BDA grants licenses to Chinese manufacturers

According to a report by the DigiTimes, it seems that the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has now officially granted licenses to 11 Chinese manufacturers, meaning the consumer should see a larger selection of standalone Blu-ray players soon, and hopefully with cheaper price points.

Masayuki Kozuka, general manager for Matsushita Electric Industrial�s storage device business, and a member of the BDA board, made the announcement during a recent technology trade fair in China.

The 11 "Format and Logo Licence Agreements" which were granted will allow "licensees to use specifications solely to develop, manufacture and sell BD products." It also gives rights to the actual Blu-ray logo.

It is not known whom has been granted these licenses but it is expected that at least that China Hualu Panasonic AVC Networks, "a joint venture between Panasonic and the China-based Hualu Group" has received one of the grants. The licenses should cover Blu-ray research and development as well as production of discs, players and computer drives. Because of the licenses, volume production should begin in early 2009 from these Chinese manufacturers.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 30 May 2008 13:36

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22 comments

SDF_GR

conclusion ... price drop

30.5.2008 13:53 #1

iluvendo

Possibly even hackable !!!!

If it wasnt for bad luck, Id have no luck!
"The flimsier the product,the higher the price"
Ferengi 82nd rule of aquisition

30.5.2008 13:55 #2

Ryu77

Originally posted by iluvendo: Possibly even hackable !!!!For what?

30.5.2008 14:05 #3

eatsushi

Originally posted by SDF_GR: conclusion ... price dropWell maybe not a price drop from the Japanese & Korean brands. A more likely scenario is sub $200 2.0 players from Chinese brands flooding the major B&M stores next year. You'll have entry-level players from the Chinese and Funai, mid-level players from Sony, Panasonic, Samsung etc, and high-end players from Denon and Marantz.

30.5.2008 14:06 #4

nobrainer

Originally posted by SDF_GR: conclusion ... price dropyep probably, but they are still delaying them until 2009 so they can keep the prices high for as long as possible. cheaper is better though and with other formats looming, blu-ray needs to rack up an impressive install base beforehand or face the fate of the LaserDisc.

@ iluvendo

BD+ DRM on blu-ray will detect any hacks and shut down the player, so this time there will be no multi region hacks like with dvd, so the movie industry can get back to good old fashioned price fixing, this is part of the reason the MPAA chose blu-ray over HD-DvD as HD-DvD did not have region coding, BD+ or rom-mark DRM schemes, but when you have fox, sony and disney all refusing to release any titles on the lesser protected media, the others had little choice but to roll over and be good little puppies.

The BPI Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
The RIAA Soundexchange Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, EMI.
The IFPI Are: The same anti consumer lot as listed above!
The MPAA Are: SONY, UNIVERSAL, WARNER GROUP, DISNEY, PARAMOUNT, FOX.

30.5.2008 14:47 #5

SDF_GR

Quote:Originally posted by SDF_GR: conclusion ... price dropyep probably, but they are still delaying them until 2009 so they can keep the prices high for as long as possible. cheaper is better though and with other formats looming, blu-ray needs to rack up an impressive install base beforehand or face the fate of the LaserDisc.also they have some stock to move.

Originally posted by eatsushi:
Well maybe not a price drop from the Japanese & Korean brands. A more likely scenario is sub $200 2.0 players from Chinese brands flooding the major B&M stores next year. You'll have entry-level players from the Chinese and Funai, mid-level players from Sony, Panasonic, Samsung etc, and high-end players from Denon and Marantz.no argue to that, but cheap Chinese products are always a great pressure to lower the prices.
I think that everyone will have to drop their prices.

Something else, this will help a lot BD as a media.

30.5.2008 19:38 #6

juankerr

Originally posted by SDF_GR: no argue to that, but cheap Chinese products are always a great pressure to lower the prices.
I think that everyone will have to drop their prices.

Something else, this will help a lot BD as a media.Agreed. The Chinese players are the reason why we see $35 upconverters at some retailers right now. We should see price drops across the board when they come.

30.5.2008 20:07 #7

david89

finally now we might be able see prices get down lower then that have been.

30.5.2008 21:34 #8

DXR88

Thats great........Good for blue-ray, glad to see there finally pulling there heads out of there Asses and regenerating brain cells.

30.5.2008 21:54 #9

Ryu77

Originally posted by nobrainer: BD+ DRM on blu-ray will detect any hacks and shut down the player, so this time there will be no multi region hacks like with dvd, so the movie industry can get back to good old fashioned price fixing, this is part of the reason the MPAA chose blu-ray over HD-DvD as HD-DvD did not have region coding, BD+ or rom-mark DRM schemes, but when you have fox, sony and disney all refusing to release any titles on the lesser protected media, the others had little choice but to roll over and be good little puppies.This is the part that you don't get and also the reason why I asked iluvendo "for what?".

It's not the player that needs to be hacked. I have been stripping Blu-ray movies apart (removing all DRM/copy protection) and re-authoring them for quite some time now. I also re-author these discs as region free. Every Blu-ray player that I have attempted to play these discs on have "BD-ROM" playability and have played back flawlessly every time.

"Dream... Believe... Achieve"

PS3 compatible video creation thread... mkv2vob, tsMuxeR etc.: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/621809
The complete HD (Blu-ray/HD-DVD) back-up thread.: http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/639346

31.5.2008 05:40 #10

lxfactor

remember when the iphone first came out and no one could register it for at least the first day... it was basically a 500 dollar paper weight.. well same concept.. if you are caught using BDR on a p2.0... they will make ur BD player a expensive paperweight..

31.5.2008 15:38 #11

Ryu77

Originally posted by lxfactor: remember when the iphone first came out and no one could register it for at least the first day... it was basically a 500 dollar paper weight.. well same concept.. if you are caught using BDR on a p2.0... they will make ur BD player a expensive paperweight..That's not true!

They must be allowed to play these discs. If they didn't that would hurt their camcorder business too much. How does the player know the difference between a re-authored Blu-ray movie disc and an authored home movie Blu-ray disc? The answer is... It doesn't! So with that being said, they wont block BD-R's being playable on their devices.

31.5.2008 17:25 #12

anasus

that would also mean that PS3 games could be hacked as well or at least it would help doing it , right ?!?

2.6.2008 13:15 #13

DXR88

Originally posted by anasus: that would also mean that PS3 games could be hacked as well or at least it would help doing it , right ?!?Lets hope not, if piracy takes effect so soon it could leave the ps3 with limited development of game titles.

2.6.2008 19:37 #14

bdoggie08

Quote:
Lets hope not, if piracy takes effect so soon it could leave the ps3 with limited development of game titles.Yea-good point

3.6.2008 10:59 #15

anasus

now if you look at it this way i would rather have it hacked later than sooner ,but i do not mind if that would happen some time soon. cause frankly i think what made the xbox sell more is the fact that there are ways to copy thier games ,and buyers would rather pay less for games ,and with this thought i would guess it would give a boost in sellings of the PS3 consoles which will result in more prodution of games and ( in ps3s case )Blue ray burners on the long run.

3.6.2008 14:16 #16

DXR88

Originally posted by anasus: now if you look at it this way i would rather have it hacked later than sooner ,but i do not mind if that would happen some time soon. cause frankly i think what made the xbox sell more is the fact that there are ways to copy thier games ,and buyers would rather pay less for games ,and with this thought i would guess it would give a boost in sellings of the PS3 consoles which will result in more prodution of games and ( in ps3s case )Blue ray burners on the long run.
That would be nice, but thats not how it works. hardware and software sales are entirely different.

okay how about i put it to you this way,if xxx Game developers Signs a contract to make a game For the SSS game system's there are 6 billion SSS game consoles. but for some reason XXX game developers only see the game only made it too 240 million units sold they will more than likely refuse any more contracts for SSS game consoles .

Most Game Company's look at chart statistics to deny or accept to develop a game for a said console. they also check how long it would take to develop or port over, technology involved, and resources.

And with the already limited Development for the PS3, it could hurt more than it would help. besides its to soon for hardware sales to flatline.

3.6.2008 18:53 #17

anasus

ok , you got a point there DXR88. but still i do hope one day i could copy my games or movies ( that is if the 11 companies do help produce the blueray for cheaper than 10 bucks )cause the way things are going sony is going to lose the console war , and might end up like SEGA with the dreamcast.

4.6.2008 14:39 #18

bdoggie08

Originally posted by anasus: cause the way things are going sony is going to lose the console war , and might end up like SEGA with the dreamcast.Fact or Opinion? Where's proof? All my buddies are buying PS3s now, bein since MGS4 and other sweet exclusive console titles are coming out. Please post sum facts, not what you think. Its a nice "observational statement" but it doesn't make me believe that is true with no backing, ya know?

4.6.2008 14:54 #19

DXR88

i will agree, that if Sony keeps it steady. the PS3 may very well be the console of choice by many hardcore gamers. the ps3 is a very well built console. the cell processor could keep this thing chugging along for a good 10-15 years.

Game graphics are reaching a snap limit. when this limit is reached graphics will no longer be able to improve upon itself. i believe the next gen of consoles will reach the snap limit.

4.6.2008 17:10 #20

anasus

I get the feeling that iam being misunderstood , I am not writing facts here nor iam saying i am right but its all just pointing out my thoughts , to set things right .... iam a Big supporter of the PS3 and i do think ( even without any proof) that the PS3 will be the Next Gen console , i do have a xbox360 and PS3 and i like the Ps3 for the choice of titles it got, compared to the xbox360 you got a huge choice with a very limited " quality " games ,but sticking to the subject i think that if these comanies would make the blueray more cheaper and be able to copy moies,games...etc possible , that would be a blast

7.6.2008 12:25 #21

bdoggie08

^Agreed.

9.6.2008 13:10 #22

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