual property requirements, rather than two separate lines.

But a Broadcom statement this morning made it clear that "universal players" are certainly not out of the question. It could very well be looking to lower the price points of such players in order to give them more mass market appeal. With combo players still hovering around $1,000, the price point remains out of the reach of many consumers...but not for the lack of a viable SoC.

Devices based on Broadcom's new reference design would be able to fully support the specifications of either technology, thus allowing consumers to enjoy the full benefits of either format without any special considerations.

Those wishing to get their hands on the reference design can do so now, while the software powering the platform will become available in the first half of 2008.