Looks like Broadcom is introducing this new chip for Blu-Ray and HD-DVD:

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- 2006 International CES -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors, today announced the industry's first high definition (HD) audio/video decoder chip that is fully compliant with the emerging Blu-ray and HD DVD optical disc formats. Compliance with Blu-ray and HD DVD formats permits the recording and playback of high definition video on blue laser-based optical disc media and drives. Broadcom's latest high definition decoder chip enables a new generation of consumer electronics devices that can decode compressed HD video stored on Blu-ray or HD DVD formatted discs.

"The worldwide adoption rate of large-screen HDTV sets by consumers has increased significantly over the last year," said Michelle Abraham, Principal Analyst at In-Stat. "There is now an enormous opportunity for consumer electronics manufacturers and Hollywood studios to supply consumers with high- definition media players and movies. As a result, we anticipate strong movie title and media player introductions in 2006."

Announced today is the Broadcom BCM7411D HD A/V decoder chip. The new chip supports H.264 (also known at MPEG-4 Part 10/Advanced Video Coding (AVC)) and VC-1 (SMPTE 421M), the SMPTE standard based on Microsoft Windows Media Video 9. Both compression standards are mandatory for Blu-ray and HD DVD optical disc formats. The BCM7411D also supports high definition MPEG-2 decoding and provides full backwards compatibility for current DVD video titles as well as new HD DVD titles that may be authored in an MPEG-2 format. A single-chip high definition decoder, supporting all three compression standards, enables manufacturers to build a new generation of media players that support both high definition optical discs as well as existing DVD video titles.

This whole H.264 AVC vs. MPEG-2 on Blu-Ray debacle is quite funny. I don't remember anyone complaining about MPEG-2 when SONY started shipping Blu-Ray recorders in 2003. Talk about an edge: they have been shipping hardware and blank media for over 2 years now. Even though I prefer HD-DVD's wider support of MPEG-2 profiles and frame sizes, there is no question that Blu-Ray is a reality and HD-DVD is bleeding edge.
http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/blu-ray/

And H.264 advocates can say whatever they want: when it comes to fitting a 2hr feature film in 1080p on a 25 or 50GB disc, the 24Mbits/s average and 34 Mbits/s peak provided by the Blu-Ray 1X format will deliver a stunning HD experience.
http://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/200202/02-0219E/


And here's a list of the initial release of MPEG-2 encoded feature films on Blu-Ray.

Tags: H.264 Blu-Ray HD-DVD mpeg-2 mpeg2

It looks like the nextgen HD optical disc players are using this Soc from Broadcom:

http://www.broadcom.com/press/release.php?id=800942

LAS VEGAS, 2006 International CES, Jan 05, 2006 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in wired and wireless broadband communications semiconductors, today announced a new dual-channel AVC/VC-1/MPEG-2 video decoder system-on-a-chip (SoC) that enables cable, satellite and IP-network equipment manufacturers to cost-effectively develop high-performance media centers. The new Broadcom® chip integrates all of the required media center technology to securely access, store and share multiple types of digital media content, including high-definition TV (HDTV) programs, video-on-demand, Internet content, digital video, music and photos, and voice over IP services.

Tags: H.264 Blu-Ray HD-DVD mpeg-2 mpeg2