The Blu-ray Disc Association is claiming victory as the premiere high definition DVD format of choice, over rival HD-DVD. It said more than 25 companies have released Blu-ray Disc products to date, including players, recorders, high-definition computer drives, recordable media, PC applications, and announced almost 170 movie and music titles.
One prominent user of the Blu-ray Disc (BD) format is the Sony PlayStation 3, with about one million units sold, each one equipped with a Blu-ray disc drive.
The Blu-ray format has been in competition with the HD-DVD format. Some companies like LG Electronics have released optical drives that can read both, but that is widely seen as a more expensive proposition; a single format is the preferred option.
The Blu-ray camp counts 180 companies among its supporters, with the following sitting in its Board of Directors: Apple, Dell Inc., HP, Hitachi, Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Panasonic, Pioneer Corporation, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, TDK Corporation, Thomson, Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures and Television, Warner Bros. Entertainment.
[Site: Blu-ray Disc Association]