14 DAY TRIAL // HD translates into both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD optical formats. Actually, the HD standard can also refer to pressed or double layer 8.5GB DVDs that contain HD material but in this context, HD is only about next-gen formats. I've detailed this statement because the definition matters a lot when it comes to reading and writing from an HD media.
Both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD players read and write the media using a laser pulse with a shorter wavelength than the one used in the case of DVDs. Sharp recently announced that it has started the commercial production of blue laser diodes. The company has never produced blue lasers but they are planning to mass release their own blue laser mechanism using a large diode factory. Sharp also stated that they will firstly equip their own products with the laser diodes but they will also sell the technology to other HD unit manufacturers.
Sharp will be able to produce 150,000 units per month at its Hiroshima manufacturing plant and future development plans include a significant production growth with some 500,000 units being produced in a month at the end of 2007. However, it seems that at the moment Sharp won't make a lot of profit from this blue laser thingie but such a large quantity of laser devices will act as a supplementary supply for the HD-DVD and Blu-Ray producers.
Shortages of blue lasers have caused several problems in the last months, most of them related to Sony's Blu-Ray players. Is seems that behind the postponing of the PS3 Blu-Ray player is a severe shortage of laser devices. So I guess Sony won't mind. Anyway Sharp will play a major role in the future development of HD technology. Motive for which, if you produce HD-DVDs or Blu-Rays, you'd better learn to deal with them.