VanMardigan said:
That was engadget's speculation. But what is the Broadcom stuff that's supposedly messing up the LG and this unit? Is that the chipset? software?
In case you weren't aware, few companies actually really 'make' players.
For example, most DVD manufacturers don't actually design the players from scratch. They either OEM a reference platform (the whole shebang), or OEM the transport (drive, laser assembly, etc.) and then OEM the needed chipsets (MPEG decoder, deinterlacer/scaler, HDMI controller, etc). They then design the control software, user interface, physical design, etc. Depending on the player, there are other things they may change or add (DACs, OpAmps, timing chips, etc.). Obviously internal layout, wiring, is also going to be up to them if they are not using a full reference platform (or they may take that, and make some mods).
To a certain extent, think of it like a PC. Dell, etc. do not actually create the parts, they assemble other companies' parts. Only in this case, its more like a kit they are modifying ... its even less 'from the ground, up'.
Now in the case of a HD-DVD/BD combo player, there is only one production OEM available to my knowledge - the Broadcom BCM97440, which is a full turn-key reference platform
http://www.broadcom.com/products/Consumer-Electronics/Blu-ray-and-HD-DVD-System-Solutions/BCM97440
There is nothing wrong with the transport/laser assembly in it ... the issue is the Broadcom BCM7440 SoC (only available 'single chip' processor for both HD-DVD and BD). Obviously it has problems handling all of the features.
Anyway, the BCM97440 is the only available combo solution at this time ... and its not like Samsung, LG, etc. have the ability to create their own ... and they can't just use Broadcom's transport/laser assembly, since there aren't any separate OEM 'combo' processors to use with it.