Blu-ray awareness increasing in Germany

Published March 31, 2010 Industry / trade news , Player news , Retail news Leave a Comment
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The perception that Blu-ray is the new standard in home entertainment is spreading, with a new German survey finding that 91 per cent of video buyers understand Blu-ray to be the best way to bring high definition pictures to a home cinema.

The survey by GfK demonstrates that awareness of the Blu-ray format has spread beyond technology fans and into the mainstream. In addition, feedback from those who already have a BD player is extremely positive, with 98 per cent either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience. Of this group, 70 per cent want to solely or mainly buy Blu-ray Discs in the future. “The more that consumers know about Blu-ray, the more they cherish it,” said Thilo Röhrig, Chairman of the Blu-ray Group Germany.

To see full details of the research, click here for the press release.

Now is the perfect time for Blu-ray in Germany

Published March 10, 2010 Industry / trade news , Retail news Leave a Comment
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Thilo Röhrig, chairman of the Blu-ray Group Germany, has used recent market statistics to underline why there has never been a better time for German consumers to make the jump to Blu-ray.

Hardware manufacturers sold four times as many Blu-ray Disc players in Germany in 2009 than they did in 2008, with Futuresource Consulting expecting further growth this year. Falling prices have also played a major role in the expansion of the market and the growth in the format’s popularity. “Blu-ray players and discs are so affordable now that the investment is worth it for anyone who enjoys movies,” said Röhrig. “With prices starting at €100, nobody need buy outdated technology anymore.”

Sales of discs have also increased as prices have fallen. According to BVV Medien, the average price of a Blu-ray Disc in Germany in 2009 was €19, 25 percent lower than the average in the previous year. “Demand for Blu-ray Discs reached a new dimension in 2009,” continues Röhrig. “6.2 million discs sold represents an increase of 274 percent compared to 2008.”

You can hear more from Thilo Röhrig in the German language press release.

Germany embraces Blu-ray

Published December 16, 2009 Industry / trade news , Retail news , Sales figures Leave a Comment
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As was noted in last month’s Futuresource report, the German Blu-ray Disc market is among the strongest in Europe.

The Futuresource statistics have been backed up by market insight from the GfK Consumer Panel, which found that sales in the first three quarters were quadruple that of the same period in 2008. Part of that growth can be attributed to the wide range of BD players (now over 150 models) on the market.

With the Christmas period now underway, sales are predicted to rise further as retailers continue to push the format and prices of both players and discs fall. Festive promotions, including ones like this from supermarket chain ALDI, are increasingly offering Profile 2.0 players at prices close to €100, with many discs available for less than €15.

With HD TV broadcasts also set to increase in Germany in 2010, the success of high definition in the country looks assured.

Blu-ray Disc: Best choice for film and music enthusiasts

Published November 27, 2009 Industry / trade news , New releases , Retail news , Sales figures Leave a Comment
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Research revealed by Munich-based msm-studios and the online platform www.bluray-disc.de shows that Blu-ray Disc outdoes the classic DVD when it comes to acoustic experiences – taking away the need to rely on different gadgets to experience the pure pleasure of the music.

The Pure Audio Blu-ray in 5.1 DTS-HD Master represents the future of music enjoyment. The system allows multi-channel sound, which turns a home cinema into an acoustic sensation.

The exceptional studio surround sound quality means Blu-ray Disc players are not only ideal for film and music enthusiasts but are the audio system of choice for consumers who don’t own surround sound systems.

Blu-ray Group Germany launches www.bluraydisc.de

Published November 27, 2009 Entertainment , Industry / trade news Leave a Comment
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A new Blu-ray Disc website has been launched, just in time for Christmas, to help German shoppers make informed choices on all things BD.  The site allows users to navigate their way around the medium of the future by placing all Blu-ray information in one place.  So, if you want to know the difference between a Blu-ray Disc’s picture and sound quality versus a DVD, make comparisons between Blu-ray Disc players or just find out which new movies have been released – the website is just a click away.

Not forgetting journalists, there is even a media centre which encompasses an extensive glossary containing all the important facts and stats on Blu-ray.

Toshiba reveals first Blu-ray Disc Player

Published September 10, 2009 IFA 2009 , Industry / trade news , New releases , Player news Leave a Comment
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Toshiba BD

Only a few weeks after announcing its support for the Blu-ray Disc format, Toshiba has revealed its first standalone BD player.

The BDX2000 provides Full HD 1080p digital output, BD-Live support (via Ethernet connection), AVCHD Playback and support for Dolby True HD and DTS-HD audio formats.

The BDX2000 is expected to be available in November. You can read the press release here.

Medion includes Blu-ray in new all-in-one PC

Published September 10, 2009 IFA 2009 , New releases , Player news , Technology Leave a Comment
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At this year’s IFA, Medion showed off The Touch, an all-in-one device that includes PC, Blu-ray Disc player, TV, audio system and 24-inch multi-touch screen.

Pocket-Lint reports that The Touch (or Medion X9613) contains an Intel CoreTM2 Quad processor Q9000, NVIDIA GeForce GT240M graphics card, a 1TB hard drive capacity and 4 GB of DDR3 RAM, alongside Dolby Home Theater V3-certified sound, a subwoofer, radio remote control, wireless keyboard and a two-megapixel webcam.

Medion Touch

New BD players from LG

Published September 10, 2009 IFA 2009 , New releases , Player news , Technology Leave a Comment
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LG demonstrated several new BD players at IFA, including the BD390, its first Blu-ray player with advanced DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) and integrated Wi-Fi, and the HLB54S, a super slim Blu-ray Soundbar with wireless subwoofer.

The BD390’s Wi-Fi and DLNA technology means that it can access shared media, such as home movies or music, from other connected devices, and its built-in 1GB memory allows easy and smooth running of this personalised BD-Live content. The full press release can be read here.

Meanwhile the HLB54S Soundbar also includes Wi-Fi and DNLA, but also features audio technology developed in conjunction with audio expert Mr Mark Levinson to deliver superior quality sound. The player boasts 430W of sound through the integrated speaker and wireless subwoofer, as well as a dock for iPods or iPhones. The full press release can be read here.

The BD390 should be available later this month, with the HLB54S following in November.

Fujitsu adds Blu-ray to new ESPRIMO mini PC

Published September 10, 2009 IFA 2009 , New releases , Player news , Technology Leave a Comment
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Blu-ray news from IFA continues with the announcement of Fujitsu’s ESPRIMO Q1500, a new, powerful and exclusively designed mini PC suitable for the living room or office.

The fully-equipped PC stands only five centimetres tall but packs in a Blu-ray Disc reader, 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T9600 processor, a 320GB Western Digital hard disk and 4GB of DDR2 RAM. It also includes an HDMI output for connecting to a television.

Niels Keunecke, Senior Director PCs & Displays at Fujitsu Technology Solutions, said:

“The Fujitsu ESPRIMO Q1500 is a very attractive mini PC for our customers. It combines state-of-the-art technology with an exclusive design. Thus, the ESPRIMO Q1500 is an excellent choice for lifestyle-oriented users looking for a powerful device processing their multimedia applications. We did not compromise on the environmental sustainability of these products and optimized their energy efficiency. As a consequence, the ESPRIMO Q1500 is one of the most energy-efficient products in our portfolio saving the environment and your money.”

More details on the Q1500 can be found here.

CyberLink releases PowerDirector8

Published September 7, 2009 IFA 2009 , New releases , Retail news Leave a Comment
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CyberLink has launched the latest edition of its PowerDirector software, promising the “perfect balance between easy consumer-level usability and powerful pro-like technology.”

The PowerDirector 8 package includes the ability to author HD or upscaled SD content to Blu-ray Discs.

PowerDirector8

The full press release can be read at the CyberLink website, and a copy of the datasheet here.

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