GLOBAL consumer electronics market is predicted to reach $1.4 trillion by 2015, driven by digitalization, miniaturization, mobility, and portability, according to a new report by Global Industry Analysts.

THE FIJI Audio Visual Industry Association is calling for a levy of $5 per blank DVD or CD in the next budget to tackle piracy in the country. FAVIA President Chris Caine said while they are grateful to government that the levy has been introduced after their request in 2006, an increase in levy needs to be made to work for the industry. Caine said the $1 levy now imposed on blank DVDs is not enough as it does little to affect the illegal price of $2, compared to $10-$20 paid legally on products that retail for $50 and above.

PIONEER, a major contributor to the development of the Blu-ray Disc standard, YAMAHA, a world-leading manufacturer of musical instruments and audio & visual products, and Taiyo Yuden, a leading producer of recordable media and information technology, have joined the One-Blue product licensing programme as a licensor. They join current licensors Cyberlink, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Hitachi, JVC Kenwood, LG Electronics, Panasonic, Philips and Sony.

CINRAM announced a strategic partnership between its Digital Media subsidiary, 1K Studios and Mobovivo, a leading provider of Social TV technology to producers, distributors, networks, and film studios. Mobovivo apps enable producers and broadcasters to market and monetize premium quality video across multiple platforms and on all screens.

A DUTCH court has ordered two major ISPs in the Netherlands to block their customers from accessing The Pirate Bay website or face large fines. The Dutch ISPs Ziggo and XS4ALL had resisted demands by a copyright holders’ organisation to block their subscribers’ access to the site, arguing they should not have to act as censors. But the Hague District Court said in its written ruling they must do so within 10 working days or face fines of €10,000 per day.

LG ELECTRONICS unveiled a 84-inch 3D Ultra Definition TV made up of 8 million pixels (3840x2160) – four times the resolution clarity of existing Full HD TV panels. In addition, 3D Depth Control enables users to customise their 3D viewing experience by controlling the 3D effects. Sharp may beat it by an inch with its 85-inch television, but LG’s TV is also 3D-ready.

"IT IS a profit driver, so supporting the DVD/Blu-ray business is of great importance." Universal Studios President and COO Ron Meyer commented during celebrations of the studio’s centenary. The milestone, according to The Hollywood Reporter, will be marked by a new logo and the restoration of 13 of its iconic films. The restorations took three to six months each and cost $250,000 to $600,000 per title, Universal SVP, Technical Operations Michael Daruty told THR and others at a sneak preview of the results.

SONY DADC was assigned by Sony Classical to make the 2012 edition of one of the world’s most watched classical music performances – the New Year’s Concert performed by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at the Vienna Musikverein - available as CD, DVD, Blu-ray Disc and digital download. Right after the concert on 1 January the discs for the crucial German speaking market have been authored, mastered and manufactured by Sony DADC at its Salzburg facilities. The digital edition has already been delivered to online retailers all over the globe through Sony’s digital distribution infrastructure.

NBC SPORTS Group and Panasonic are teaming up to make the London 2012 Olympic Games available in 3D to all US distributors who carry Olympic coverage. It will be the first time 3DTV owners will be able to watch the games in the format. The companies did not announce which pay-TV providers intend to carry the Olympic coverage in 3D, but presumably Comcast — which owns NBC Universal — will be in the mix, along with DirecTV, which has aimed to be the leading provider of 3DTV in the U.S.

Read More...