17.1. What companies create and support BD formats?
17.2 What movie and music studios support BD?
17.3 How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
17.4 How much do BD computer recorders cost?
17.5 How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
17.6 How much do commercial BD movie titles cost?
17.7 How much do blank BD discs cost?
17.8 How much do BD game consoles cost?
17.9  How much do BD duplication and publishing systems cost?
17.10 How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
17.11 How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
17.12 What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
17.13 What companies provide BD testing and verification services?
17.14 How much do BD camcorders cost?
17.15 How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
17.16 How much does BD video authoring software cost?
17.17 How much does BD computer video player software cost?
17.18 How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
17.19 How much do BD video encoders and transcoders cost?
17.20 How much do BD disc changes and home entertainment servers cost?
17.21 How much do BD data storage and archiving jukeboxes cost?
17.22 How much do TV/BD player combos cost?
17.23 How much do portable BD players cost?
17.24 How much do BD Network-Attached Storage devices cost?
17.25 How much do BD audio encoders cost?
17.26 What companies offer BD quality assurance and quality control services?
17.27 How much do BD professional video recorders cost?

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17.1 What companies create and support BD formats?
All BD formats are created and supported by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), originally formed from the Blu-ray Disc Founders (BDF), an alliance of manufacturers initiated in 2002 by Hitachi, LG Electronics, Matsushita Electric, Pioneer, Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics, Sharp, Sony, and Thomson.

For complete details and a list of members see: 3.3 What is the Blu-ray Disc Association?

 

17.2 What movie and music studios support BD?
As of Aug. 2008, a number of domestic and foreign studios, independents, broadcasters and distributors have released or announced that they will offer movies, television shows and music in BD format. These include:

Movies and Entertainment:
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, Walt Disney Company/Buena Vista Home Entertainment (Walt Disney Home Entertainment, Hollywood Pictures Home Video, Touchstone Home Entertainment, Miramax Home Entertainment, Dimension Home Video, Disney DVD), Lions Gate Home Entertainment, MGM Home Entertainment, Warner Bros. (Warner Home Video, HBO Video/Castle Rock Entertainment, Turner Entertainment Company, New Line Home Entertainment), Universal Pictures (Universal Studios Home Entertainment), Paramount Home Entertainment (Paramount Pictures, DreamWorks Animation SKG, DreamWorks Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Nickelodeon Movies, MTV Films), The Weinstein Company (Genius Products), BCI/Navarre, Magnolia Home Entertainment, Starz Home Entertainment (Anchor Bay, Manga Entertainment), Bandai Visual, Pony Canyon, FUNimation, GDH, Shochiku, Square Enix, TBS, HDenvironments, Digital Leisure, R&B Films, Koch Entertainment Distribution, BBC Video, Razor Digital Entertainment, Image Entertainment, Tartan Video, Vivid Entertainment, Digital Playground, Wicked Pictures, LFP Video Group, High Def Home Entertainment, DVD Acquisition and Development Group (DVD International), National Geographic, Discovery Channel, Big River Pictures, Kinowelt Home Entertainment, Capelight Pictures, Polyband Medien, 2 Entertain, Entertainment in Video and others.

Music:
Eagle Rock Entertainment, Sony BMG Music Entertainment, Concert Hot Spot, Live Nation, LRSmedia, Universal Music Group (Decca Music Group, Deutsche Grammophon, DreamWorks Nashville, Interscope Geffen A&M Records, Geffen Records, Island Def Jam Music Group, Lost Highway Records, MCA Nashville, Mercury Nashville, Mercury Records, Philips, Polydor Records, Universal Music Latino, Universal Motown Records Group, Verve Music Group) and others.

 

17.3 How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
As of Mar. 2010, Sony, Pioneer, Samsung, Panasonic, Philips, LG, Sharp, D&M Holdings Inc. (Denon, Marantz, McIntosh), Goldmund, Yamaha, Funai (Insignia, Magnavox, Sylvania), Sherwood, VisionQuest, Netlogic, Olveia, Onkyo, Integra, NAD Electronics, Dongguan Contel Electronics (APEX, Contel, Curtis Mathes, Element, Memorex, Polaroid), JVC, Harman Kardon, Loewe, Grundig, Momitsu Technology, Kogan Technologies, OPPO Digital, Vizio, China Hualu Group, Gowell, Lexicon, Toshiba, Orion America (Sansui), Lite-On (HP) and others are shipping their BD consumer electronics (CE) players with U.S. suggested retail prices ranging from $179 to $141,000. Of course, Sony’s PlayStation 3 (PS3), priced at $299 to $399, also plays BD movies.

Haier, Krell Industries, Anthem Electronics, ezGear, Cambridge Audio, Mitsubishi, Daewoo, SiGMATek, Winbase Electronics, Action Technology, Desay A&V Science and Technology, Dongguan QiSheng Electronic Industries, Eastech Electronics, Express Luck Industrial, Express Way, Forworld Electronics, Guangzhou Panyu Juda Car Audio Equipment, Nanjing Wanlida Technology, Samwin Hong Kong, Shenzhen MTC, Starlight Video Limited, TCL Technoly Electronics and Tonic Digital Products have also announced plans to offer BD players in the future.

 

17.4 How much do BD computer recorders cost?
As of Jan. 2010, Pioneer, Panasonic, Hitachi-LG (HLDS), Lite-On/PLDS, LaCie, Buffalo, I/OMagic, Delkin, Amex Digital, DIGISTOR, Addonics, Norazza, Sherlock Systems, EZ Quest and others are shipping BD computer recorders with U.S. suggested retail prices ranging from $199 to $659.

 

17.5 How much do BD onsumer electronics recorders cost?
As of Feb. 2009, BD consumer electronics (CE) recorders are available from Sony, Panasonic, Sharp, Mitsubishi, Pioneer and Hitachi in Japan, Europe and Australia. Prices and units destined for the U.S., Canada and other markets have yet to be announced.

 

17.6 How much do commercial BD movie titles cost?
As of Feb. 2007, individual movie titles released and announced by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Columbia Tristar Home Entertainment, MGM Home Entertainment, Warner Home Video, Lionsgate Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Paramount Home Entertainment, Buena Vista Home Entertainment and Concert Hot Spot have suggested U.S. retail prices ranging from $19.95 to $39.99.

 

17.7 How much do blank BD discs cost?
As of June 2008, TDK, Panasonic/Matsushita, Sony, Verbatim/Mitsubishi, Imation, Memorex, Philips, Fuji, Maxell, Moser Baer (MBI), Taiyo Yuden, Ritek, CMC Magnetics, MAM-A, FTI, JVC, Magnavox, Delkin and Traxdata have announced blank BD-R and BD-RE discs with U.S. street prices starting at $8 (SL) and $25 (DL) each for BD-R and $18 (SL) to $45 (DL) each for BD-RE.

 

17.8 How much do BD game consoles cost?
As of Aug. 2009, Sony is shipping its PlayStation 3 (PS3) with U.S. suggested retail prices ranging from $299 to $399.

 

17.9 How much do BD duplication and publishing systems cost?
As of Aug. 2009, Primera, MF Digital, Microboards, Disc Makers, ILY Enterprise, Vinpower Digital/Xerox, Wytron Technology, Microtech, Rimage, Norazza and Verity Systems have announced BD duplication and publishing systems with prices starting from $1,395.

 

17.10 How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
As of Mar. 2009, TDK, Imation, Moser Baer, MAM-A, Verbatim, Ritek, Panasonic, Microboards and FTI have announced inkjet and thermal re-transfer printable BD-R discs.

 

17.11 How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
As of Feb. 2010, AOpen, Addonics, LG, Lite-On/PLDS, Panasonic, Pioneer, Plextor, Sony Optiarc, Asus, LionDisk, Norazza, Samsung, Amex Digital and others are shipping BD-ROM and BD Combo drives with U.S. suggested retail prices ranging from $69 to $299.

 

17.12 What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
As of Mar. 2010, Sony DADC, Shanghai Epic Music Entertainment Co., Ltd. (Sony DADC), Technicolor Home Entertainment Services, arvato digital services (formerly Sonopress), Cinram International, Panasonic Disc Manufacturing Corporation of America (PDMC), Deluxe Digital Studios, Infodisc Technology GmbH, Bestdisc Technology Corp., Quantum Optical Laboratories (QOL), Axiom Technologies, Laser-Video Multimedia, MPO Group, Memory-Tech Corporation, U-Tech Media Corp., CDA Datenträger Albrechts GmbH, B.R. Productions GmbH, Magi Disc S.r.l., Microservice Tecnologia Digital S.A., PrimeDisc International Ltd., DVD Norden A/S and Info Source Multi Media Ltd. replicate prerecorded (pressed) BD-ROM discs.

Videolar S/A, Toyo Recording Co., Ltd., Infosmart Group, Victor Creative Media Co. Ltd., Horon Co., Ltd. and Société Nouvelle Areacem (SNA) plan to add BD production in the future.

As a matter of background, according to the research firm Understanding & Solutions, Cinram, Technicolor, Sony and Sonopress accounted for 74% of North American prerecorded DVD disc production in 2006 while Technicolor, ODS Business Services, Cinram, Sony and Sonopress replicated 57% of the DVDs manufactured in Europe.

* Replication capability information collected directly from manufacturers.

 

17.13 What companies provide BD testing and verification services?
The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has established several laboratories to provide testing and verification services to BD product manufacturers. They include Matsushita, Philips, Pioneer, Sony, TDK, Hitachi, LG, Mitsubishi, Sharp and Samsung.

Product

Panasonic

Pioneer

Sony

TDK

Hitachi

LG

Mitsubishi

Sharp

Samsung

Technicolor (TCS)

CESI

JVC

Audio Dev

Lite-ON

ALMEDIO

ITRI

BluFocus

BD-ROM

Movie Media

X

X

X

X

X

Non-commercial AV Media

X

X

X

X

X

Data Media

X

X

X

X

X

Game Media

X

X

X

X

X

Movie Player

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Game Console

X

X

X

X

PC Drive

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

PC Application Software

X

X

X

Commercial Audiovisual Content

X

X

X

X

X

BD-R Ver. 1

Recorder

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Player

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Media

X

X

X

X

X

PC Drive

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Player PC Application Software

X

X

X

X

Recorder PC Application Software

X

X

X

X

BD-R Ver. 2

Archiver/Recorder/Player

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Video Camera

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Recorder/Player PC Application Software

X

X

X

BD-RE Ver. 2

Recorder

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Player

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Media

X

X

X

X

X

PC Drive

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Player PC Application Software

X

X

X

X

Recorder PC Application Software

X

X

X

X

BD-RE Ver. 3

Archiver/Recorder/Player

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Video Camera

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

Recorder/Player PC Application Software

X

X

X

AVCREC

Recorder

X

Player

X

Recording Application Software

X

Playback Application Software

X

 

17.14 How much do BD camcorders cost?
As of Nov. 2008, Hitachi is shipping its BD camcorder with a U.S. suggested retail price of $1,099.

 

17.15 How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
As of Mar. 20010, Samsung, Panasonic, Sony, LG, Philips, Denon, Sharp and JVC have announced BD Home Theater in a Box (HTiB), Sound Bar systems and BD receivers with U.S. suggested retail prices starting at $599.

 

17.16 How much does BD video authoring software cost?
As of Aug. 2009, Adobe, Avid, Sony, Sonic Solutions/Roxio, Corel, Nero, CyberLink, ArcSoft, NetBlender, Ensequence, RCBb, sofatronic, Dreamer, TMPGEnc, Rivergate and Pinnacle offer BD video authoring software with U.S. suggested retail prices ranging from $64 for consumer packages to more than $50,000 for professional tools.

 

17.17 How much does BD computer video player software cost?
As of Mar. 2010, ArcSoft, Corel, Roxio and CyberLink offer BD computer video player software with U.S. suggested retail prices ranging from $89 to $158.

 

17.18 How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
As of Sept. 2009, Dell, Sony, HP, Acer, Toshiba, Fujitsu, ASUSTek, MSI, Lenovo, Gateway, NEC, Alienware, PC MicroWorks, CLEVO, First International Computer (FIC), MiTAC, VidaBox, Medion, Hush Technologies, Packard Bell, Samsung, Okoro Media Systems, Epson and others have announced BD drive-equipped desktop, notebook and Home Theater PC (HTPC) computers with U.S. suggested retail prices starting below $1,000.

 

17.19 How much do BD video encoders and transcoders cost?
As of Dec. 2008, Sony, Thomson, Adobe, Inlet, Sonic Solutions, PixelTools, MainConcept, Omni-Cinema Craft, Harmonic, Apple, Optibase, Telestream, TMPGEnc and others offer BD video encoders and transcoders with U.S. suggested retail prices ranging from $99 for consumer packages to more than $75,000 for professional tools.

 

17.20 How much do BD disc changers and home entertainment servers cost?
As of May 2010, Sony, Kaleidescape, S1Digital and Crestron have announced BD disc changers and home entertainment servers with U.S. suggested retail prices starting at $799.

 

17.21 How much do BD data storage and archiving jukeboxes cost?
As of July 2009, JVC, PowerFile, Asaca, DISC and Hie Electronics have announced BD data storage and archiving jukeboxes.

 

17.22 How much do TV/BD player combos cost?
As of Jan. 2010, JVC, Bang & Olufsen, Sharp, Haier, Polaroid  and Orion America (Insignia, Sansui) have announced TV/BD player combos.

 

17.23 How much do portable BD players cost?
As of Jan. 2010, Panasonic has announced several portable BD players.

 

17.24 How much do BD Network-Attached Storage devices cost?
As of June 2009, LG has announced a BD Network-Attached Storage (NAS) unit.

 

17.25 How much do BD audio encoders cost?
As of May 2009, Dolby Laboratories, DTS and Minnetonka Audio Software have announced BD audio encoders.

 

17.26 What companies offer BD quality assurance and quality control services?
As of June 2009, Testronic Laboratories, The Testing Group, My Eye Media, BluFocus and Check Disc Labs offer BD Quality Assurance (QA), Quality Control (QC) and compatibility testing services.

 

17.27 How much do BD professional video recorders cost?
As of Oct. 2009, JVC has announced BD professional video recorders with U.S. suggested retail prices ranging from $1,995 to $2,500.

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