• FAQ
  
  • 1. What is Blu-ray Disc?
  • 2. Why is the format called Blu-ray Disc?
  • 3. What is the difference between Blu-ray Disc and DVD?
  • 4. What are the key differences between Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD?
  • 5. When will Blu-ray Disc products be available?
  • 6. What is the difference between 1080i and 1080p?
  • 7. Will Blu-ray Disc products play my existing DVDs and CDs?
  • 8. What is an HDMI connector?
  • 9. Will PLAYSTATION® 3 play Blu-ray Disc movies?
  • 10. What home theater equipment is needed for optimal Blu-ray Disc performance?

• Introduction

• Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL)
  
  • Increasing Technical Expertise in the Movie Capital
  • Why was the Blu-ray Disc created?
  • What does the high storage capacity of the Blu-ray Disc offer to users?
  • Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD: Difference in Fundamental Format Concept
  • Overview of The Blu-ray Disc Specification Compared to HD-DVD
  • Benefits Blu-ray Offers Over HD-DVD
  • The Process for Authoring a Movie onto a BD-ROM Disc
  • What kind of image compression is used for the Blu-ray Disc?
  • So Blu-ray Disc compressionists are using this method?
  • Did Panasonic introduce any technical innovations other than the new compression method?
  • Exactly what does the editing operation involve?
  • What kind of skills does a compressionist need to have?
  • In closing, is there anything you'd like to say to people who are interested in the Blu-ray Disc?
  • What does "authoring" mean?
  • I understand that Blu-ray Java™ is an essential technology for Blu-ray Disc authoring. Could you tell us a little about it?
  • Can you give us an actual example of these new screen types?
  • Isn't this pretty difficult for the people doing it?
  • The titles are also attractive, aren't they?
  • In closing, is there anything you'd like to say to the users?
    
    
• Panasonic Blu-ray World: Consumer Electronics & Professional Broadcast Products in 1080p
  
  • High Definition Home Entertainment
  • Recent Announcements
  • AVC-High Definition Camcorders
  • 1080p Projection Devices offer the Ultimate in High Definition Viewing
  • Professional Video Products
  
  
• Contact Information & Employment Opportunities
  
• Panasonic Hollywood Blu-Ray Authoring Center Title List and Reviews
  
  
  
  

FAQ

1. What is Blu-ray Disc?

Blu-ray Disc is a next-generation, optical disc format that enables the ultimate high-def entertainment experience. Blu-ray Disc provides these key features and advantages:

• Maximum picture resolution. Blu-ray Disc delivers full 1080p* video resolution to provide pristine picture quality.
• Largest capacity available anywhere (25 GB single layer/50 GB dual layer). Blu-ray Disc offers up to 5X the capacity of today’s DVDs.
• Best audio possible. Blu-ray Disc provides as many as 7.1 channels of native, uncompressed surround sound for crystal-clear audio entertainment.
• Enhanced interactivity. Enjoy such capabilities as seamless menu navigation, exciting, new bonus features, and network/Internet connectivity.
• Broadest industry support from brands you trust. More than 90% of major Hollywood studios, virtually all leading consumer electronics companies, four of the top computer brands, the world’s two largest music companies, PLAYSTATION® 3 and the leading gaming companies, all support Blu-ray Disc.
• The largest selection of high-def playback devices.Blu-ray Disc is supported by many of the leading consumer electronics and computing manufacturers. That means you can maximize the use of your HDTV and your home entertainment system with the widest selection of high-def playback devices—including players, recorders, computers, aftermarket drives and the PLAYSTATION® 3 game console.
• Backward compatibility**. Blu-ray Disc players enable you to continue to view and enjoy your existing DVD libraries.
• Disc robustness. Breakthroughs in hard-coating technologies enable Blu-ray Disc to offer the strongest resistance to scratches and fingerprints.

*HDTV required. As with other optical media devices, user factors and other circumstances may limit Blu-ray Disc playback. Some content may require HDMI-compatible TV for high-definition playback. **Product-dependent feature.

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2. Why is the format called Blu-ray Disc?

The name Blu-ray came from the fact that the laser beam which reads the data from the new discs is blue instead of red which is used for current DVDs and CDs. This new blue laser is at the heart of Blu-ray Disc technology (i.e. blue ray of light).

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3. What is the difference between Blu-ray Disc and DVD?

Just as DVD meant a five to 10 times increase in storage capacity compared to CD, Blu-ray Disc represents an increase over DVD capacity by five to 10 times. This is due, among other reasons, to the usage of a blue instead of a red laser and improved lens specifications, allowing for a much smaller focus laser beam which enables the recording of much smaller and higher density pits on the disc.

Due to the fact that the data layer on a Blu-ray Disc is placed much “closer” to the laser lens than in DVD, there is less distortion resulting in significantly improved tolerances. Hence, more precision and ultra-high storage densities are now possible.

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4. What are the key differences between Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD?

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5. When will Blu-ray Disc products be available?

Dozens of Blu-ray Disc players/recorders/computers, movies and game titles are widely available now. At this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, we expect many more products and content releases to be announced, so check back regularly to learn about the latest releases.

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6. What is the difference between 1080i and 1080p?

Blu-ray Disc offers 1080p video resolution—HDTV video quality that far surpasses any other medium or broadcast format available today. With a resolution of up to 1920x1080 and up to 54 Mbps bandwidth (roughly double that of a normal HDTV broadcast), no other format can match the video quality of Blu-ray Disc. Furthermore, due to the overwhelming capacity of a Blu-ray Disc, no tight compression algorithms that may alter the picture quality are required, as with other formats that offer less recording space. Depending on the application, Blu-ray Disc also supports other video formats, including standard-definition TV.

1080i refers to the resolution of a picture with interlaced (i) fields, which fit together to form one full frame and produces an image that has a TV-like quality. 1080p refers to the resolution of the picture with progressive (p), multiple full frames, producing an image that appears more like film.

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7. Will Blu-ray Disc products play my existing DVDs and CDs?

The Blu-ray Disc system uses the same 12 cm and 8 cm disc sizes to support backward compatibility with your CDs and DVDs and other optical disc formats.  Therefore, it is anticipated that most Blu-ray Disc hardware products will play your existing DVDs and CDs.

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8. What is an HDMI connector?

HDMI delivers uncompressed high-definition video and multichannel digital audio signals through a single cable to compatible components, producing the best Blu-ray Disc experience possible.

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9. Will PLAYSTATION® 3 play Blu-ray Disc movies?

Yes! PLAYSTATION 3 is a fully functional Blu-ray Disc player, so you can watch, listen and enjoy your favorite high-def movies and music in full 1080p resolution and in as many as 7.1 channels of surround sound. Of course, that’s in addition to having the industry’s ultimate console for high-def gaming.

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10. What home theater equipment is needed for optimal Blu-ray Disc performance?

For the optimal Blu-ray Disc performance, your entertainment system should include:

• Blu-ray Disc Player (Blu-ray Discs will not play on standard DVD players)
• HDTV with 720p, 1080i or higher resolution
• Surround sound speaker system—5.1 channel or 7.1 channel
• HDMI connector cables
• High-quality analog cables or digital optical cables

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Introduction

Throughout the history of the optical disc, Panasonic's development efforts have not been limited to hardware such as discs and drives, but have included a long list of achievements in image compression tehnologies and applications development.  These advancements have paved the way for delivering superior quality movie images with unique interactivity, thus creating new and exciting user experiences.

Several of Panasonic’s activities behind these achievements are based right  in the heart of the movie capital of the world, Hollywood, California.  Through the know-how and expertise accumulated at the Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory, Panasonic has led the industry in developing the standards for Blu-ray disc. These development efforts included the creation of an entirely new application format for the home entertainment market. 

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Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL)

Increasing Technical Expertise in the Movie Capital



The Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory (PHL) is a video research lab located in Universal City, California.  The facility builds on the 15 plus years that Panasonic has worked to meet the lofty demands of Hollywood film professionals, by conducting on-site research to develop technologies such as digital conversion for film-based movies, compression of DVD and Blu-ray Disc images, authoring, and digital cinema.

Panasonic first entered the Hollywood scene in 1992 by establishing Hollywood's first Telecine Center for converting movies into HD images.  Ever since that time, the company’s leading video and IT engineers have engaged in various areas of technical development. Their efforts have focused on image compression, authoring, copy protection, HD Cinema, and related technologies while working closely with Hollywood movie professionals as they constantly pursue higher-quality images and push the envelope of creative functionality.  

PHL has a long history of converting movies into digital media.  Backed by a track record of producing more than 3,000 DVD-Video titles, Panasonic and its engineers have received exceptionally high acclaim from a number of Hollywood's film companies, several of which insist on having Panasonic oversee their projects. Panasonic handles almost all aspects of this media production in close proximity to the movie industry at PHL.

As part of Panasonic’s Blu-ray standardization efforts, PHL has played an essential role in developing high-definition data compression technologies (required to fit feature length movies onto a Blu-ray disc) jointly with studio engineers while actively meeting the needs of filmmakers.

With the sensitivity of directors and colorists who produce images of the highest quality worldwide, PHL applies special care to each and every scene when utilizing Panasonic's cutting-edge compression technologies. 

Hollywood professionals all share a strong concern about their movies in the marketplace, a concern that stems from the creative efforts that they pour into the movies during production. In short, they want to be sure that people at home are able to enjoy the same colors, expressivity, and emotional feelings that they would experience in a movie theater, without compromising their intellectual property.

As an active member of this creative community bringing entertainment media to the market, Panasonic is understandably very concerned about the problem of software pirating. To help put a stop to this practice, Panasonic devoted considerable effort to the development of copyright protection in the standardization of Blu-ray Discs. As a result, the following advanced 3-tier system was achieved.

Blu-ray Disc Copyright Protection Technologies:

1. AACS (AES encryption):
   A copyright protection technology developed for next-generation DVD use to prevent the unauthorized copying of digital audio and video.
2. BD+:
   A robust software system designed to combat viruses in the unlikely event that BD media is compromised by hacking.
3. BD-ROM Mark:
   A method of prohibiting the total copying of the disc by physically embedding secret information inside the disc at the disc mastering stage.   This technology is aimed to prohibit unauthorized mass replication.

This trio of copyright protection technologies make it possible to produce Blu-ray Discs with an ultrahigh level of image quality that actually rivals the HD master itself, while allowing film companies to feel secure about distributing their highly valuable movies around the world.   This sense of security has resulted in a growing number of Blu-ray Disc movies with high-quality HD images to reach the market. 

Panasonic Hollywood Blu-ray Testing Center

Panasonic recently expanded their efforts in Hollywood by establishing the Panasonic Hollywood Blu-ray Testing Center to accelerate release of Blu-ray Disc video titles (BD-Video).  The Center is a pre-mass production verification facility that focuses on testing for interoperability issues related to BD players and BD software.  All pre-release titles are tested on players from a variety of manufacturers including hardware prototypes as well as players currently available in the marketplace. 

Blu-ray Discs feature strong copyright protection technology and conducting logical format verification of entertainment content in manufactured BD-Video discs requires technical sophistication. Although many in the motion picture industry expressed the need for a testing center to provide such services, until now this has not been available in the Hollywood area.  The new Panasonic testing center addresses this need and is expected to aid in the release of many more BD-Video titles in the upcoming year.

In addition, Panasonic is inviting member companies of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) to install their BD-Video products at the Testing Center, including Blu-ray recorders and players, so that content providers and authoring studios can confirm the interoperability of their titles using these playback devices.

The testing services offered include-
1.   Format Verification Service for the logical format of BD-Video Discs.
2.   Playback Testing Service for BD Video Discs with various BD Video playback systems.
3.   Rental Site Service for Format Verification, and Hardware/Software Testing.

Backed by the achievements, expertise, praise and trusting relationships gained by working with film industry professionals, the Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory continues to produce image content that maximizes Blu-ray potential and is devoted to studying new areas of image-making for the future.   For a list of BD titles completed to date and their reviews, click here.

PHL Executive Management (From left to right) Managing Director Eisuke Tsuyuzaki, Deputy Director Yoshiichiro Kashiwagi, and Manager of Authoring TechnologyYoshihiro Mori

Why was the Blu-ray Disc created?

Today’s high-definition video equipment has made it easy to enjoy HD broadcasts and other high-quality content at home.  As the content increases in image and sound quality though, the media for recording and playing it also has to offer larger data capacity and higher data transfer speed.  The Blu-ray Disc (BD) promoted by Panasonic is the new-generation optical disc media that responds to these needs.

The Blu-ray Disc is a de facto global standard that is being developed and promoted by not only Panasonic, but by more than 170 companies around the world. These include leading electronics companies such as Sony, Philips, Pioneer, Sharp, Apple, DELL, and Sun Microsystems, and film studios such as Buena Vista (Walt Disney), 20th Century Fox , Lionsgate, Sony Pictures, Paramount, and Warner Brothers Entertainment.

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What does the high storage capacity of the Blu-ray Disc offer to users?

With its 12-cm diameter, the Blu-ray Disc does not look any different from a DVD disc. There’s a major difference, however, in its storage capacity. The Blu-ray Disc is able to store 50 GB (single-side, double-layer disc) of data, as compared to the 4.7 GB (gigabytes) of the DVD disc. This is enough to record more than four hours of high-definition video with 7.1-channel surround sound onto a single disc. A single-sided, 4-layer disc that will store 100 GB is also under development. In other words, the storage capacity of the Blu-ray Disc is expected to grow even larger in the future given the expandable nature of the initial technology.

In addition to storing video content, the Blu-ray Disc offers a wide range of applications, such as video games, in which BD's interactive features and large data storage can be utilized. A single Blu-ray Disc can back-up almost the entire hard disk drive of an ordinary home PC.


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Blu-ray vs. HD-DVD: Difference in Fundamental Format Concept

 Blu-ray: The core media in a complete High Definition World

1. Affinity with Digital TV (recording digital broadcasting)
2. Super high quality Video and Audio
3. Adopted Transport Stream, Java, and video transmission rate of 40Mbps
4. Only Blu-ray supports High quality HD video & Audio (LPCM) to create the ultimate immersive  “Theatre Experience”

 HD-DVD: Mainly for movie content distribution, not for recording

1. Less emphasis on Recordable format and capacity
2. Principal concern is cost of ROM media

 MPEG-4 AVC and VC1 utilize the same technologies but AVC goes further

1. MPEG-4 AVC focused on Image quality & compression rates
2. MPEG4 has two additional dimensions:

“Visual feature-weighting” technology to dramatically improve subjective image quality
“Adaptation arithmetic coding” technology to increase 20 % of compression rate

- VC-1 focuses on Streaming applications (lower throughput)

 Java is the Global Standard for Interactive

1. Java is the world standard technology in CE and PC industries.
1. Cell phone: 1.1 billion installed base
2. Java is installed in 74% web-ready cell phones of DoCoMo, AU, Vodafone)
2. Digital TV: Europe DTV (MHP), US Digital Cable (OCAP)
3. Develop BD-Java by utilizing assets developed for DTV

1. Panasonic’s experience in consumer Java applications
1. Cellphone Jan. 2001: World’s first Java-installed DoCoMo Cell phone
2. MHPJan. 2003: World’s first MHP-installed STB
3. OCAP Jan. 2006: Signed the first contract for middleware supply in the industry

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Overview of The Blu-ray Disc Specification Compared to HD-DVD

Benefits Blu-ray Offers Over HD-DVD

Although both Blu-ray and HD-DVD are similar in many aspects, there are some important differences between them.

The first is capacity. Because Blu-ray utilizes a lens with a greater numerical aperture (NA) than HD-DVD, the laser spot can be focused with greater precision to fit more data on the same size disc. This allows Blu-ray to hold 25GB per layer (50GB on a dual-layer disc), whereas HD-DVD can only hold 15GB per layer (30GB on a dual-layer disc). Blu-ray has also adopted a higher data transfer rate for video and audio (54Mbps vs 36.55Mbps). The greater capacity and data transfer rates for Blu-ray will allow the movie studios to release their movies with higher quality video and audio than the HD-DVD format.

The second is content. The Blu-ray format has received broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to today's DVD format. Seven of the eight major movie studios (Warner, Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM and Lionsgate) have already released titles for Blu-ray, whereas HD-DVD only has support from three major movie studios (Warner, Paramount and Universal). This is an important difference because some of the studios might only support one of the formats, so you won't be able to get your favorite movies in the other format. Choosing the format with the most content support minimizes this risk.

The third is hardware support. The Blu-ray format has broad support from the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers, including Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Pioneer, Sharp, JVC, Hitachi, Mitsubishi, TDK, Thomson, LG, Apple, HP, DELL, and Sun Microsystems. The Blu-ray format will also be supported in the next-generation PlayStation 3 (PS3) video game console. This means that you will have a lot of choice when it comes to players and hardware. The HD-DVD format has far less supporters, so the amount of players and hardware will be very limited. Currently, Toshiba is the only company offering a stand-alone HD-DVD player.

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The Process for Authoring a Movie onto a BD-ROM Disc

The following sections outline the actual media production process used by PHL in Hollywood. While closely mirroring the DVD production workflow, an efficient style of production has been achieved for Blu-ray Discs that also allows for distinctive BD-only features such as introducing advanced interactive functionality.

Defining The User Experience & Pre-Project Planning

The process begins with careful planning.  Since Blu-ray disc offers many more possibilities than DVD as far as interactive features, pre-planning of the disc content and layout becomes increasingly important.  A story board should be generated to illustrate the intended user experience and overall content flow.  Some things to consider during project planning include

1. What is the start up logic (i.e. warning screens, logos)
2. What will the menus look like and how will they function?  What are the key navigational elements you want to include in the menu pages?
3. How many languages (audio and subtitle) streams will be on the disc and in what format (i.e. 5.1, 7.1 surround)?
4. What extra features will be included on the disc such as games, out takes, or director’s commentary?  Does the content already exist or does it need to be created?
5. What is the total run time of the video elements?  This will be important in determining video encoding bit rates used during the video compression process.

Asset Gathering and Pre-Qualification

Gathering all of the assets for your Blu-ray Disc project can take a while since these elements may exist in variety of different formats and in a number of different locations.  Allow as much time as possible for asset pre-screening and verification so there is plenty of time to make any necessary adjustments in order to meet Blu-ray specifications or improve the quality.

The BD-ROM Production Workflow

Video encoding, sometimes referred to as video compression, requires special equipment to project the movie and compress the data scene by scene according to disc parameters determined in pre-project planning. High-quality image compression technologies developed entirely by Panasonic are used in this stage to assess the complexity of the video images and then assign a bit rate profile.  The more complex the scene (ie. High action, dark scenes) the more data (higher bit rate) required to reproduce the picture.  After the compression technology makes the initial assessment, a highly skilled video compressionist will begin the final editing phase to adjust the bit rate, scene by scene, to maximize the overall picture quality.



2. Authoring & Java Programming

Authoring is the process by which all the content such as video, audio, subtitle data, menu screens, and navigation, are combined together to create the disc file format and deliver a total interactive experience to the end user.  A programming language called Blu-ray Java™, which is unique to the Blu-ray Disc standards, is used to produce highly versatile menu screens and to add special interactive features.   Examples of these interactive menus are shown below.  

 

 3. Testing and Quality Assurance

The finished disc goes through rigorous testing and debugging where the quality is thoroughly examined together with film company staff.  In a state of the art viewing environment, video quality is carefully scrutinized, audio, video, and subtitle synchronization checked, and all disc navigation and player remote functions are thoroughly exercised to ensure there are no programming errors, logic inconsistencies, or Blu-ray specification violations.  If any issues are detected, necessary fixes and adjustments are discussed with the client  and implemented.

 

4. Application of Encryption Technologies

Encryption technologies are applied using special tools and proprietary methods before the final disc image is sent to the replication facility via secure data transmission.

5. Replication (Mass Production)

Now the disc image reaches the mass production stage, BD-ROM replication.

Panasonic manufactures BD-ROM Discs at its Panasonic Disc Manufacturing Corporation of America (PDMC) facilities in Torrance, California, U.S.A.

The production processes for the single-layer and dual-layer BD-ROM Discs produced using Panasonic's originally developed Spin Coating method are presented here.

We have entered the world of ultrahigh-quality, digital HD images. Here, highly advanced image compression is essential for recording massive amounts of image data onto optical discs without losing detail and the quality of the original image.

The goal is to bring all of the emotional excitement of movie images directly into the home.  MPEG-4 AVC High Profile image compression is a distinctive technology developed by Panasonic engineers to do exactly that.

We asked a Panasonic image compression professional, Toshiya Takahashi, to fill us in on some of the details.

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What kind of image compression is used for the Blu-ray Disc?

Well, it takes a very advanced method to record high-quality images onto a disc. The Blu-ray Disc uses two of them. One is MPEG-2, which is used in conventional digital broadcasting, and the other is a new CODEC called MPEG-4 AVC High Profile, which is a high-efficiency encoding method (a system for converting image data into digital data). The new method, which was developed for the Blu-ray Disc standards, aims to improve on both image quality and compression efficiency compared with existing image compression methods.

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So Blu-ray Disc compressionists are using this method?

Yes, that's right. But  let me explain the background a bit. Ordinarily, when a company wants to launch an entirely new image compression method, it has to submit a proposal to the MPEG standards organization, which examines it to determine whether it can be used or not. In this case, though, Panasonic received the cooperation of several Hollywood film companies and strongly promoted the advantages of the MPEG-4 AVC High Profile method.  As a result, the advantages of the method were strongly recognized and it was formally approved. This made it possible to fit almost all of the high  quality image data of an ordinary film onto a single disc.
In addition to Blu-ray and other optical discs, though, many people agree that the MPEG-4 AVC High Profile method may also become the mainstream data compression method for applications like cellular phones and TV broadcasts.

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Did Panasonic introduce any technical innovations other than the new compression method?

Yes, we developed an MPEG-4 AVC High Profile encoder for BD-ROM production work. An encoder is basically the system that compresses the images. The encoder that Panasonic developed compresses MPEG-4 AVC High Profile images with extremely high quality and speed. It's on the cutting-edge of image editing.

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Exactly what does the editing operation involve?

The following diagram shows the editing workflow for authoring a movie onto a Blu-ray Disc. The stage that uses the MPEG-4 AVC High Profile method is highlighted in red. This is where the true picture quality of the disc is determined.



In the industry, the image compression process is called encoding. First, the original images received from a film company , typically via D5  master tape, are uploaded to an encoder system like the one in the photograph below. This system processes high-resolution images at high speed.

The next photograph shows an encoding room. The encoding is done by using pairs of monitors sitting side-by-side to compare the original, non-compressed images with the finished, compressed images. In addition to checking for places where desired elements of the original might have been lost in the process, the compressionists go through the footage scene by scene to optimize the Blu-ray Disc picture quality.



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What kind of skills does a compressionist need to have?

The theme of the movie and the intentions of the director and art director, are naturally different for each film. The compressionist has to have a instinctive understanding of these aspects, and the ability to render colors and textures with extreme precision. He or she also has to have the technical knowledge to spot problems in the compressed images, and make quantitative improvements.

Also, compression is scene by scene, so one of the most important jobs of the compressionist is to know just how much data can be applied to each scene in order to fit the entire film within the limited data capacity of the disc.

Panasonic has technicians who specialize in encoding on staff both in Hollywood, California and Roppongi, Tokyo, to meet the needs of numerous film companies. We are also already training the next generation of compressionists and additional support staff.

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In closing, is there anything you'd like to say to people who are interested in the Blu-ray Disc?

Yes, I'd just like to say that we are committed to maintaining the close relationship that we've built up with Hollywood's film companies, and to providing movies with the ultrahigh image quality of the MPEG-4 AVC High Profile method. Please look forward to watching these remarkable Blu-ray Disc images on your own large-screen TV.

BD-ROM discs of movies and other content hold many different types of data, including the actual movie, menu screens, multiple title and sound tracks, and often a selection of special feature.

Panasonic has a wealth of know-how in editing master discs and has been helping to produce discs of major films since early in the DVD era. These efforts have received considerable praise from Hollywood film studios.

So what kind of new technologies are at work now, in BD-ROM editing? What new surprises are in store for movie and image enthusiasts?
We asked one of Panasonic's disc editing professionals, Masahiro Oashi, to answer these and some other questions.

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What does "authoring" mean?

All editing work other than the editing of the original movie itself is called authoring. To be specific, this includes planning the overall disc organization, designing, producing, and unifying the necessary screens, and any other steps necessary to complete the master that is used to produce discs for the market.

I understand that Blu-ray Java™ is an essential technology for Blu-ray Disc authoring. Could you tell us a little about it?

Blu-ray Java™ applies the Java programming language, a global standard, to the Blu-ray Disc standards. Using this technology to produce Blu-ray Disc media makes it possible to create extremely versatile menu screens and added-value content, such as special feature cuts. These kinds of things weren't possible with DVD. Panasonic, which has considerable experience in Java applications, developed the basic technologies for Blu-ray Java™.

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Can you give us an actual example of these new screen types?

Yes, for example, there are menu screens with vivid colors and eye-catching motion, and pop-up menus. You can search for certain scenes or dialogs, select from two different story versions, and play shooting games. You can also assemble a mini-clip with only your favorite scenes, and watch them all together. For example, you can put together only the scenes in which a favorite actor appears. You can also take part in shooting games set against a fighting scene from a movie. There are so many ways to enjoy BD media, far exceeding the possibilities of the DVD age.

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Isn't this pretty difficult for the people doing it?

Not really. Blu-ray Java™ is a new technology, but it skillfully blends existing editing processes together. Much of the Blu-ray Disc authoring process will feel familiar to anyone who has DVD authoring experience.

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So users can aim for more advanced screens while still using a familiar production environment.

Exactly. They can use Blu-ray Java™'s unique, high-level graphic functions to create content that simply wasn't possible before. In that respect, I think there are many elements in Blu-ray Java™ that'll bring out the creativity of the people using it. The Blu-ray Disc standards are full of technologies that enhance the enjoyment of HD images at home, but they were also developed with media producers in mind -- as seen, for example, in functions that produce sophisticated results with relatively simple operations, and a host of copyright protections.

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The titles are also attractive, aren't they?

Blu-ray Java™ has an increased data capacity for titles and soundtracks. Types of content that could barely hold two language tracks before can now have three or four, all on a single disc.

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In closing, is there anything you'd like to say to the users?

Panasonic is an industry leader when it comes to know-how in the area of authoring technologies for digital content. We'll be taking full advantage of this expertise as we continue to produce HD media.

Video players that have Blu-ray Disc compatibility are gradually increasing today, and as this wave continues to grow, more and more companies will be releasing movie titles on BD-ROM discs. I hope everyone can soon enjoy a wide variety of BD-ROM entertainment.

In additional to Blu-ray Java™ Panasonic has extensive experience and top credentials in consumer Java field, such as Mobile phone, MHP (DTV), OCAP (Digital Cable).

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Panasonic Blu-ray World: Consumer Electronics & Professional Broadcast Products in 1080p

The joint effort between Panasonic’s Blu-ray Authoring facility in Hollywood and Panasonic’s player development team in Osaka, Japan, create a new high definition experience with superior quality and reliability.   This, combined with Panasonic’s award winning technical achievements in the development of high definition plasma and projection products for consumers, offer unparalleled cinema level viewing in the home.

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High Definition Home Entertainment
http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/blu-ray/default.asp

Panasonic offers consumers a complete high definition home entertainment solution.  With seamless integration and sophisticated design, the Panasonic Blu-ray Disc player, home theater receiver, surround sound speakers, and HD plasma deliver the best  in Blu-ray technology.  Amazing performance in a complete, impeccably stylish package – this is the ultimate home theater system.

DMP-BD10AK Blu-ray Disc Player

The Panasonic DMP-BD10AK Blu-ray Disc player unleashes the power of Blu-ray.  With its advanced P4HD processing power, the DMP-BD10AK provides truly amazing image and sound quality.  And the DMP-BD10AK also comes equipped with the EZSYNC HDAVI Control so you can control your entire high definition home theater system at the push of a single button.

SA-XR700 Home Theater Receiver

The Panasonic SA-XR700 reproduces massive amounts of audio data without degrading it, and outputs plenty of clean power to drive the speakers, providing the perfect audio complement to Blu-ray’s outstanding video quality.  With multiple HDMI connections, the SA-XR700 integrates easily and seamlessly into your HD home theater system.

SB-TP1000 High Definition Speaker System

Taking HD entertainment even further, Panasonic has developed the Twin Center Speaker system.  By integrating the center speaker into two side speakers, this system creates pristine acoustic ambience and outstanding surround effect.  Andy the SB-TP1000 speaker system’s slick design blends perfectly with your Panasonic flat-panel TV.

Recent Announcements

PANASONIC PRESENTS NEXT GENERATION BIG SCREEN 1080P HIGH DEFINITION PLASMA TV’S INCLUDING FIRST 42-INCH 1080P RESOLUTION

New Line, New Look, Increased Production and Concierge Service Reinforce Panasonic Industry Leadership and
Commitment to Plasma Excellence

Panasonic recently announced its full line of Plasma HDTVs for 2007, including a 42-inch, a 50-inch and 58-inch 1080p high definition model, which join Panasonic’s current 65-inch and the world’s largest Plasma, the 103-inch, to provide a wide choice of Plasma televisions in the 1080p resolution arena.  The full line brings ten new Plasmas to consumers for 2007, and further demonstrates Panasonic’s industry leadership and cutting edge technology in big screen plasma entertainment.

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AVC-High Definition Camcorders

Rich, Vivid Colors Take HD to a Beautiful New Level Hi-Def, 3CCD Palmcorder® Camcorder with Optical Image Stabilizer, Leica Lens and 5.1-ch Surround Sound, records to SD Memory Card

HDC-SD1

HD is especially good for scenes with rich, vibrant colors and Panasonic HD camcorders provide the best in color reproduction, thanks to the use of an advanced 3CCD camera system.

This system, which uses the same technology used in Panasonic professional broadcast cameras, helps reproduce high-resolution HD images with magnificent color by using three distinct CCDs for processing, so there is absolutely no light loss.

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1080p Projection Devices offer the Ultimate in High Definition Viewing

PT-AE1000U HD Home Theater Projector

PT-AE1000U HD Home Theater Projector

Panasonic leads the industry in developing advanced projectors that bring large screen, cinema level viewing enjoyment right into the home.  Our Hollywood tuning process, which was developed in collaboration with leading Hollywood colorists and directors of photography, produces images that are exceptionally faithful to the director’s artistic vision and intent.   Full 1080p professional quality high definition made possible by Panasonic for home cinema projection. 

PT-DW10000U Large Venue Projector

PT-DW10000U Large Venue Projector

The PT-DW10000U is a full high-definition projector that can faithfully display HD content. High brightness is assured by a four lamp system that delivers 10,000 lumens, while dynamic iris technology achieves an outstanding 5,000:1 contrast ratio. Three-chip DLP technology provides excellent resistance to deterioration due to aging, making the PT-DW10000U an extremely reliable system projector.

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Professional Video Products

Panasonic leads the industry in the development and sales of HD Camcorders and related professional video gear.  This allow s for a total Panasonic end to end high definition solution beginning with video production straight through to finished Blu-ray disc delivery.  The latest innovation includes the P2  (Professional Plug-in memory card) line of recorders and peripherals, neither a tape or disc based system with no mechanisms or moving parts.


P2 HD's extraordinary image quality and IT file-based workflow is superior to tape- and disc-based formats and will allow you to create full production-quality video with the reliability and compatibility of solid-state technology. That's the beauty of P2 HD:  P2 Cards, Cameras, Decks, and Drives.

http://www.panasonic.com/business/provideo/p2/index.asp


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Contact Information & Employment Opportunities

Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory and Blu-ray Authoring Center
10 Universal City Plaza T100
Universal City, Ca  91608
818-301-1867

Doug Bambridge, General Manager of Sales
20608 Madrona Avenue
Torrance, Ca  90503
310-783-4807
bambridged@us.panasonic.com

Panasonic Hollywood Blu-ray Testing Center
Sati Tooray
10 Universal City Plaza T100
Universal City, Ca  91608
818-761-3058 
toorays@research.panasonic.com

Panasonic Disc Manufacturing Corporation of America
Doug Bambridge, General Manager of Sales
20608 Madrona Avenue
Torrance, Ca  90503
310-783-4807
bambridged@us.panasonic.com

Panasonic North America
Jeff Samuels, Public Relations Strategist
201-392-4571
samuelsj@us.panasonic.com

Panasonic Employment Opportunities
http://www.panasonic.com/careers/

Panasonic Hollywood Blu-Ray Authoring Center Title List and Reviews

Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl, Buena Vista
Released: May 22, 2007

“The stakes were high for Disney, but to their credit, they've completely hit it out of the park. This is truly a stunning visual presentation, so if you're looking for fresh demo material, look no further!”

“Both the video and audio are five-star, reference-quality presentations, while the supplements match everything that was offered on the standard-def versions. Plus, there is even a Blu-ray exclusive trivia feature as a bonus. Disney has delivered a booty of Blu-ray treasure with 'The Curse of the Black Pearl,' so definitely pick up this disc without hesitation.” - http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/piratesofthecaribbeancurse.html

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, Buena Vista
Released: May 22, 2007

“Happily, when it comes to picture quality, 'Dead Man's Chest' is every bit 'Pearl's equal -- in fact, it's even a bit more impressive in some respects. Though both films share a completely consistent visual look, 'Dead Man's Chest' is filled with even more spectacular nighttime setpieces and all manner of squishy, half-rotted supernatural creatures. This transfer is more than up to the challenge, setting a new benchmark for detail and dimensionality.”

“As a Blu-ray release however, this one leaves no doubt that Buena Vista has upped the ante on what a next-gen release should be. Flawless video and audio, a complete port of the standard-def extras, plus a brand new Blu-ray-only game make this one a no-brainer. . . . . . as the new standard-bearer on Blu-ray, 'Dead Man's Chest' is a must-have.” - http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/piratesofthecaribbeandeadmanschest.html

Dirty Dancing, Lionsgate Entertainment
Released: May 8, 2007

“Lionsgate has served up perhaps the best possible Blu-ray release for this guilty pleasure, with a nice transfer and soundtrack, plus a ridiculous amount of supplements. If you love 'Dirty Dancing,' you'll have the time of your life with this Blu-ray release.”
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/dirtydancing.html

Employee of the Month, Lionsgate Entertainment
Released: January 16, 2007

“Kudos to Lionsgate for presenting all of the disc's video-based extras in full 1080p video. Very nice.”
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/employeeofthemonth.html

Rising Sun, Twentieth Century Fox
Released: December 5, 2006

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/risingsun.html
http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/rising-sun/4214/2

Behind Enemy Lines, Twentieth Century Fox
Released: November 14, 2006

“The colors are crisp and vibrant when called upon, and muted (as intended) at other times. The image depth and detail are both impressive, giving a very life-like feel to the film.”
http://www.upcomingdiscs.com/dvd_review.php?id=6426&rtype=disc_type&rcrit=bluray

The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Twentieth Century Fox
Released: November 14, 2006

“Two other features will be great for fans who want to show off certain moments without being dependent upon scene selection, or who want to assemble a kind of "highlight" reel of favorite scenes to show off. There's a topical index where, for example, you can click on "Venice" or "London" and it takes you right to that spot in the film. The "Search Content" feature is really nice. So is the "Personal Scene Selections" feature, which allows you to program scenes to watch in succession.”
http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/league-of-extraordinary-gentlemen/4093/2

Speed, Twentieth Century Fox
Released: November 14, 2006

“What a treat to enjoy this 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 remaster, which really sparkles. 'Speed' may now be a dozen years old, but it sure doesn't look it.”

“The image is also nice and detailed, from the wide shots of cityscapes that look sharp and three-dimensional, to close-ups that reveal every little pore on Keanu Reeves' forehead. Contrast also excels across the entire grayscale but is not overpumped, which gives the transfer plenty of pop without sacrificing realism.” - http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/speed.html

X-Men: The Last Stand, Twentieth Century Fox
Released: November 14, 2006

“Colors are well-saturated, yet not too overdone. Blacks are rock solid and contrast is eye-popping but not tweaked to hell. Whites don't suffer from harshness or blooming. Detail is also above-average. I could make out individual hairs on Wolverine's pork-chop sideburns, and even in high-def Storm's new wig looks pretty real.”
“As Fox's most high-profile Blu-ray launch title, this release is a great start. The transfer shines, there's a DTS-HD track included for when compatible players and receivers become available, and we get a good suite of extras.” - http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/xmenlaststand.html

Gone in 60 Seconds, Buena Vista
Released: October 17, 2006

“Gone in 60 Seconds is the kind of film popular with the demo crowd, and the Blu-ray disc fits the bill in spades. Imagery is consistently razor sharp and pristine, with an incredible level of facial detail. Surfaces look almost three dimensional at times, and some of the jammed wider shots (particularly of Calitri’s junkyard-- filled with heaps of junked cars, with loading cranes, showering sparks for no particular reason) have a near microscopic level of clarity and sharpness.”
http://www.avrev.com/blu_ray/revs/0307/gone_in_60.shtml

Eight Below, Buena Vista
Released: September 19, 2006

“The film's vast palette of whites and grays comes across very well, with contrast excellent across the entire scale. Thankfully, nothing is overpumped and whites don't bloom. Detail can also be extraordinary in spots.”

http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/eightbelow.html

“The pure picture—1080p High Definition—looks great on this Blu-ray transfer, with the 2.40:1 aspect ratio appropriate to the grandeur of the scenery. . . . . You can really see the Hi-Def effect in the faces of the dogs.” - http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/eight-below/3954/2

The Great Raid, Buena Vista
Released: September 19, 2006

“'The Great Raid' is a particularly challenging film, as a good portion of it takes place at night. Yet this transfer is always quite detailed, with shadow delineation excellent. Even fast action in such low-light conditions doesn't suffer from any noticeable pixel breakup or macroblocking. Blacks are also dead on, and contrast thankfully is not overpumped . . . .The film has a natural, film-like look, with a slight bit of grain perfectly in keeping with the film's visual style.” - http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/greatraid.html

“The detail was excellent, the drab colors of the Pilipino jungle were reproduced faithfully, and the blacks were solid and even in tone. This movie has a fair amount of dimly lit scenes, and these were particularly impressive. The inside the barracks at the POW camp viewers can make out the dirt and grime that the American soldiers had to live in. This is the way a Blu-ray disc should look.” - http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=24256


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