Sony starts 25GB Blu-ray movie lines; 50GB discs due in fall

May 21, 2006

Sony DADC
officially announced last week, their capability to produce
750,000 single-layer BD discs a month upon three Blu-ray replication lines
in the U.S. This is just prior to the formats projected launch in the end
of June. Not only are they running the lines, these facilities will
be able to upgrade and produce dual-layer discs for studios with
a 50 GB capacity in the fall of this year.

Sony
DADC is the only U.S. company currently replicating Blu-ray discs and as
such is expected to handle production for all Blu-ray
studios.

Sony DADC said it expects to add
manufacturing lines and increase capacity to nearly 5 million discs a
month by October, ahead of the critical fourth quarter. By then, it says,
it also will be able to make dual-layer 50GB discs on six
lines.

It's unclear when the studios will have a
title on a 50GB disc ready for market. Blu-ray supporting
studios'”particularly Buena Vista Home Entertainment'”have been awaiting the
50GB discs, however. Greater capacity will allow for more high-definition
bonus features that could be key to luring consumers to the
format.

My goodness, that is one heck of a lot of high
definition discs! You can check out the article in it's entirety, at the source,
by visiting this link.

Source: Video Business