So I was Bored...

I decided since I had nothing to do today... I opened up my computer case, and ripped out my BR and HD DVD drive... Well I decided to crack both open, to find out what looked to be very similar lens and lazer assemblies... Hmm, So I further dismantled them to remove the trays, which are very similar as well... Well wouldn't you know it the circuit boards are similar as well. The difference being in the chip designs... They were both using samsung chips. Different model numbers on them. I think there memory, because I did a search on the web, and it kept poking me in the direction of 512 and 1mb caching memory? Similar ships used in the ipod... weird. The other chips looked like processing or buffering processors... Anyways, I'm going to investigate a bit more... Did I tell that I was bored...

Great information for those that don't even own a screwdriver...

Maybe there is a way to convert HD DVD players to Blu Ray, and back again with common kitchen items, or $5 worth of parts from Radio Shack.

Would be cool to find that all of the HDM machines are made in the same plant in China, and are all the same machine internally, the differences being the external housing and cosmetics.

The only differences between the 2 formats is that Sony turns the same adjustment screw 3 times but Toshiba turns it 7.

VideoCipher... all we need to do is send the player, a paper clip, straw, rubber band, roll of toilet paper, piece of string, and a small coin to MacGuyver... and he'll do it for us.

Mike you forgot the Bazooka Bubble GUM. LOL

Naa, I put them back together. I was a little worried when the BR door wouldn't open at first!!! Now I got it back together... whew. Oh by the way the BR drive is made by Samsung, but it doesn't read samsung on label... And the Toshiba drive, the board is done by Toshiba and the optical assembly is the same part # as the BR drive made by Samsung... The HD lazer pick-up is from NEC. That clarifys some stuff. Oh Lazer stuff is made in Japan for the Toshiba, and China for BR. The boards for Toshiba in my unit anyways was done in Japan, and the Assembly in China. The BR board is done in Korea, and the assembly in China... Thought I'd point those out to you guys... Not like it matters anyways...

the lasers have different focal points. it is impossible for either of them to read other discs unless the lasers are somehow adapter or switched even in a combo player.... anyone own one that wants to open it up for us?

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the lasers have different focal points. it is impossible for either of them to read other discs unless the lasers are somehow adapter or switched even in a combo player

Camera lenses have done this for years, a very simple adjustment and little known about control adjustment code named "Focus".

Oh Jeeez, HD DVD players can become Blu Ray players, and Vice Versa, with a simple firmware update.

Both format players being manufactured in China, probably in the same building, and on the same assembly line as well...

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Camera lenses have done this for years, a very simple adjustment and little known about control adjustment code named "Focus".

It's not a matter of simple focus. HD DVD and Blu-ray are completely different technologies - with HD DVD being closer to standard DVDs which allowed them to use a lens with similar numerical aperture. The "reflective pits" are packed closer together on Blu-ray, and they had to increase the numerical aperture of the system. The data (those "pits" are even physically encoded differently on Blu-ray disks for additional capacity, and this also requires different electronics at the pickup end. All these physical differences mean that new replicating plants had to be built since standard DVD lines could not be converted for pressing the Blu-ray format. And it also means you can't play a Blu-ray disk in an HD DVD player (or vice-versa).

[Post edited by Skyhawk on Feb 17, 2008]

And Philly Cheese Steaks are made in Philadelphia!!! LOL

InvisibleBiker, I bet you didn't know that "Buffalo Wings" aren't real buffalo wings - but chickens. That's why they taste kinda like.. well... chicken!