The Register®

Original URL: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/06/ps3_goes_blu-ray/

Sony selects Blu-ray for PlayStation 3

Up yours, HD-DVD

By Tony Smith

Posted in Consoles, 6th August 2004 11:43 GMT

Sony has confirmed that the PlayStation 3 will ship with a Blu-ray optical drive.

At this stage, it's not clear whether the console will feature a read-only unit or allow users to record video onto the blue-laser medium too. It's certainly tempting to view the PS3 as more of a successor to the poorly received PSX than the PS2 per se.

Sony said it had decided to incorporate a Blu-ray drive into the PS3 in order to allow users to view high-definition video content. Today, Blu-ray is incompatible with current DVD technology, and it remains to be seen whether Sony builds in a second drive for backward compatibility - not only for video, but PS2 games - or plans to use a dual-laser unit capable of handling both kinds of optical media.

The DVD Forum's preferred blue-laser system is HD-DVD, designed from the ground-up to be compatible with existing media and production lines. Like Blu-ray, it's being pitched at HDTV content.

By the time the PS3 ships, it is likely to support next-generation Blu-ray discs capable of holding 50GB of data, more than double today's 23GB discs. ®

Related stories

Microsoft supporting Blue Laser? What about Blu-Ray? Err, maybe [1]
Blu-ray founders rename, open group to new members [2]
Japanese boffins perfect paper Blu-ray disc [3]
Sony preps 50GB next-gen Blu-Ray video deck [4]
Sony may test hybrid DVD/CDs in UK [5]
DVD Forum backs CD/DVD hybrid [6]
DVD Forum punts blue laser HD-DVD [7]