Ricoh develops component that reads Blu-ray, HD-DVD, DVD & CD discs

[Denvers Dawgs]

Ricoh may have just saved the next gen optical storage

[yoda313]

I thought it was already possible and they were just haggling over market rights between the two formats?? I thought I read samsung was supposed to be working on a dual format next gen player??

[MOVIEGEEK]

I thought it was already possible and they were just haggling over market rights between the two formats?? I thought I read samsung was supposed to be working on a dual format next gen player??

Yes(theoretically) if you use three lasers,this device will mean players will only need one laser.
Way to go Ricoh!...now can you bring your DVD+R back please?

[lordsmurf]

With 1 laser doing so much work, I foresee diminished lifespans.
Not good in that area.

[yoda313]

But it would save you from having to buy two expensive players in order to watch ALL the high def next gen movies. One player would save a lot of money that way even if it wouldn't have as long of a lifespan.

[energy80s]

With 1 laser doing so much work, I foresee diminished lifespans.
Not good in that area.

How is that any different to what happens today?? It really shouldn't matter a damn. Your player will be superceded/dead long before that laser dies. In fact I have never heard of a laser dying due to "overuse".

[ROF]

With 1 laser doing so much work, I foresee diminished lifespans.
Not good in that area.

How is that any different to what happens today?? It really shouldn't matter a damn. Your player will be superceded/dead long before that laser dies. In fact I have never heard of a laser dying due to "overuse".

Consider yourself lucky. Millions (myself included) have experienced this.

[ViRaL1]

With 1 laser doing so much work, I foresee diminished lifespans.
Not good in that area.

Sure, it's capable, but it's still only one task at a time.

[Marvingj]

Toshiba develop the same thing 6 months ago but got Slam by Blu-ray & HD-DVD. Its a good idea but the forrunners are greedy they want the money all to themselves.

[morkys]

Its ok for hardware, but not for software. It will still be lame to have to different versions of the same film on different formats whether or not you can play either one.