EMedialive Launches Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ

Information Today, Inc. announced today the launch of EMedialive's Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ, authored by longtime EMedia magazine contributing editor and industry expert Hugh Bennett. The FAQ, available directly from the EMedialive homepage (www.emedialive.com), covers all aspects of Blu-ray Disc, from technical specifications for the emerging next-generation optical disc format to the cost and capacity of BD media. The FAQ begins with the question "What is Blu-ray Disc?" and from there delves deeper into BD technology than any other resource. It spans 10 sections addressing such topics as Recording and Reading Speed, Disc Construction and Manufacturing, Compatibility, Disc Longevity, and Device Connections. "There's never more confusion in our industry than when new optical disc formats emerge," said EMedialive Editor-in-Chief Stephen F. Nathans. "At EMedia we saw this in the early days of DVD, and we're seeing it again with the arrival of DVD's higher-capacity successors. Whether you're a manufacturer who needs to know physical specifications for developing Blu-ray Disc products, a content developer looking to make the jump from DVD to BD authoring, or a distributor, reseller, or retailer trying to become versant in next-generation formats, you need reliable, up-to-date information that's not always readily available on the web. With the Authoritative BD FAQ, our goal is to make sure that this kind of information is available to our readers, all in one place, and in accessible form." "Hugh Bennett has always been one of this industry's leading authorities on optical disc technology," said Andy Parsons, Senior Vice President of Product Development, Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. "To have him providing this kind of information on EMedialive will be a tremendous asset as we move forward with the new format." "The industry needs an authoritative guide as well as ongoing and up-to-the minute resources for Blu-ray Disc information," said Mark D. Strobel, Vice President, Sales and Marketing of Primera Technology, which has already announced BD support in their Bravo XR-Series of high-end disc publishing systems. "There's no doubt in my mind that Hugh Bennett and EMedialive are the right people to provide both." "My intent is to offer a clear, objective, comprehensive and trustworthy resource for anyone who wants to understand the ins and outs of Blu-ray Disc and stay up to date on its latest developments," Bennett said. Bennett will update and expand the FAQ frequently as new and pertinent information becomes available. Updates will be announced in EMedialive's free email newsletter EMedia Xtra, which reaches more than 40,000 subscribers each week. The unveiling of the Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ coincides with the relaunch of EMedialive as "The HD Media Hub." The focus of the reconfigured site is optical disc storage and production in general and emerging HD formats in particular, with attention to still-viable SD media formats as well. "As next-generation optical media formats begin to come to market, it's an ideal time for EMedialive to renew its commitment to optical disc technology," said Nathans. "As the HD Media Hub, we'll keep tabs on all things optical and most things HD. We'll provide in-depth coverage and analysis of optical media standards and emerging formats, disc duplication and production technologies and solutions, and the tools and myriad challenges of authoring discs in the HD formats." Hugh Bennett, best known to EMedia magazine readers as columnist for The CD Writer and subsequently The DVD Writer, is an internationally respected industry analyst, researcher, author, and educator. A past contributing editor to CD-ROM Professional, EMedia Professional, and TapeDisc Business magazines, Bennett has authored widely read white papers, including Understanding CD-R & CD-RW and Understanding Recordable & Rewritable DVD, published by the Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA). To visit EMedialive's Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ, please go to www.emedialive.com and click the Authoritative BD FAQ logo, or go directly to the page by clicking here.