Blu-ray Disc Ushers in New Era of Entertainment
U.S. Consumers Can Satisfy High Definition Appetites in 2006
Las Vegas, NV– January 5, 2006 — The Blu-ray Disc Association formally kicks off a new era of entertainment today as more than 20 companies announce Blu-ray Disc products, including players, recorders, high definition computer drives, recordable media and PC applications, as well as over 100 movie and music titles.
“Due to the unparalleled support of Blu-ray Disc, we will be able to offer movies, music and games as well as an unmatched array of product that will provide consumers with a dramatic new home entertainment experience,” said Victor Matsuda, global chairman, Blu-ray Disc Association Promotions Committee. “With Blu-ray Disc, the bar has now been raised for the home viewing experience.”
Blu-ray Disc provides consumers and content providers with a single common format that has the capacity, image and audio quality, interactivity and connectivity needed to expand beyond the simple movie playback and into a range of interoperable consumer products and applications that will bring a new dimension to home entertainment.
“Today’s announcements are a clear demonstration of the overwhelming cross-industry support for the Blu-ray Disc format,” said Howard Stringer, Chairman and CEO of Sony Corporation. “A majority of the CE, IT, Hollywood studios, music and game companies have already endorsed Blu-ray Disc because of its technical superiority and its ability to provide an entirely new experience to consumers. We are thrilled to announce that we are now ready for consumers to experience Blu-ray Disc for themselves.”
Consumers in the U.S can expect to see Blu-ray Disc product on retail shelves beginning in the first quarter of 2006, with additional products and titles expected over the course of the year. For a list of companies that have announced Blu-ray Disc products, and for a look at the first wave of Blu-ray Disc movie and music titles, please see the attached.
“With the rapid growth in high-definition TV, blue-laser technology is an important step forward in creating an unparalleled consumer entertainment experience,” said IDC’s Joshua Martin, associate analyst, consumer markets. “The winning format will offer consumers breadth of product and depth of content at competitive price points.”
“We believe that Blu-Ray Disc will give our customers a revolutionary new home entertainment experience that goes beyond high definition in every sense. With Blu-ray Disc, consumers will have access to life-like picture and sound, rich interactivity and interoperability across all their devices, from PCs to TVs to set-top players and recorders,” said Michael Dell, Chairman of Dell Inc.
About Blu-ray Disc
Blu-ray Disc is the next-generation optical disc format being developed for high-definition video and high-capacity software applications. A single-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 25 gigabytes of data and a double-layer Blu-ray Disc will hold up to 50 gigabytes of data.
About the Blu-ray Disc Association
The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) is responsible for promoting and further developing business opportunities for Blu-ray Disc — the next-generation optical disc for storing high-definition movies, games, photos and other digital content. The BDA has more than 170 members. Its Board of Directors consists of Apple; Dell Inc.; Hewlett Packard Company; Hitachi, Ltd.; LG Electronics Inc.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Panasonic (Matsushita Electric); Pioneer Corporation; Royal Philips Electronics; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corporation; Sony Corporation; TDK Corporation; Thomson; Twentieth Century Fox; Walt Disney Pictures and Television; Warner Bros. Entertainment.
For media inquiries, contact:
Blanc & Otus- Jennifer Zerwer
(Tel) +415- 856- 5133 (email) jzerwer@blancandotus.com
Players & Recorders
LG Electronics, Panasonic, Pioneer, Royal Philips Electronics,
Sony Electronics, Samsung
Computer Drives
Panasonic, Pioneer, Royal Philips Electronics, Sony Electronics
Blu-ray Disc Media
Sony DADC, TDK, Verbatim/MKM
PC Applications
interVideo, Nero, New Tech Infosystems, Inc., Sonic
Buena Vista Home Entertainment Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Hero; Dark Water, Ladder 49,The Brothers Grimm, The Great Raid , Armageddon, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Dinosaur, Everest
Lionsgate Home Entertainment Lord of War, The Punisher, Devil’s Rejects, Saw, T2: Judgment Day, Reservoir Dogs, Total Recall, Dune, Rambo: First Blood, See No Evil,
Paramount Home Entertainment
Four Brothers, Sahara, Aeon Flux , Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow, The Italian Job, Tomb Raider, U2: Rattle and Hum, Sleepy Hollow, We Were Soldiers, Manchurian Candidate, Mission Impossible, Mission Impossible 2, Mission Impossible 3.
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and MGM
The Fifth Element, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Desperado, For a Few Dollars More, The Guns of Navarone, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, A Knight’s Tale, Kung Fu Hustle, The Last Waltz, Legends of the Fall, Resident Evil Apocalypse, Robocop, Sense and Sensibility, Stealth, Species, SWAT, XXX, Black Hawk Down, The Bridge on the River Kwai
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment 20 Titles, including: Fantastic Four, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen,Behind Enemy Lines, Kiss of the Dragon, Ice Age
Warner Bros.
Batman Begins, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Constantine,
The Dukes of Hazzard, The Last Samurai, Lethal Weapon, The
Matrix, Million Dollar Baby, Oceans 12, Swordfish, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Training Day, Troy, Twister, Unforgiven
Eagle Rock Entertainment
20 music titles from artists including George Benson, Usher, the Black Crowes, Miles Davis and the Pixies
Sony BMG Music titles TBD
Movie titles for release in Japan only
Angel Seekers, from Air TBS
New Cinema Paradise, from Asmik Ace Entertainment, Inc.
Steamboy, from Bandai Visual Company, LTD.
