# HD-DVD player diodes good for DIY pointer?



## fixorater (Mar 2, 2010)

I recently saw a video on youtube of a violet laser pointer someone made using the laser diode from an xbox 360 HD-DVD player. I'm wondering if it'd be worth it buying a cheap player online somewhere to extract the diode? I know people have been doing this with bluray but I'd figure those would be more expensive right?


----------



## bshanahan14rulz (Mar 2, 2010)

meh, I just bought a 10mW bluray from China. Easier, and the DIY element is still there. That's why I buy stuff from China: it's more fun!

If you already have a broken HD-DVD player, though, might as well rip it up! probably find a red diode and a blu diode, or a combo red/blu diode stack.


----------



## darkzero (Mar 2, 2010)

fixorater said:


> I recently saw a video on youtube of a violet laser pointer someone made using the laser diode from an xbox 360 HD-DVD player. I'm wondering if it'd be worth it buying a cheap player online somewhere to extract the diode? I know people have been doing this with bluray but I'd figure those would be more expensive right?


 
The PHR-308T is a very common & now inexpensive diode to use for a laser. Not worth buying an entire Xbox 360 HD drive to extract the diode. Just buy the sled for $10 & extract the diode. Of you can pay a few bucks more & purchase it already extracted for you.


----------



## HobbyLaser (Mar 16, 2010)

fixorater said:


> I recently saw a video on youtube of a violet laser pointer someone made using the laser diode from an xbox 360 HD-DVD player. I'm wondering if it'd be worth it buying a cheap player online somewhere to extract the diode? I know people have been doing this with bluray but I'd figure those would be more expensive right?



For a *PLAYER*, no, its not worth it. The XBOX drive you mentioned is a notable exception, but it is *STILL* not worth buying it just for that. Here's why - 

When the XBOX 360 HD-DVD player first came out, it was during the format war between HD-DVD & BluRay. At the time, the ~405nm laser diodes needed for both of these formats was cutting-edge, hard to manufacture, and in short supply. Manufacturing yields were low, and in order to achieve the required reliability, the first-generation 405nm laser diodes initially used in the XBOX HD-DVD were actually more powerful than needed for just a player.

Once reliable, low-power 405nm laser diodes became available, these were then used instead to manufacture the XBOX 360 player. 

The problem is, when they switched to the low-power diodes, the model # for the player didn't change. So if you buy one of those XBOX 360 drives to extract the diode, you don't know if you are going to get a good diode or a wimpy one until you tear it apart!

Rather than buying one of these drives and gambling you get a good one, there is a better alternative. The "sleds" used internally in the initial version of this drive (the one with the more powerful laser diode), are available separately as surplus. And because these sleds are now obsolete, they are also dirt cheap!

The correct model for this sled is PHR-803T.

But to answer your question more generally, while buying a *PLAYER* to extract the diode is typically not worth it, extracting the diode from a *WRITER* is another matter entirely!

Here's a few tips for doing that -

The color (wavelength) of the laser diode(s) used in these drives is dictated by the drive format. For example, for a CD-RW, the diode is IR, and IMHO not worth messing with.

But for writing a standard DVD, a nice red color laser diode is utilized. And for HD-DVD and BluRay writers, a 405nm (violet) laser diode is employed.

Drives that support multiple formats also often contain multiple laser diodes. In some cases, more than one type of laser is also contained in the same laser diode case. 

For example, the PHR sled holds one 405nm (violet) laser, plus one "combo" laser diode that contains both IR and red lasers inside one tiny device.

Also, for a given drive format, drives with a higher max write speed will often utilize a higher-power diode than a slower-speed drive of the same type. For example, one type of high-speed DVD writer that is popular with laser hobbyists contains a diode capable of putting out over 1/4 watt of red laser light! 

Nor is the idea of extracting the laser diode(s) from a drive limited to bargain-hunting or "cheap" drives!

There are some hard-core DIY laser enthusiasts that are willingly spending hundreds of dollars to buy the latest, top-of-the-line, super-high-speed BluRay writer drive, and then *DESTROYING** IT *, just so they can extract the highly coveted high-power BluRay laser diode contained within!

Now *THAT'S* what I call a dedicated laser hobbyist! :thumbsup: LOL


----------



## HobbyLaser (Apr 29, 2010)

*Found It!*

Here is the old thread about laser diodes in CD & DVD drives.


----------

