Taiwan makers of Blu-ray/ HD-DVD drives at risk from PUH supply

Iria · Dec 22, 2005, 06:18 AM

Leading Taiwanese makers of optical disc drives (ODDs) are preparing for production of Blu-ray Disc and/or HD-DVD drives/players, but face a potential problem of having to rely on an outside supply of pick-up head (PUHs) since most of all patents for high-power laser diodes (LDs), a key component of PUHs, are owned by Japanese companies, according to local sources.

Japanese owners of the patents include Hitachi, Sharp, Pioneer, Sony, and Sanyo Electric, the sources indicated.

Although Lite-On IT and BenQ cooperate technologically with Sony and Royal Philips Electronics, respectively, the top two Taiwanese ODD makers are at a disadvantage in obtaining PHUs for making blue-laser DVD drives/players when compared with Hitachi LG Data Storage (HLDS) and Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST), since those firms have internal sources for PUHs.
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Source: DigiTimes

Dec 22, 2005, 06:18 AM	#1
Iria DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 7,275 Rep Power: 87	Taiwan makers of Blu-ray/ HD-DVD drives at risk from PUH supply Leading Taiwanese makers of optical disc drives (ODDs) are preparing for production of Blu-ray Disc and/or HD-DVD drives/players, but face a potential problem of having to rely on an outside supply of pick-up head (PUHs) since most of all patents for high-power laser diodes (LDs), a key component of PUHs, are owned by Japanese companies, according to local sources. Japanese owners of the patents include Hitachi, Sharp, Pioneer, Sony, and Sanyo Electric, the sources indicated. Although Lite-On IT and BenQ cooperate technologically with Sony and Royal Philips Electronics, respectively, the top two Taiwanese ODD makers are at a disadvantage in obtaining PHUs for making blue-laser DVD drives/players when compared with Hitachi LG Data Storage (HLDS) and Toshiba-Samsung Storage Technology (TSST), since those firms have internal sources for PUHs. _____________ Source: DigiTimes