Although it is very interesting and possibly trend-setting, AT&T Homezone doesn’t really fit into the category of alternative broadband video boxes. But it deserves discussion because it provides much of the functionality of the products in this category and represents one of the biggest potential threats to these new emerging alternatives (primarily Apple TV and VUDU, at this point). If all the telcos were to follow this model and provide consumers with both IPTV and movie downloads through a simple and inexpensive set-top box, Apple TV and VUDU would be in trouble.

AT&T Homezone is a comprehensive entertainment service with a set-top box at its heart. Manufactured by 2Wire, the box is essentially a networked DVR. Homezone offers a lot of things wrapped into one package, designed to deliver a multimedia smorgasbord in fulfillment of AT&T’s vision of the “digital living room.” And, of course, the primary objective is to cut cable out of the loop. Homezone is a sort of hybrid solution based on a partnership between AT&T and the DISH Network.

“The Homezone box has satellite tuners in it. You need DISH on your roof. You bring in most of your regular TV channels into the Homezone box via the DISH on the roof through the satellite tuners,” explains In-Stat analyst Michelle Abraham. “And then the box is also connected to your high-speed internet access, and AT&T has set up certain partnership agreements to bring content to the box over that high-speed internet access. So you can get additional content through the high-speed internet access, but you get still get your main content through the satellite service.”

Thanks to partnership agreements AT&T has struck with Movielink and Akimbo, Homezone subscribers can get, via their High Speed Internet service, on-demand movies and videos. According to AT&T, this means subscribers have access to 7000 titles, including 1000 full-length feature films, which “surpasses the on-demand movie libraries offered from cable,” says AT&T. Along with video content, subscribers can also access AT&T LAUNCHcast Radio and various Yahoo! services, such as Yahoo! Photos, and Yahoo! Web Remote.

The 2Wire box includes a 250GB hard drive for content storage, WiFi, a QWERTY remote, and 3 USB ports. It will play back Real Audio and Real Video, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, WMV 9 (including DRM), AAC, and MP3. And it supports 1080i.

One downside to the Homezone 2Wire box is that it cannot standalone; it must be interfaced with a PC via a home network. But the biggest downside to Homezone is that it is not available to the general public in all 50 states. While anyone with broadband can make use of an Apple TV or a VUDU, Homezone is currently available only to those lucky people who are new or existing AT&T High Speed Internet customers in a 13-state territory, comprised most of states in the mid-west heartland.

COMPETITION FROM CONSUMER DEVICES
Just as some are saying forget the PC, others are saying forget the set-top box. Rather than suffer the complications of downloading movies from a special and expensive set-top box, wouldn’t it be better if people could download movies through one of the common consumer devices, such as a DVD player or even the television itself? Some CE manufacturers have said yes and are already moving in this direction.

“IP connectivity is being adopted across a variety of consumer electronic devices,” writes Mark Kirstein in the abstract to his firm’s latest report on the subject (“IP-Enabled Consumer Electronics: Internet Video & Digital Media to the TV”). “Internet connectivity is emerging across IPTV, cable, and satellite set-top boxes, as well as a new class of Internet-enabled TVs and digital media adapters. Finally, advanced DVD and Blu-ray players will grow to be among the largest segments of internet-connected devices.”

Indeed, the ultimate way to get Internet video to the TV may be to build the functionality directly into the TV itself. The internet-connectable Sony Bravia LCD HDTV is well along its way toward this end. And amidst the recent news about Amazon Unbox, there were reports that Amazon has made a deal with Sony which will ultimately embed video store access into future Sony Bravias. Or course, not everyone is going to rush out and buy an ultra-expensive TV just to get YouTube on it, but the trend is an interesting one.

Analysts in this market are unwilling to bet on which category of CE device will eventually rule the living room. But most believe that the market will remain diverse for some time with a lot of products competing. There will be no single dominant CE device or class of device--not in the short term, at least.

MultiMedia Intelligence predicts that by 2012 over 217 million Internet-enabled consumer devices will be shipping annually. “However, connectivity in consumer devices will dramatically exceed actual utilization,” Kirstein adds. “The utopia of internet and consumer generated digital content flowing seamlessly through the home is still years away, as several barriers to the market remain.”

WHY NOT JUST GET CABLE?
The oft-unasked question in all of this movie download talk is, why does anybody want to download movies from the Internet anyway? Why don’t they just get cable service? Cable usually provides set-top boxes for free.

Parks Associates’ Kurt Scherf thinks one of the major weaknesses of cable is that it doesn’t give users the option of buying the movie, and there is a demand for that. “VUDU and Apple TV allow you to download and keep your content, which you can’t do through your cable today, for the most part,” he says. “The whole cable world is a pay-per-view and streaming world. You get 24 hours to watch the show or movie before it disappears.”

But Scherf also believes that cable set-top boxes are probably the strongest competition that faces these alternative boxes. “There are a ton of people who are writing off the cable companies today, saying they are dinosaurs and nobody is going to subscribe to them anymore, but I’m not a believer of that. I think they will quickly adapt. Their video-on-demand selections are improving every day. They are giving you a ton of TV episodes on demand for free as part of your service. The problem with cable movies on demand is that they are late. They are available typically 6 to 9 months after they’ve been released in the theaters and several months after they are available on DVD, so they are stale by the time they get to cable.”

Of course, lack of fresh premium movies is the major problem of this whole online entertainment industry, in general, and nothing unique to cable.

Scherf thinks the staleness problem is “going to improve” more quickly in the cable world than in the Internet world. He believes that Hollywood has more incentive to make deals with cable companies that it does with small startups like VUDU which has merely a few hundred thousand subscribers in comparison to the millions that the cable companies have.

Another thing that could put cable over the top is offering “over-the-top” video. Only a few of the telco IPTV providers allow subscribers to venture out to the Internet for additional content. When they do, this is referred to as permitting access to “over-the-top” video, according to In-Stat’s Michelle Abraham; but it is rare, she says.

Just as Apple TV wants to restrict its users to shopping at iTunes, and TiVo wants to restrict its users to shopping at Amazon, and VUDU wants its box owners to shop the VUDU service/site, telcos want to tie their customers into their IPTV content libraries. All of these service providers are obviously getting a cut of the profits from the content providers (movie studios and TV broadcasters), so keeping tight reins on their customers is in their best economic interest, while allowing them the freedom to roam the internet is not.

Cable providers too have a vested interest in keeping their subscribers tightly tied to their content libraries, but Scherf believes that because cable companies have been feeling the pressure of competition more acutely than the rest, they are the most motivated to flip flop on this issue.

Scherf believes that cable operators will beat the telcos and others to the punch by offering the freedom to access over-the-top content. “Your cable operator is going give you some of those same benefits that premium content services are providing,” he says. “Your cable set-top box will talk to different web services, and you’ll be able to pull content from those services through a set-top that you already have in your living room.”

NO MORE BOXES! PLEASE!
While every red-blooded American loves freedom, American consumers--especially those who already get live TV from a cable or satellite system--may not be all that interested in owning another new specialized box just so they can surf the Internet for more content. “Sometimes it comes down to something as simple as, do consumers really want one more black box sitting in their living room? The answer so far has been unequivocally no,” says Scherf. MultiMedia Intelligence’s Mark Kirstein has also seen that attitude among consumers: “History has shown us that there is a tremendous consumer resistance to additional set-top boxes in the living room. The DVR, for example, is the most compelling video application since the VCR and yet it was hard pressed to create a new spot in the living room. Instead it gave way to integration.”

So what does this mean for the market for alternative Internet set-top boxes? Does it mean that consumers are more likely to buy into the Swiss Army knife approach demonstrated by the game boxes? Does it mean that the Internet-connected cable box will reign supreme? Or does it mean that consumers will opt for the box that delivers the most bang for the buck, which right now is the PC?

It’s a difficult question and Scherf honestly admits that he’s “not completely sure,” then goes on: “But I would think that consumers would, in fact, seek out a box than can offer more functionality than one that just provides a movie download service. Apple TV versus VUDU is a great example of this. VUDU does one thing and one thing well: it’s a video streaming and download service. However, Apple TV has additional functionality: the ability to display in a high-quality format content such as photos and music. The PC definitely is going to offer a whole lot of capability, but the problem is that it’s typically not co-located next to a TV. I think the next significant market opportunity in the digital home space will be solutions that provide a way to bridge the PC to the TV directly.”

Scherf gives as example the ZvBox, an innovative new device from a small Massachusetts startup (ZeeVee, Inc.) that allows users to easily connect their PCs to their TVs via their existing cable systems. Essentially, a ZvBox takes the signal from your PC and makes it available as one of the open channels on your cable, which means that anything that is on your PC monitor then shows up on your TV set too. If you like, you can have it show up on all the TVs in your house, simultaneously. ZeeVee calls this “local-casting.” A user simply sets the ZvBox near his PC and connects it into the nearest cable coax plug. After plugging a ZvBox into the cable system, a user can view any PC content (photos, music, Powerpoint slides, etc.), including anything that a PC can download or stream from the Internet (YouTube fodder, for example).

“ZvBox closes the huge gap that existed between HDTVs and the computer, which provides virtually unlimited content options and many applications already in use by consumers,” says ZeeVee CEO Vic Odryna. “Instead of the walled garden world of set-top box solutions, ZvBox opens up the entire universe of Internet video and computer applications.” The company’s slogan is “Free Your TV!” And this all sounds great until you read the $400 price tag and realize that while the Internet is free, the ZvBox is not.

And despite it all, the ZvBox is yet another box. When consumers say, “We don’t want another box,” do they really mean it, or do they really mean, “OK, one more, but it’s got to be a really cool one that gives me everything I want.”

FUTURE OUTLOOK FOR FUTURE ALTERNATIVES
So will these alternative broadband VOD boxes be the saviors of the download market, or are they just the latest salvo in an ongoing market battle, just blips on the radar screen as we move toward more comprehensive entertainment solutions more inline with AT&T’s “digital living room” concept?

“I’d say that the market for these boxes is definitely fuzzy at this point, but that isn’t to say that there’s not money out there for the services,” says Scherf. “Microsoft just reported that its Xbox LIVE service has contributed $1B from content downloads to the Xbox. We think that the market for services through Apple TV, VUDU, and TiVo will remain relatively small for the next few years, but could see a significant ramp to about $1B in annual revenue by 2012. That, of course, assumes that the content will be compelling (relevant) and timely.”

Ah, the old timely and compelling-content caveat! To read Parts 1-8 of EMedialive's DVD Download Business series, click here.

Mark Fritz (markfritz at intergrafix.net) is a contributing editor to EMedialive and Streaming Media.

EMedialive announces updates to The Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ in the following categories: IX. Industry Support, Prices, and Availability. See details below.
0. FAQ Updates

Date	Description
Nov. 11, 2009	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
Nov. 8, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: X. d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Nov. 1, 2009	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. m. What companies provide BD testing and verification services?
	Update: X: d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
	Update: XI. f. Licensing, Specifications, and Standards Organizations
Oct. 23, 2009	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: II. k. How do BD, HD DVD and DVD video formats and player requirements compare?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
Oct. 18, 2009	Update: VI. l. Are HD DVD and BD compatible with each other?
	Update: VIII. c. What is HDMI?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
Oct. 9, 2009	New question: IX. 1. How much do BD professional video recorders cost?
	Update: I. d. What are some notable milestones in the life of BD?
	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: II. i. What is a BD9 disc?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
Oct. 2, 2009	Update: II. d. What file systems are used on BD discs?
	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: XII. a. What do common BD and related acronyms and abbreviations stand for?
Sept. 28, 2009	Update: III. a. How fast are BD discs written and read?
	Update: III. c. How much time does it take to write a BD-R and BD-RE disc?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. r. How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
	Update: IX. v. How much do TV/BD player combos cost?
Sept. 18, 2009	Update: III. a. How fast are BD discs written and read?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: VII. a. How many times can a BD-RE disc be rewritten?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. t. How much do BD disc changers and home entertainment servers cost?
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
Sept. 11, 2009	Update: I. d. What are some notable milestones in the life of BD?
	Update: VII. a. How many times can a BD-RE disc be rewritten?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
	Update: IX. q. How much does BD computer video player software cost?
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
Sept. 4, 2009	Update: VI. g. What type of computer software is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. m. What companies provide BD testing and verification services?
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI. f. Licensing, Specifications, and Standards Organizations
Aug. 27, 2009	Update: VIII. c. What is HDMI?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. h. How much do BD game consoles cost?
	Update: IX. i. How much do BD duplication and publishing systems cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: IX. q. How much does BD computer video player software cost?
Aug. 20, 2009	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
Aug. 13, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: VIII. c. What is HDMI?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI. f. Licensing, Specifications, and Standards Organizations
Aug. 6, 2009	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
July 30, 2009	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. t. How much do BD disc changers and home entertainment servers cost?
July 22, 2009	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
July 15, 2009	New question: e. Can writable BD discs recorded at different speeds be read back at any speed?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: IX. t. How much do BD disc changers and home entertainment servers cost?
	Update: IX. u. How much do BD data storage and archiving jukeboxes cost?
July 9, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
July 2, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
June 25, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: IX. q. How much does BD computer video player software cost?
	Update: IX. x. How much do BD Network-Attached Storage devices cost?
	Update: IX. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
June 18, 2009	New question: IX. z. What companies offer BD quality assurance and quality control services?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
June 11, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
	Update: IX. v. How much do TV/BD player combos cost?
	Update: IX. w. How much do portable BD players cost?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
May 20, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
May 13, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
	Update: IX. v. How much do TV/BD player combos cost?
	Update: IX. w. How much do portable BD players cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
May 4, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: IX. y. How much do BD audio encoders cost?
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
Apr. 16, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI. f. Licensing, Specifications, and Standards Organizations
Apr. 9, 2009	New question: II. n. Can all BD players display BD-J content?
	New question: II. o. How long does it take a BD player to load and execute BD-J content?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
Apr. 3, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
	Update: X. d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Mar. 26, 2009	Update: I. c. What is the Blu-ray Disc Association?
	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: IX. q. How much does BD computer video player software cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
Mar. 19, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. j. How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
	Update: XI. h. BD-J/BD-Live Developer Communities and Organizations
Feb. 19, 2009	New section: XII. Glossary, Acronyms, Abbreviations and Units of Measure
	New question: XII. a. What do common BD and related acronyms and abbreviations stand for?
Feb. 14, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
Feb. 6, 2009	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. e. How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
Jan. 30, 2009	Update: III. c. How much time does it take to write a BD-R and BD-RE disc?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
Jan. 22, 2009	Update: I. c. What is the Blu-ray Disc Association?
	Update: III. b. What rotational schemes do BD discs employ?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM and BD Combo drives cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
	Update: XI. h. BD-J/BD-Live Developer Communities and Organizations
Jan. 15, 2009	New question: IX. x. How much do BD Network-Attached Storage devices cost?
	New question: IX. y. How much do BD audio encoders cost?
	Update:: VIII. b. What issues are raised when playing commercial BD movies over analog and digital video connections?
	Update: VIII. c. What is HDMI?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. j. How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. t. How much do BD disc changers and home entertainment servers cost?
Jan. 9, 2009	New question: IX. v. How much do TV/BD player combos cost?
	New question: IX. w. How much do portable BD players cost?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. m. What companies provide BD testing and verification services?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box and Sound Bars cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
Dec. 30, 2008	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
Dec. 18, 2008	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX: e. How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. r. How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
Dec. 10, 2008	Update: IV. c. How far might BD disc capacity increase in the future?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. s. How much do BD video encoders and transcoders cost?
Dec. 2, 2008	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: IX. t. How much do BD disc changers and home entertainment servers cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
Nov. 20, 2008	Update: II. a. What specifications govern BD discs?
	Update: II. e. What is the BD-R/RE AV format?
	Update: V. d. What is the purpose of the hard coat on a BD disc?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. n. How much do BD camcorders cost?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Nov. 13, 2008	New question: V. e. What are the weights and physical dimensions of BD discs?
	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: VII. c. What is the best way to handle and store a BD disc?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
Nov. 5, 2008	New question: I. d. What are some notable milestones in the life of BD?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Updaet: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
Oct. 24, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
Oct. 17, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
Oct. 9, 2008	New question: 0. How do I know when the BD FAQ has been updated?
	New question: f. What licensing obligations exist when replicating and distributing content on prerecorded BD discs?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. r. How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
	Update: IX. t. How much do BD disc changers and home entertainment servers cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
Oct. 2, 2008	New question: II. m. What is the directory structure of a BD-R/RE AV disc?
	New question: X. e. What licensing obligations exist when duplicating and distributing content on writable BD discs?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: II. l. What is the directory structure of a BD-ROM AV disc?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. e. How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
Sept 25, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: III. c. How much time does it take to write a BD-R and BD-RE disc?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. s. How much do BD video encoders and transcoders cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
Sept. 18, 2008	Update: II. d. What file systems are used on BD discs?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
Sept. 11, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
Sept. 4, 2008	New question: II. l. What is the directory structure of a BD-ROM AV disc?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Updaet: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. m. What companies provide BD testing and verification services?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box cost?
Aug. 27, 2008	New question: I. c. What is the Blu-ray Disc Association?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: IV. c. How far might BD disc capacity increase in the future?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: IX. a. What companies create and support BD formats?
	Update: IX. . b. What movie and music studios support BD?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: X. c. Who owns the name Blu-ray Disc and its logo?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Aug. 21, 2008	New question: XI. i. Anti-Piracy Education, Investigation and Compliance Organizations
	Update: II. a. What specifications govern BD discs?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. r. How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
	Update: X. d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
	Update: XI. h. BD-J/BD-Live Developer Communities and Organizations
Aug. 15, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. n. How much do BD camcorders cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: IX. s. How much do BD video encoders and transcoders cost?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
July 18, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: III. c. How much time does it take to write a BD-R and BD-RE disc?
	Updaet: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: XI. f. Licensing, Specifications, and Standards Organizations
July 10, 2008	New question: IX. t. How much do BD disc changers and home entertainment servers cost?
	New question IX. u. How much do BD data storage and archiving jukeboxes cost?
	Update: III. c. How much time does it take to write a BD-R and BD-RE disc?
	Update: VII. b. How long will data on a BD disc remain readable?
	Update: VII. c. What is the best way to handle and store a BD disc?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. i. How much do BD duplication and publishing systems cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. r. How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
	Update: IX. s. How much do BD video encoders and transcoders cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
July 3, 2008	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. r. How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
	Update: IX. s. How much do BD video encoders and transcoders cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
June 26, 2008	New question: VII. c. What is the best way to handle and store a BD disc?
	New question: IX. s. How much do BD video encoders and transcoders cost?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
June 19, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. g. How much do blank BD discs cost?
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
June 12, 2008	New question: IX. r. How much do computers equipped with BD drives cost?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: IX. a. What companies create and support BD formats?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: X. d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
June 5, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Updaet: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: X. d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
May 29, 2008	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. m. What companies provide BD testing and verification services?
	Update: X. d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
May 22, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: X. d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
May 15, 2008	New question: X. d. Who claims and who administers BD patent rights?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
May 9, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
May 1, 2008	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: IX. j. How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles, Columns, and Reviews
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
Apr. 24, 2008	Update: I. a. What is Blu-ray Disc?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: X. a. What is Regional Playback Control?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Apr. 17, 2008	New question: X. b. Does Regional Playback Control apply to DVD-Video discs viewed on BD players?
	New question: X. c. Who owns the name Blu-ray Disc and its logo?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: V. c. How is a BD-RE disc constructed?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Apr. 8, 2008	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. q. How much does BD computer video player software cost?
Mar. 20, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: IX. q. How much does BD computer video player software cost?
Mar. 7, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Feb. 29, 2008	New question: II. k. How do BD, HD DVD and DVD video formats and player requirements compare?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
Feb. 22, 2008	New question: IX. q. How much does BD computer video player software cost?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. i. How much do BD duplication and publishing systems cost?
	Update: XI. g. High-Definition and Digital Television Information
Jan. 30, 2008	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
Jan. 18, 2008	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box cost?
Jan. 8, 2008	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box cost?
Dec. 27, 2007	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. e. How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
	Update: IX. h. How much do BD game consoles cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
Nov. 30, 2007	New question: VI. l. Are HD DVD and BD compatible with each other?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. n. How much do BD camcorders cost?
Nov. 10, 2007	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
Nov. 2, 2007	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
Oct. 12, 2007	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: II. g. What is a Total Hi Def disc?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. e. How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
Sept. 21, 2007	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
Sept. 14, 2007	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: IX. a. What companies create and support BD formats?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. e. How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
Sept. 7, 2007	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: IX. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. b. What movie and music studios support BD?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
Aug. 27, 2007	New question: IX. p. How much does BD video authoring software cost?
	Update: IX. b. What movie and music studios support BD?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
Aug. 9, 2007	New question: IX. n. How much do BD camcorders cost?
	New question: IX. o. How much do BD Home Theaters in a Box cost?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
July 25, 2007	Update II. a. What specifications govern BD discs?
	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. a. What companies create and support BD formats?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: X: a. What is Regional Playback Control?
	Update: XI: c. Presentations
July 12, 2007	New question: IX. m. What companies provide BD testing and verification services?
	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: X. a. What is Regional Playback Control?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
July 9, 2007	New question: XI. h. Developer Organizations
	Update: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: XI. f. Licensing, Specifications, and Standards Organizations
June 20, 2007	New question: VI. k. What firmware updates are available for BD players, drives and recorders?
	Update: XI. f. Licensing, Specifications, and Standards Organizations
June 6, 2007	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. j. How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
May 24, 2007	Update: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VIII. c. What is HDMI?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. g. How much do blank BD discs cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Apr. 17, 2007	New question: VI. f. What computer operating system is required to play BD movies?
	New question: VI. g. What type of computer software is required to play BD movies?
	New question: VI. h. How much computer system memory is required to play BD movies?
	New question: VI. i. What type of computer CPU is required to play BD movies?
	New question: VI. j. What type of graphics card is required to play BD movies?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
Apr. 5, 2007	Update: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	Update: VIII. d. What is HDCP?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. i. How much do BD duplication and publishing systems cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles and Columns
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
	Update: XI. f. Licensing, Specifications, and Standards Organizations
Feb. 24, 2007	New question: II. i. What is a BD9 disc?
	New question: II. j. What are BD-Video and BD-Live profiles?
	Update: I. b. Why the name Blu-ray Disc?
	Update: IX. e. How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
	Update: IX. j. How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Feb. 16, 2007	New question: II. h. Are double-sided BD and BD/DVD Combo discs available?
	New question: IX. l. What companies manufacture BD-ROM discs?
	Update: I. a. What is Blu-ray Disc?
	Update: I. b. Why the name Blu-ray Disc?
	Update: II. b. What BD formats are available?
	Update: XI. a. Articles and Columns
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI: e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
	Update: IX: c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX: d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX: f.  How much do commercial BD movie titles cost?
	Update: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
Jan. 20, 2007	New question: II. g. What is a Total Hi Def disc?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. j. How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
	Update: XI. a. Articles and Columns
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
Jan. 9, 2007	New question: VI. e. Does a writable BD disc contain information about its manufacture?
	New question: VI. d. Can all BD-R recorders write BD-R discs in all recording modes?
	New question: VI. c. Can all BD recorders write single and dual-layer BD discs?
	New question: IX. k. How much do BD-ROM drives cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. h. How much do BD game consoles cost?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: II. f. What is the BD-ROM AV format?
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
Oct. 14, 2006	New question: IX. i. How much do BD duplication and publishing systems cost?
	New question: IX. j. How much do printable BD-R discs cost?
	New question: IV. c. How far might BD disc capacity increase in the future?
	Update: X: a. What is Regional Playback Control?
	Update: IX: e. How much do BD consumer electronics recorders cost?
	Update: IX: a. What companies create and support BD formats?
	Update: III: a. How fast are BD discs written and read?
	Update: VIII: c. What is HDMI?
	Update: XI. a. Articles and Columns
	Update: XI. b. Technical and White Papers
	Update: XI. c. Presentations
	Update: XI. e. Specifications, Standards, and Government Regulations
Aug. 28, 2006	New section: 0. FAQ Updates
	New section: X. Copying Deterrents and Content Protection
	New question: X. a. What is Regional Playback Control?
	New question: IX. h. How much do BD game consoles cost?
	Update: IX. c. How much do consumer electronics BD players cost?
	Update: IX. d. How much do BD computer recorders cost?
	Update: IX. f.  How much do commercial BD movie titles cost?
	Update: IX. g. How much do blank BD discs cost?
June 6, 2006	Initial release

Roxio®, a division of Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC), the leader in digital media software, today launched Roxio Creator™ 2009, the latest version of the company’s market-leading suite of photo, video, and music authoring, burning, and online sharing applications. Creator 2009 introduces a range of pioneering audio features, integration of family-friendly online services, and advanced support for High Definition (HD) video. Creator 2009 also offers a streamlined workflow that enables consumers to complete a broad range of media creation, editing, sharing, and management projects more efficiently. Taking the guesswork out of evolving technologies and complicated formats and enabling users to take full advantage of all of Creator’s capabilities, Creator 2009 offers direct links to informative tutorials and how-to articles that provide guidance and creative inspiration. Roxio Creator 2009 is available today at www.roxio.com for $99.99 and will be introduced early next month in retail stores worldwide.

“Whether it’s the desire to edit hours of footage from a special family event, create a personalized photo slideshow of exotic travels or compose a perfect music playlist, consumers just want a straightforward solution that enables them to quickly and effortlessly create, preserve and enjoy their personal media content,” said Vito Salvaggio, vice president of consumer products, Roxio division of Sonic Solutions. “We listened to our customers and with Creator 2009 delivered a suite that is not only powerful, but also easy enough for family members of all skill levels to achieve great results.”

Roxio Creator 2009 introduces a variety of new features and enhancements to help both families and digital multimedia enthusiasts organize their digital world and express themselves through engaging movies, powerful multimedia stories and creative projects.

Roxio Creator 2009 Highlights

Online and Mobile Sharing
Users will appreciate the direct access to Roxio Online, a new digital storytelling platform that enables families to turn their photos and videos into engaging slideshows that can be shared and enjoyed on PCs, DVDs, TVs, a range of handheld devices, and popular social networking sites. For added convenience, Roxio Online can be accessed from within Creator 2009’s product launcher and is available from within applications such as VideoWave®, CineMagic® or Media Manager. The Roxio Online service is available through a free subscription. Consumers can unlock additional creation and sharing capabilities by upgrading to Roxio Online’s premium service.

Ease-of-Use
The redesigned Creator 2009 product launcher provides quick access to all the tasks and creation tools available within Creator. Whether it’s editing video, creating a photo slideshow or burning an audio CD, Creator’s friendly and interactive design makes it easy to quickly accomplish a given task. Also easily accessible are a variety of helpful how-to articles and video-tutorials designed to guide consumers through the creative process.

Beyond the dozens of new workflow enhancements that make projects easier to complete, Creator 2009 also features SyncIt! ™, a new desktop applet that automatically converts digital files to preferred formats for viewing on mobile devices, smart encoding technology for the quick authoring of HD video, and enhanced multi-core processor support for the latest CPUs.

Life in High Definition
Families and others can now create stunning HD projects using footage from AVCHD camcorders and favorite HD programming from TiVo® and other DVRs and burn it in HD, using DVD burners, onto standard DVDs for playback on a Playstation® 3 and other Blu-ray Disc players. This technology provides consumers with an affordable alternative to enjoy up to 60 minutes of video in HD. For even more impressive results, consumers may chose from a variety of new high definition menu themes and easily add them to their final productions. Enabled by a High-Def/Blu-ray Disc Plug-in, consumers can burn HD video to Blu-ray Disc, and enjoy more than three hours of HD movies on their HDTV using any Blu-ray Disc set-top player.

Superior Audio and Music
Headlining the new audio capabilities of Roxio Creator 2009 is Audiobook Creator™, an innovative technology that converts an entire audiobook into a single file with preserved chapter markers, making it easy for on-the-go readers to enjoy their favorite book on iPod®, iPhone® or other portable players like the Creative Zen®. Until now, users were only able to convert audiobook CDs into dozens of individual chapter files, making it difficult and often frustrating to manage on a portable device. Creator’s already impressive audio capabilities are enhanced by the new Beatmatching™ feature which enables users to create music compilations of perfectly synchronized cross fades for great sounding party mixes that are ideal for special occasions and gatherings.

In support of the launch of Creator 2009, Roxio is extending MyMoments™, its educational portal that offers consumers a wealth of digital media resources including how-to videos, informative tutorials and blogs. Included in the latest additions is Extreme Digital Makeover™, a web-based video series dedicated to helping users make the most of their digital lives.

Pricing and Availability
Roxio Creator 2009 will be available in retail stores worldwide this month and is available today directly from Roxio at www.roxio.com for $99.99. The High-Def/Blu-ray Disc plug-in will be sold as a downloadable component from www.roxio.com for $29.99. Roxio will offer the High-Def/Blu-ray Disc plug-in for free for customers who purchase from www.roxio.com through September 30, 2008.

For enthusiasts who want even more capabilities and control, Roxio is releasing Roxio Creator 2009 Ultimate for $129. The Ultimate version includes everything available in Creator 2009 and, in addition, includes the High-Def/Blu-ray Disc plug-in and a comprehensive set of audio and backup tools, which would cost over $300 if purchased separately.

www.roxio.com

Toshiba America Consumer Products, L.L.C. ("Toshiba") today announces its new video enhancement technology for DVD with the introduction of the XD-E500. XDE, or "eXtended Detail Enhancement," is more than just DVD upconversion. XDE takes DVD picture quality to a whole new level. In addition to providing upconversion from 480i/p up to 1080p, XDE offers user selectable picture enhancement modes that allow for greater detail, more vivid colors and stronger contrast that bring standard DVD quality closer to the HD experience. XDE technology lets consumers enjoy their existing DVD libraries in a whole new way.

"Consumers have embraced the DVD format like no other technology and invested in large libraries of their favorite movies. As the market moves towards high definition, XDE lets them experience their existing DVD library and the tens of thousands of DVD titles in a whole new way," said Louis Masses, Director of Product Planning. "XDE offers consumers a simple solution to add on to their HDTV purchase. XDE works with existing DVDs to deliver a near HD experience with enhanced detail and richer colors. Toshiba is delivering to consumers what they want -- a high quality experience at an affordable price."

XDE Flexibility
In addition to upconversion from 480i/p to 1080p, XDE technology offers consumers the ability to customize their viewing experience to their liking with its picture mode settings. With these three selectable settings -- Sharp, Color and Contrast -- users can get the most out of their DVD movie-viewing experience on their terms.

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• Sharp Mode offers improved detail enhancement that is one step closer to high definition. Edges are sharper and details in movies are more visible. Unlike traditional sharpness control, XDE technology analyzes the entire picture and adds edge enhancement precisely where it's needed.
• Color Mode makes the colors of nature stand out with improved richness. Blues and greens are more vivid and lifelike. Color Mode combines the improvement in color with the detail enhancement of Sharp Mode and is ideal for outdoor scenes.
• Contrast Mode is designed to make darker scenes or foregrounds more clearly visible without the typical "washing out" that can occur with traditional contrast adjustment. Recommended for dark scenes where detail may be difficult to notice, Contrast Mode is also combined with Sharp Mode to provide a clearer viewing experience.

XDE will be launched today onboard the XD-E500 1080p/24fps Upconverting DVD player. Featuring XDE technology, the XD-E500 also incorporates key features found on today's upconverting standard DVD players such as HDMI-CEC, DivX certification, JPEG capability, MP3 and WMA playback and much more in a slim, high-gloss cosmetic design to complement today's HDTV.

The XD-E500 is shipping this month with an MSRP of $149.99 and can be found at authorized retailers nationwide.

For more information on XDE visit www.toshibaxde.com or www.tacp.toshiba.com.

The Hi Def disc markets in both the USA and Europe continue to perform in line with expectations, following a more bullish outlook once the world shifted to one format at the beginning of this year.

Right now all eyes are on Q4 with everyone wondering just how big it will get, with so many hot title releases planned and all hitting the shelves day and date with the DVD release. The consensus seems to be that consumers will buy close to 45 million Blu-ray discs in the US this year (more than 400% up on last year).

On big titles, the share of total sales being taken by BD has already hit 5-6% and by Q4 it is possible we’ll see a 10% or even 12% share for some of the really big hitters.

In Europe, awareness and uptake are still lower overall, although in the key markets the retailers and the studios are reacting to an uplift in interest this year and are gearing up for a good end to 2008. “We expect 2% of unit sales in the lead markets of the UK and France to be on BD this year and this is likely to hit 5-6% next year,” says Mai Hoang, a lead analyst in the Futuresource Home Video team.

By 2012, between 40% and 50% of consumer expenditure on video discs will be allocated to Bluray according to the latest analysis from Futuresource.

What has been disappointing to date for the content companies has been the lack of catalogue title sales, although the studios are showing no signs of reducing their interest in catalogue product. “All eyes are on Warner’s initiative to cut catalogue prices,” continues Hoang. “Other studios and the retailers are going to be watching consumer reaction to this very carefully.” “What has impressed me most,” says Jim Bottoms, MD of Futuresource, “is the way the retailers are supporting BD and how much space they are giving over to Blu-ray discs. Europe is still some way behind in this regard but here too we are seeing more of a push behind the format.”

“Much of the drive behind this increase is coming from growing consumer awareness and falling hardware prices, coupled with PS3 owners increasingly using their consoles for video playback,” adds Jack Wetherill, who focuses on the hardware business at Futuresource. “I would be amazed if we don’t see a Blu-ray player in the US at or below $250USD by the end of this year, and in order to stimulate consumer traffic in the holiday season who’s to say there won’t be a product at closer to $200USD? In the UK, player prices will fall to around £149GBP and there may be one or two companies trying to better that.”

www.futuresource-consulting.com

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA) today announced plans to introduce a new 160GB PLAYSTATION(R)3 (PS3(TM)) computer entertainment system in North America as part of the limited-edition Uncharted: Drake's Fortune(TM) PS3 system bundle. The increased storage size enables entertainment enthusiasts to store even more movies, television shows, and games downloaded from PLAYSTATION(R)Network, as well as more videos, music, and photos from their personal collection. Slated to launch in November for $499.99 (MSRP), the 160GB PS3 system will come bundled with the hit game, Uncharted: Drake's Fortune(TM), a PLAYSTATION Network voucher for PAIN, and a DUALSHOCK(R)3 wireless controller. The previously announced 80GB PS3 system ($399.99 MSRP) has started shipping to retailers.

"As PLAYSTATION Network continues to evolve with our recently launched video delivery service and more exclusive games, PS3 owners are demanding more storage capacity," said Jack Tretton, president and CEO, SCEA. "Consumers also are utilizing PS3 as an entertainment hub for their digital media, placing content such as their entire music collection on the hard drive. The 160GB PS3 system addresses this growing consumer demand in a compelling bundle that delivers significant value."

The Uncharted: Drake's Fortune PS3 bundle includes the following components:

• 160GB PS3 system -- The 160GB PS3 is a complete entertainment system comprising a Blu-ray(TM) Disc player, HDMI output, an integrated Wi-Fi connection, and Cell Broadband Engine(TM).
• Uncharted: Drake's Fortune -- A 400-year-old clue found in the coffin of Sir Francis Drake sets a modern-day fortune hunter, Nathan Drake, on an exploration for the fabled treasure of El Dorado, leading to the discovery of a forgotten island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The search turns deadly when Drake becomes stranded on the island and hunted by mercenaries. Outnumbered and outgunned, Drake and his companions must fight to survive as they begin to unravel the terrible secrets hidden on the Island.
• PAIN PLAYSTATION Network Voucher -- PAIN boldly tackles a rarely explored area of video-gaming ... comedy. The unique mechanic of the game allows the player to load a character into a human-sized, ultra-powerful slingshot, and fire the character into an active, physics-controlled environment, filled with precarious and humorous situations. Download PAIN from PLAYSTATION Store to your PS3 system with the included voucher.
• DUALSHOCK 3 Wireless Controller -- DUALSHOCK 3 wireless controller provides the most intuitive game play experience with pressure sensors in each action button and the inclusion of the highly sensitive SIXAXIS(TM) motion sensing technology.

PS3 momentum has soared in 2008, starting with Blu-ray becoming the high-definition standard and following the launches of key franchise titles, including Gran Turismo(TM) 5 Prologue, Grand Theft Auto(TM) IV, and Metal Gear Solid(R)4: Guns of the Patriots. That momentum will continue into the holidays and beyond, as PS3's software lineup will offer the most depth and breadth of any platform across the industry, delivering highly anticipated exclusives such as BUZZ!(TM): Quiz TV, LittleBigPlanet(TM), Resistance(TM) 2, MotorStorm(TM) Pacific Rift, and Killzone(TM) 2.

www.us.playstation.com

Studio 7 Media, LLC, a full service technology development and design firm, announced today the introduction of its new, proprietary DVD3™ authoring technology, which allows studios and DVD manufacturers to combine three separate disc formats - set-top DVD player, Mac and PC - on a single disc. Studio 7 Media's DVD3™ application is the first technology to achieve this milestone while retaining full Mac OS X functionality and breaking through the data size limitations previously restricting the amount of DVD video content that could be included in a triple-hybrid scenario.

Developed in response to the studios' need to enhance their two-disc DVD releases with additional DVD video content, DVD3™ allows producers to add bonus video to disc two while simultaneously including fully-functioning interactive features for both PC and Mac users on the same disc. Prior to DVD3™, additional DVD video content could not be added to a disc containing both PC and Mac interactive applications without sacrificing the Mac user experience. With DVD3™, studios now have the ability to maximize the leftover space on disc two with additional value-added DVD video content and with the PC, Mac and set-top formats adhering to DVD specifications.

The release of DVD3™ follows a boom in two-disc DVD sets sparked by the success of the Digital Copy interactive DVD feature, which allows users to seamlessly copy a movie to their PC, Mac and portable device more easily than ever before. The first DVD authoring software developed as a Mac application, DVD3™ solves the technical challenge that has stumped DVD authoring houses and studios of how to successfully combine DVD video with interactive features for both Mac and PC on a single disc.

"With the explosion of the Mac audience, studios no longer have the luxury of releasing new DVDs with PC-only interactive features," said Cyndee Sugra, CEO of Studio 7 Media. "Where the problem has been is that the existing DVD authoring software for Hollywood movies was never really designed to offer a fully optimized Mac experience to the consumer. By designing DVD3 from the ground up as a Mac application to handle PC, Mac and set-top formats, we were able to offer a solution that delivers the best possible end-user experience for Mac and PC users, which adheres to DVD specifications and works seamlessly with studios and mastering houses."

DVD3™ is the second breakthrough application created by Studio 7 Media in the past year following on the heels of the firm's award winning digital copy application, a proprietary technology selected by Twentieth Century Fox to power the studio's "Fox Digital Copy" application. Debuting for the first time in the motion picture industry with the release of Fox's "Live Free or Die Hard" DVD, the widely praised Fox Digital Copy allows users to seamlessly copy a movie to their PC, Mac and portable device, such as an iPod, more easily than ever before. The application has been included on a large number of FOX's DVD releases.

DVD3™ authoring services are also available to studios and authoring houses for effortless delivery as part of Studio 7 Media's full suite of content development, creative and tech services for Mac and PC DVD-ROM applications.

Studio 7 Media can also provide check discs for QA, deliver final output for mastering/encryption services in DDP format and offers robust hosting and server configuration for handling of content delivery and DRM licensing. In addition to its DVD work, Studio 7 Media offers a broad range of technology and marketi ng services including Web development, interactive and print design, corporate branding, set-top box games and menus and software applications for companies such as Hewlett-Packard, Fisher-Price, Nike, MTV and CNN.

www.studio7media.com

Aleratec Inc., leading developer and manufacturer of "Prosumers' Choice" solutions for the USB, Flash, HDD, Blu-ray, DVD/CD, duplicating, and DVD/CD publishing markets, announced today the availability of volume packaged, high performance, Duplicator Grade LightScribe media at significantly lower prices through "A" list online resellers. Aleratec Duplicator Grade LightScribe media is available online from leading resellers including AAFES, Amazon, B&H Photo Video, BestBuy Business.com, Buy.com, CDW, Dell, HP, J&R, NewEgg, Overstock.com, PC Connection, PC Mall, QVC.com, Ritz Camera, and Walmart.com.

"Aleratec has developed Duplicator Grade LightScribe Media for those discerning users that insist on defect free media with the capacity for the highest contrast labels, quality recordings, and the highest yields" stated Perry Solomon, Aleratec President and CEO. "These customers have been asking for media in higher quantities and we have responded with our 600 packs and lower pricing. We are proud to offer these through the top online resellers. Why would anyone trust budget media offered by 'B' list resellers you have never heard of for critical business, government, or corporate applications?"

Aleratec Direct Disc Publishing is an integrated system that combines LightScribe enabled DVD/CD publishers with specially coated LightScribe compliant media and the powerful Aleratec Disc Publishing Software Suite, to produce precise, laser-etched, disc labels with superior sharpness and clarity. LightScribe laser burns professional-looking CD and DVD labels directly on the disc -- no ink or other costly printing supplies are required. Aleratec is committed to be the leader in LightScribe media for Prosumer disc publishing applications.

"Any volume corporate or government user knows the importance of trouble free media and having it readily available," said Kent Henscheid, Marketing Manager for LightScribe, a business unit of HP. "Customers that need to duplicate quantities of DVDs and CDs with LightScribe silkscreen quality labels will benefit from Aleratec's duplicator grade media volume packs."

In disc publishing with LightScribe, users need maximum assurance that the media they are using has the capability of producing the best silkscreen quality labels. The challenge is being sure that the media chosen is consistently the highest quality as there are many variables that can influence the reliability of the publishing process. Aleratec has accepted this challenge using the highest standards and quality controls to assure consistency and the highest reliability media for disc publishing.

For the convenience of the volume customer, Aleratec Duplicator Grade LightScribe Media is available in 600 packs:

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• LightScribe DVD+R 16x V1.2 Duplicator Grade Media 600-Pack Aleratec Part # 300115, Ingram Micro SKU R86781, Tech Data SKU 25375I ESP $499.00
• LightScribe DVD-R 16x V1.2 Duplicator Grade Media 600-Pack Aleratec Part # 230117, Ingram Micro SKU U06776, Tech Data SKU 25374I ESP $499.00
• LightScribe CD-R 52x V1.2 Duplicator Grade Media 600-Pack Aleratec Part # 110120, Ingram Micro SKU R86782, Tech Data SKU 25376I ESP $285.00

The full line of Aleratec solutions, and accessories is featured at AAFES, Adorama, Amazon.com, B&H Photo Video, Best Buy, Buy.com, CDW, Circuit City, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Insight, J & R, Mac Connection, MacMall, Meijer, Micro Center, NewEgg, Office Depot, PC Connection, PC Mall, PC Nation, ProVantage, Quill, QVC.com, Ritz Camera, Staples, Target, Tech Depot and Wal-Mart in addition to other leading retailers.

Government and Education customers may purchase from Government and Education Specialists including AAFES, B&H Photo Video Gov, Best Buy Gov/Ed, CDW-G, CompuCom, EnPointe, GovConnection, GTSI, Insight Gov, PC Mall Gov, Pomeroy, Sayers, Shi.com, Softchoice, telcobuy, TIG, and Unisys. All products are available to resellers in the U.S. through D&H Distributing, DBL Distributing, Ingram Micro, and Tech Data; in Canada through D&H Canada and Ingram Micro Canada; in Latin America and the Caribbean through Tech Data Miami.

Complete information available at www.aleratec.com.

JVC Disc America Co., long known as a worldwide leader in optical media replication, has changed its name to JVC America Inc. to reflect its expansion into comprehensive services that include supply chain management; contract packaging; fulfillment; and reverse logistics. The company also is expanding its warehouse capacity by more than 540,000 square feet. JVC America Inc. is a privately held, wholly owned subsidiary of JVC Americas Corp.

“The name change to JVC America Inc. is symbolic of Victor Company's commitment to the business and recognition that it has expanded well beyond optical media replication, which is an important piece of our business that continues to operate and consistently exceed customer expectations,” says JVC America Inc. Chief Operations Officer Ron Vangrov. “But our capabilities have evolved dramatically since we first started doing business in America 21 years ago. This name change reflects a turning point in our company’s history as we deliver broader, more customizable services to a growing variety of customers.”

Further diversifying its capabilities, JVC America Inc. recently acquired additional DVD molding lines, an offset printing system and new automated packaging lines for PlayStation® 3.

EXPANDING CAPACITY
JVC America Inc. will occupy the entire space at New Manchester Distribution Center, located two miles south of Interstate 20 on Camp Creek Parkway in Atlanta, for the creation and distribution of media products for a leading international publisher of interactive entertainment software products and creator of best-selling gaming products.

“As a company, we are extremely committed to quality for our customers, and this is an example of our dedication to filling a customer’s specific need,” Vangrov says. “The name change and capacity expansion both mark a pivotal point for JVC America Inc. to continue building its legacy of expectation-exceeding customer service.”

New Manchester Distribution Center is a freestanding distribution facility with easy access to both Interstate 20 and Interstate 285. Building features include an energy-efficient, T-8 lighting system, which helps to greatly reduce operating costs and energy expenditure. The lease agreement was made through ProLogis, the world’s largest owner, manager and developer of distribution facilities, with operations in 121 markets across North America, Europe and Asia.

www.jvcdiscusa.com

CDA Datenträger Albrechts GmbH is building up its own Blu-ray production capacities at its Suhl location and plans to commence delivery already in the coming high season. By this strategic investment, the independent manufacturer of optical storage medialives up to its ambition to be one of the "early adapters" and technology leaders within the industry.

This decision is the company’s reaction to the end of the war of formats infavour of the Blu-ray disc and to the slowly increasing customer demand for Blu-ray productions, in particular from the home entertainment range. "We do not expect any significant production levels before 2009," says Dr. Nicolaus Hettler, managing director of CDA, "but already at this point, we rise to our customers’ requirements to be a one-stop supplier for all formats. Our own production of Blu-ray discs is an investment in the future to further strengthen the market position of CDA."

An initial investment was made in a production line of the type "Singulus" with a daily capacity of either 17,000 single-layer or 12,000 dual-layer discs. The production of course complies with the Blu-ray specifications and is intended for certification from the BDA (Blu-ray Disc Association). urthermore as a protection against piracy, the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) for digital rights management is available for the Blu-ray disc.

At the same time, CDA is expanding its capacities for conventional DVD formats in order to meet the increasing demand.

CDA attaches great importance to continuous further development of its products. New technologies, such as HD Print, are just as much part of the performance range of CDA as the innovations all around the disc, as e. g. the watermark-like Vision embossing, the Holo Disc, or the RFID disc.

www.cda.de

ArcSoft, Inc. announced that ArcSoft TotalMedia™ Theatre has received DTS Surround Sensation certification from DTS, Inc., being the first in the software industry to achieve this certification.

"DTS Surround Sensation brings Surround Sound to the listeners using just two speakers or stereo headphones,” said George Tang, ArcSoft Vice President and General Manager of Video and Home Entertainment Group. "By implementing this technology in the software, ArcSoft TotalMedia Theatre delivers the ultimate audio experience to users when watching high definition movies on PC.”

“We are pleased that ArcSoft has received certification for DTS Surround Sensation,” said David Tan, VP Product Management/North American Licensing for DTS. “We are delighted to add ArcSoft to the growing list of licensees for Surround Sensation and look forward to future collaborations and continuing our very successful relationship with them.”

This past January, ArcSoft announced support for DTS Surround Sensation and in early May, ArcSoft TotalMedia Theatre obtained DTS-HD Master Audio certification. In the line of long achievements and previous certifications, ArcSoft is adding a new certification to its popular high definition video player, TotalMedia Theatre.

With DTS Surround Sensation, TotalMedia Theatre offers users the sensation of a 5.1 channels sound system in a two channel environment, delivering enhanced clarity, bass enhancement, and stereo expansion. For more information, visit www.arcsoft.com/intouch/totalmediatheatrepr/.

The U.S. based DPHI, Inc. dba DataPlay has received the approval to purchase the assets and intellectual property of DaTARIUS worldwide and resume operations immediately. DataPlay will be forming a new subsidiary in Austria and in the United States to continue to serve DaTARIUS's existing customer base. The new company will combine DaTARIUS's existing expertise in optical test equipment with DataPlay's advance technologies to create a true leader in the optical media marketplace. This new level of integration will allow DaTARIUS to quickly develop and manufacture new products that exceed the current and future needs of optical media manufacturers.

"Working with DaTARIUS GmbH over the last several years has given DataPlay a unique insight into the optical test equipment marketplace," said Bill Almon Jr., President and CEO of DPHI, Inc. / DataPlay. "We are pleased to be able to build upon DaTARIUS GmbH's past successes and leverage DataPlay's optical expertise in integrating future designs. Our goal is to rapidly integrate the two companies and continue to support the existing customer base."

The DataPlay/DaTARIUS relationship began in 2005 as a cooperative joint venture with the purpose of developing optical drive technology for DaTARIUS's existing and next generation products, including CD, DVD, and Blu-ray formats. Since then, DataPlay and DaTARIUS have worked together creating proprietary technology to establish DaTARIUS's DaTABANK product line.

www.dataplay.com
www.datarius.com