Sony Europe Press Release

Paris, 7 March 2006 - Sony Europe’s Recording Media & Energy (RME) division today announced that its first Blu-ray Disc media will ship in Europe in March 2006. Single-layer BD-RE (Blu-ray Disc Rewritable) media will be available in store from mid March and single-layer write-once BD-R (Blu-ray Disc Recordable) media will be available from April. Sony is also set to launch dual layer discs later this year. The single-layer Blu-ray Disc Recordable (BNR25A) and Blu-ray Disc Rewritable (BNE25A) media offer a storage capacity of 25GB, more than five times that of a normal DVD and enough for approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes of video at a bit rate of 24Mbps, or 10 hours and 30 minutes at 5Mbps.1 The new generation media support 2X speed which equates to a data transfer rate of 72 Mbps (9 MB/s), making the discs suitable for video recording as well as data storage and file backup. In addition, Sony’s Blu-ray Disc media will feature its unique AccuCORE™ technology as standard, ensuring reliable data recording, increased disc protection and enhanced durability.

High storage capacity, a clear roadmap and innovative, versatile features make Blu-ray Disc media the logical optical disc format of the future – and the format at the heart of the new high definition world. Initially, Sony introduced the first generation cartridge discs in Japan a couple of years ago. Now, the new generation of cartridge free Blu-ray Disc media will offer users the convenience of being the same size and shape as a normal DVD disc, capable of doing everything a DVD can do and much more. With it, Sony is taking a forward-thinking approach aimed at becoming the number one Blu-ray Disc hardware, media and content provider.

“Sony is strongly positioned to offer customers an all-embracing, high-definition experience as a result of pioneering activity in the High Definition world. Our range of integrated High Definition equipment, including camcorders, VAIO PCs, televisions and projectors, already covers everything from source to output,” commented Fritz Handtke, Marketing and Operations Director, Sony RME. “We are committed to becoming a dominant player in the Blu-ray Disc media market in 2006. Given our technological expertise, our focus is on providing thrilling new High Definition’s entertainment experiences and the highest capacity PC data storage of any optical format.”

For more than 30 years, Sony has been leading the way in recording media and the company can leverage synergies from being one of the few organisations developing and manufacturing both hardware and media. Sony has a network of advanced global production facilities and will manufacture the first Blu-ray Disc media at its recording media factory in Japan. To achieve exceptional reliability and durability for archiving, the Sony BD-R discs utilise a laminar phase separation recording mechanism using inorganic recording material. The BD-RE recording and rewriting mechanism uses advanced phase-change material that alters its reflectivity when a laser changes it from a crystalline to an amorphous state and back.

Sony has utilised its unique AccuCORE™ technology in development of its Blu-ray Disc technology which offers the following key advantages:

  1. Stable Writing (BD-R/RE) – The formation of a high-precision, flat and uniform cover layer to ensure stable recording and playback. The Sony technology ensures that the fluctuation between inner and outer perimeters is a maximum of only ± 0.5 µm.
  2. Temperature Durability (BD-R/RE) – Delivery of a disc structure which is stable against temperature and humidity changes to prevent damage from warping. The susceptibility to warping (inclination) of Sony’s Blu-ray Discs is about half of that of a CD or DVD.
  3. Overwriting Reliability (BD-RE) – Sony has developed a durable recording layer which ensures that jitter hardly rises even after repeated overwrites, resulting in stable recording and playback.
  4. Scratch Guard (BD-R/RE) – The scratch-resistant high performance hard coat which protects the disc against scratches. Abrasion tests show that Sony Blu-ray Discs are about 100 times more durable than discs without hard coating.
  5. Anti Static (BD-R/RE) – The high performance hard coat results in an extremely low electrostatic charge which significantly reduces the adhesion of dust. Tests show that about 50% of generated static electricity was discharged after two minutes.
  6. Stain Resistant (BD-R/RE) – Sony’s high performance hard coat provides for highly stain resistant discs. Stains that would normally interfere with optimal recording and playback capabilities, for example those caused by marker pen or fingerprint stains, are now repelled by the resistant coating.
  7. Archival Reliability (BD-R/RE) – Sony has utilised its highly reliable recording material design and thorough manufacturing control to create a disc that is extremely resistant to data and image corruption and deterioration over long periods of time. Chamber tests show the error rate increase during ageing acceleration tests are extremely small. This ensures a clear picture can be played back without distortion after long archive, giving an estimated life of 30 years or more.2

Sony is on the Board of Directors3 of the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) comprising of more than 170 member companies from the consumer electronics, information technology, media and software industries, as of February 2006.

1) Each recording time is calculated by each Mbps mentioned above. Actual recording time varies by hardware’s recording format.
2) “30 years or more” is estimated lifespan as calculated by Sony’s internal test.
3) As of February 2006, the Blu-ray Disc Association’s Board of Directors consists of: Apple Computer, Inc; Dell Inc.; Hewlett Packard Company; Hitachi, Ltd.; LG Electronics Inc.; Mitsubishi Electric Corporation; Panasonic (Matsushita Electric); Pioneer Corporation; Royal Philips Electronics; Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.; Sharp Corporation; Sony Corporation; TDK Corporation; Thomson; Twentieth Century Fox; Walt Disney Pictures and Television and Warner Bros.