Philips demonstrates its state-of-the-art Blu-ray Disc capabilities at CES

January 6th, 2005

Philips Electronics, a world leader in optical storage and a founding member of the Blu-ray Disc Association is demonstrating advanced Blu-ray Disc products and solutions at this year's CES exhibition (January 6 – 9, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA). These demonstrations include a prototype all-on-one PC writer that reads and writes CD, DVD and Blu-ray Discs and a development prototype Blu-ray Disc video recorder that delivers stunning high-definition TV pictures.

The PC drive demonstration utilizes Philips' latest OPU81 triple-laser optical pick-up unit that has a compact design in which separate infra-red, red and blue lasers share the same optical pathway to provide Blu-ray Disc read/write capabilities as well as read/write compatibility with DVD and CD.

Philips’ Blu-ray Disc video recorder demonstration combines the company’s advanced blue-laser optical pick-up unit (OPU) in an integrated design, delivering an unsurpassed high definition picture quality.

Blu-ray Disc is the most advanced new optical storage standard that will satisfy all next-generation requirements in terms of storage capacity, data speeds, copy protection, interactivity, convenience and cost. As consumers worldwide gain access to high-definition TV (HDTV) through cable, satellite and terrestrial channels, they are not going to be satisfied with less than equal quality in their video recordings. Blu-ray Disc is the only format with the capacity of 25 Gbytes on a single-layer disc and 50 Gbytes on a dual layer disc, to offer full-length feature movie playback using high-definition MPEG2 encoding – the native compression technique for HDTV broadcasts – or even more with advanced codecs, like AVC. In addition for pre-recorded packaged media, Blu-ray Disc has sufficient capacity to include bonus materials and interactive sessions for an unparalleled entertainment experience. For PC users archiving photographs or video and other data on the hard disk, Blu-ray Disc is the only recordable/re-writable format that provides such a quantum leap in optical storage capacity and gives a seamless experience between PC and CE environments.

The pro-tools being announced by Philips include a new Burst Error Analyzing System based on the Pit O'Resc hardware platform for formatting and analyzing Blu-ray Discs, and a Blu-ray ROM formatter for making cutting masters. Philips is also developing other key media-manufacturing technologies backed by in-house production facilities for Blu-ray Disc media. By creating the platforms and professional components and pro-tools, Philips is yet again at the forefront of supporting the establishment of Blu-ray disc as the ultimate long-lasting standard that will take the industry forward in a quantum leap instead of a succession of incremental and consumer confusing steps.

Promoted by the world's leading consumer electronics, PC, disc replication manufacturers and movie studios, the global standardization activity for Blu-ray disc has already attracted a total membership of more than 90 companies to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA). The BDA includes companies from every part of the value chain in high quality video and multi-media delivery.