NEC on Tuesday added an interesting twist to the high-definition format battle: a semiconductor that crosses the boundaries between the competing standards. NEC's new chipset will be compatible with both the Blu-ray disc, which is backed by Sony and Matsushita Electric, and the HD DVD disc developed by rival Toshiba, which has the support of Microsoft.
NEC Electronics said Tuesday it has developed a semiconductor compatible with two different DVD discs -- the Blu-ray disc promoted by a group of companies led by Sony and Matsushita Electric Industrial, and the HD DVD pushed by a rival Toshiba-led camp. The new chip will pave the way for the production of computers and other equipment that can utilize the two DVD technologies, Toshiba said.
