Samsung to Launch Dual-Standard DVD Player Sep 6, 2005

Printable format  Email this Article  Search

Samsung Electronics Co. will bring out a DVD machine next year capable of playing both Blu-ray and HD DVD if backers of the rival standards fail to agree on a unified format.

Competition between the two camps has hampered the launch of the next generation of optical disks, which will have greater capacity and higher definition, as movie studios hesitate to commit to printing disks on either standard.

Samsung's head of consumer electronics, Choi Gee-sung, told the Financial Times Deutschland, "We would welcome a unified standard but if this doesn't come, which looks likely, we'll bring a unified solution to market. It won't be simple but you'll see our solution in the coming year. Consumers will be too confused otherwise," he added.

Samsung is a backer of blu-ray, which promises higher capacity than HD DVD and better interactivity and security.

But supporting all standards--as Samsung has done with cell phones and mobile video--could give it an advantage in the multibillion-dollar market for DVD players, PC drivers and optical disks.

Blu-ray is backed by the majority of electronics makers, including Sony and Panasonic brand maker Matsushita and Philips.

HD DVD's supporters, who say their technology is cheaper and compatible with current DVD and CD players, include Toshiba, NEC Corp. and Sanyo Electric. (Reuters)

Back to Daily News