NEC shrinks Blu-ray hardware further, aims for half of the market by 2011

With its latest EMMA3P Blu-ray SoC just launched, NEC is already looking to the future with its next generation EMMA3PF chip, that takes all the features of its most recent hardware, and adds the hardware to control the Blu-ray drive itself into a single processor (as pictured above). These chips will start sample shipments in September, and are expected to continue to drive Blu-ray player prices down. Staying a step ahead of the competition like Panasonic, Broadcom and Sigma is key since the company hopes to double its sales of Blu-ray hardware in the next two years, owning 40% of the market by March 2009, and half in March 2011. Cheaper players with full functionality? Sign us up.

Read - Impress
Read - Reuters

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 12:44AM]

innovations like this are what is going to make blu-ray the dominating format in the market. looks like blu ray is here to stay.

PS to nfinity and truth teller: dont give any BS about 25 gig discs or downloadable media. you are both wrong. go watch an hd dvd and cry on each others shoulders.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 12:44AM]

innovations like this are what is going to make blu-ray the dominating format in the market. looks like blu ray is here to stay.

PS to nfinity and truth teller: dont give any BS about 25 gig discs or downloadable media. you are both wrong. go watch an hd dvd and cry on each others shoulders.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 5:32AM]

NO.

Not while Blu-ray is basically a PS3 format and the PS3s sales are dire
(and forget whatever propaganda they are throwing out about recent better sales, it's still well & truly in 3rd place ion the sales numbers in this gen).

Even if you take the numbers as they present them it's still dire.
If a (relatively) significant number really are being bought by 'core' of a/v enthusiasts for Blu-ray movie playback then that means far too few are being bought to play games on.

Which is hardly surprising seeing as it has so few games actually worth bothering with.

All ways around Blu-ray is still inextricably tied to the (expensive) game console & it is just not selling well enough.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 1:14AM]

By 2011 .. we'll all be watching downloadable content on our watches not inefficient Blow-Ray.

40% or 50% of nothing is still NOTHING. Wake up fanbot.

Nobody cares from consumers about Blu-ray why can't you get that through your thick skull?

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 2:04AM]

because i really want to sitting at home watching a movie on my watch. if i want to enjoy a movie it is going to be on a big ass screen with the best picture source out now at the consumer level, which is *gasp* BLU-RAY! It won, its here to stay, get over it. more and more people are adopting it just as im sure you will eventually to when you open your eyes and actually take a look at what blu-ray has to offer.

[simbadogg Posted Jul 16th 2008 2:51AM]

Ahhh...old faithful is here, and better than ever =)

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 3:26AM]

@SimbaDogg: I know, "blow-ray" just blew my mind.
Nfinity, get over it. GET. OVER. IT.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 3:22AM]

This would have happened much earlier had there not been a format war, and had NEC not been on HD DVD's side. I hate format wars.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 4:28AM]

@Nfinity, so what evidence do you have for these "billiions in payoffs"? Cite an article from a reputable source such as WSJ or FT which shows these payments you claim were made.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 11:11AM]

Another great piece of news. The more integration we can get in the silicon, the cheaper the hardware will become. DVD-only players are most definitely on the way out.

[(Unverified) Posted Jul 16th 2008 2:12PM]

i completely agree. whenever you walk into an electronics store now you see more and more blu ray equiptment at lower prices. sounds to me like blu-ray is definately here to stay