Sony to Shut Down Optical Drive Business

[tweakboy]

http://mashable.com/2012/08/27/sony-optiarc-shutdown/

 

[Smoblikat]

Does this have any impact on blu-ray?

 

[corkyg]

Not surpising - profit in opticals is very low. The ROI on Optiarc probably dictates this move.

 

[Childs]

This is probably just retail consumer notebook and desktop drives, not their OEM business for consumer blu ray players, PS3, etc.

 

[VirtualLarry]

That's too bad. Those cheap Optiarc drives for under $20 and free shipping on Newegg were my go-to drives. I don't really care for Lite-On, I find that they are built cheaply.

I am currently still using some IDE LG drives I purchased at BestBuy, and have installed modded speedhacked firmware, that puts read speeds up to what the drive can handle, instead of being artificially-limited by the stock firmware.

 

[exdeath]

Another nail in the coffin for archaic mechanical storage.

 

[Anteaus]

That article states that Sony has a 45% stake in NEC. They aren't getting out of the market, just shutting down a particular division that is under performing. My guess is they will simply adjust production of their existing production to make up for whatever residual demand comes from the shutdown.

 

[Childs]

That article states that Sony has a 45% stake in NEC. They aren't getting out of the market, just shutting down a particular division that is under performing. My guess is they will simply adjust production of their existing production to make up for whatever residual demand comes from the shutdown.

The article says it was a joint venture between Sony and NEC, and Sony bought NEC's 45% stake in 2008.

 

[Kerry56]

Sad news. Last of the NEC chipset drives.

Optiarc never had much presence in blu ray drives though. Pioneer and LG are still making good BD drives.

 

[Douglaster]

Sad, had a Sony burner that lasted 4 years before becoming blind.

 

[Puffnstuff]

That's too bad. Those cheap Optiarc drives for under $20 and free shipping on Newegg were my go-to drives. I don't really care for Lite-On, I find that they are built cheaply.

My optiarc bd-rw is a rebadged liteon.