As worldwide DVD player shipments started to decline in 2006, shipments of DVD recorders continued to rise steadily, reports In-Stat.

Sales of DVD player units declined from 126.4 million in 2005 to 124.8 million in 2006, and DVD recorder sales rose from 14 million in 2005 to 16 million in 2006, the high-tech market research firm says. Meanwhile, the format war over blue laser disc continued with no end in sight.

“Currently, there is no clear-cut winner in the HD-DVD vs. Blu-ray format war,” says Alice Zhang, In-Stat analyst. “In-Stat believes that the universal combination player, which plays both HD-DVD and Blu-ray technologies, will not be a sustainable solution as it exists today, as its current price is higher than the price to purchase the two players separately.”

Combined worldwide DVD player and recorder sales reached 141.2 million units in 2006. Japan reached its peak for DVD player sales in 2003, while North American and European DVD player shipments peaked in 2005, and shipments will continue to decrease in those regions this year. Competition remains fierce for DVD silicon. Integration of features is a differentiator for IC manufacturers.