Toshiba to act as licensor for the BD4C Licensing Group

[bluflu]

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blu...se-group-18677

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment March 8 said it is part of a new global Blu-ray Disc joint patent licensing program for manufacturers of Blu-ray players and Blu-ray/DVD hybrid discs, among other related products.

Dubbed the BD4C Licensing Group, the consortium includes Mitsubishi Electric Corp., Thomson Licensing and Toshiba Corp.

BD4C is intended to be a one-stop (and presumably cheaper) shop for the patents owned or controlled by the four companies that comply with specifications promulgated by the Blu-ray Disc Association.

License royalties under the BD4C portfolio include 4 cents per Blu-ray Disc, 8 cents per Blu-ray/DVD hybrid disc, and $4.50 per Blu-ray player, among others.

Toshiba, which formerly spearheaded rival high-definition format HD DVD, will act as licensor for the BD4C companies’ patents.

Thomson Licensing is part of the former Thomson Group, which changed its corporate name to Technicolor last month. Technicolor recently inked a disc replication deal with Warner Home Video.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by bluflu

http://www.homemediamagazine.com/blu...se-group-18677

I have mixed emotions about this. First, I don't like Toshiba. Second, I don't trust Toshiba. 3rd, Toshiba is run by hypocrites. Now they are Blu-ray's biggest supporter? I wonder how the hd-dvd fanboys feel about Toshiba now?

[blueshadow | Kosty]

Virtually all of the old HD DVD fanboys are all probably now enjoying Blu-ray and have long forgotten the old HD DVD Blu-ray high definition optical disc format war of 2006-2007.

The couple that still post anti Blu-ray stuff were never really HD DVD supporters to begin with anyway, as they were more anti Blu-ray and pro digital downloads more than they were pro HD DVD. Its just that they were anti Blu-ray in their statements and thus were lumped in as HD DVD supporters.

Probably most any remaining HD DVD supporters moved along last fall when Toshiba switched to full Blu-ray support.

[OrlandoEastwood]

Maybe we can ask; "Why does this Blu-ray player not want to work Toshiba?" Because my Toshiba laptop died six times and they refuse to replace it because it's a replacement itself from a previous laptop that kept dying on me.

[CptGreedle]

I agree, I don't like Toshiba either. I just hope they don't screw this up, but then again, they were the main supporters for DVD too, so it is not like they don't know what they are doing when it comes to licensing. I would be surprised if they screwed it up, but I still don't like them.

[Blaumann]

If this BD4C is actually lowering the licencing costs, that's a good thing.

Don't really care if or in what way Toshiba is involved here

[bluflu]

Guess you could say they're trusting a reformed rat to take care of the Blu cheese.

[blueshadow | Kosty]

The reformed and converted always are the most committed to the cause.

Think reformed alcoholics and religious evangelists.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by CptGreedle

I agree, I don't like Toshiba either. I just hope they don't screw this up, but then again, they were the main supporters for DVD too, so it is not like they don't know what they are doing when it comes to licensing. I would be surprised if they screwed it up, but I still don't like them.

Yes, and Toshiba was also the main villain in the recordable DVD format wars a few years before the HD wars. They were the last holdout to support DVD+R.

[radagast]

Originally Posted by blueshadow

The reformed and converted always are the most committed to the cause.

Think reformed alcoholics and religious evangelists.

As long as they don't backslide.