Also facing the Blu-ray camp are disc production issues.
For BD-ROM disc production, Sony's disc manufacturing group DADC set up the production system (see article). The BD group claims the 50 Gbyte capacity disc realized by the dual-layered structure is an advantage over competing HD DVD, but the difficulty of producing the discs has been regarded as a big hurdle.
Matsushita's Kozuka stressed that Matsushita has already established a volume production system at its BD Replication Task Force (BDRT) at PDMC (Panasonic Disc Manufacturing Corp. of America) in Torrance, Calif. Matsushita now lacks a disc replication business in the U.S., so is considering turning the replication line into a commercial line.
"By the Christmas season, dual-layered discs will be on market," Kozuka said. Matsushita is offering the disc production technology to other replicators through its affiliate company Origin Electric.
Sony also plans to begin producing dual layered discs at its Shizuoka plant.