According to the New York Times, many studio companies are now using DVD cases that are smaller and lighter in weight to reduce their environmental impact, as well as save on costs.

Warner Home Video, the largest distributor of DVD entertainment, just started releasing all of its new and library titles in cases with 20 percent less plastic.  Some feature a thin layer of plastic, while others have cutouts in the walls.  One of the main forces is to lessen the load on the environment; it will reduce Warner’s home entertainment division’s carbon emissions by 31 percent.  Not only do these improvements help the environment, but they also cut costs for companies by using less raw materials and by spending less on shipping.  Companies are looking to save money wherever they can, especially in this struggling economy.

Warner is not the only studio making changes in DVD packaging.  Just last month, Sony Pictures Entertainment released their own 20 percent reduced DVD cases.  Walt Disney Company is also coming up with their own green home entertainment ideas.  And don’t forget that Disney, Century Fox, and Sony were the ones to really push the shift to Blu-Ray discs, in which cases have a 30 percent smaller impact on the environment.

Using lighter DVD packaging helps the environment by reducing waste and carbon emissions, while still storing and protecting your DVDs.  And don’t forget about the money you’ll be saving on raw materials and shipping!  Lighter DVD packaging could include DVD cases with cutouts in the walls, Blu-Ray cases, slim DVD cases, c-shells or square-shells.

There have been doubts about whether or not the high-quality Blu-ray format would succeed like DVDs did in the past. With the high costs of the technology and the worries of the shaky economy, many did not think that people would want to pay the price to switch over to Blu-ray.

The numbers show differently, as revealed by Adams Media Research. Blu-ray sales so far in 2009 have nearly doubled the amount of Blu-ray sales from the same time last year. Q1 sales are around 9 million in 2009, compared to 4.8 million for Q1 of 2008. To go along with that, there is an estimated total of 10.5 million Blu-ray households to date.

People know the value of the much better quality that the Blu-ray format provides, as it shows in the sales. They are willing to spend a little more for this, despite the struggling economy. Blu-ray discs need to stand out on the shelf and be differentiated from the standard DVDs. With high-quality Blu-ray cases, customers know that they are getting what they pay for–superior technology.

Yesterday marked the 30th birthday of the Compact Disc. On March 8th, 1979, Royal Philips Electronics exhibited a prototype of what we now know as the CD. Since then, over 240 billion CDs have been sold. The introduction of the CD also paved the way for videogame discs, DVDs, and Blu-Ray discs.

To celebrate this historic landmark, IEEE, the world’s leading professional association for the advancement of technology, presented Philips with the IEEE Milestone Award for their role in the development of the CD.

The CD was truly a revolutionary idea. Not only are CDs much smaller than their predecessor, the cassette tape, they are more convenient and have a much higher quality playback. They completely transformed the way audio, video, and computing was done.

Although some believe that CDs are being pushed out of the way for digital files and mp3s, CDs have brought us a long way and aren’t disappearing yet. Many prefer having a physical disc, rather than storing everything on the computer. And don’t forget about videogames, DVDs, and the new Blu-Ray format. The world is not letting go of discs anytime soon. So to this we say, “Happy Birthday CD!”

Libraries are trying to continue to stay up to date with the current times. With this comes the increasing demand for the new Blu-ray technology format.

Since Blu-ray discs are able to hold 25GB (single layer), rather than just 4.7GB with a standard DVD, it brings major improvements to the image quality, audio quality, and special features.

Blu-ray discs can deliver up to 48MB per second, while DVDs only bring 8MB per second. This is a huge jump for picture quality! It is no doubt that people would prefer to watch Blu-ray movies, if they have the capabilities.

Libraries see this demand and want to meet it to satisfy their customers. As they increase their media collection to include Blu-ray discs, they need authentic, high-quality Blu-ray cases to replace their old ones. These electric blue cases are eye-appealing and are a reminder of the higher quality that comes with the Blu-ray format.

Don’t know where to get them? We now offer authentic Blu-Ray cases here at Sunrise Packaging! You can visit our store at http://shop.sunpack.com.

You know that you need cases to package and store your CDs or DVDs, but do you know which case is the best fit for your needs? We came up with a few questions to help you analyze your situation, in order to determine which case is the best fit for you:

Are you looking for a standard size case to match the rest on the shelf or are you attempting to save space?

If you want your case to be the same size as a standard DVD case, there are a few options available for you:

• Premium Quality. If you are looking for a durable case that will last, the premium quality DVD case is for you.  This case is available in black or white in either one or two disc capacities.  Black cases are also available in four disc capacity. White cases are perfect for Wii gaming discs or wedding DVDs.  These cases feature literature clips and a clear overlay to display your artwork.  If you are looking for strong cases that will protect your discs, stick with the premium quality DVD cases.
• Standard Quality. If you are looking for a case offered at a lower cost, the standard quality case is for you. This black case is available in either one or two disc capacities and features literature clips and a clear overlay to display artwork.
• Blu-Ray. The new Blu-Ray technology is a much higher quality than the standard format. This needs to be displayed in the packaging by making it obvious that it is a Blu-Ray disc and showing the higher quality. It is the norm to package Blu-Ray discs in blue cases, so it is important to follow the trend. This will help to avoid confusing customers, as well as have it match the rest of the Blu-Ray cases in their collection.

If you are looking towards saving space with a thinner CD/DVD case, there are even more options:

Are you looking for a case to store CDs or DVDs?

• CDs are typically packaged in jewel cases or paper sleeves. It would be best to stick with these techniques to avoid confusing the customers. These come in more of a square shape, rather than the taller DVD cases. The jewel cases are clear to display artwork and can come with either a clear or a black inner tray. The paper sleeves have a clear acetate window to display the disc and a flap to keep it from falling out.
• If you are looking for a space-saving way to package and store your DVDs, there are clear, slim DVD cases in one or two disc capacities that are 7mm thick. If you are looking for an even smaller case, try clam-shells and square-shells, which are clear and only 4.2mm thick. Artwork can be displayed through all of these clear cases. Paper sleeves could also be used for DVDs if you are looking for your packaging to be especially thin.

Know what you want, but don’t know where you can get it? Sunrise Packaging now offers all of these styles of CD/DVD packaging! Visit our stock CD/DVD products page for more information or go to http://shop.sunpack.com/cd-dvd-albums.html

Just this morning, Mitsubishi announced that they have a prototype of an in-car Blu-Ray disc player. The player is about 1/3 the size of standard in-home Blu-Ray disc player and is scheduled to launch in late 2009 or early 2010. The player will debut with their car navigation equipment. (no picture is available at this time) Read the full article.

Panasonic's in-dash blu-ray disc player

Panasonic has also announced that they also have designed an in-car Blu-Ray player several years ago, but it has never been available for purchase.

Blu-ray aficionados will be glad to eliminate the need for multiple copies of movies in several formats.

Given the current economy, people are using libraries more than ever before. They are looking for any way to save money and are turning to the free resources that libraries provide.

Libraries offer books, audio music and books, magazines, programs, computer services, the Internet, and even some DVDs all free of charge. It’s no wonder that so many people are using these free resources, rather than paying for the same thing.

Laura Dolce from seacoastonlone.com reported on several libraries in southern Maine that are having increased circulation of their collections. Several interesting numbers were cited in her report:

• Huge increase in the number of people taking out books, DVDs and audio materials.
• One library saw circulation from July to December of last year increase 8.5%
• DVD usage has increased significantly.
• The number of patrons using libraries regularly has increased also

Not only do libraries need to increase their collections to support this demand, but they may also need to replace their current DVD cases with more durable, long-lasting ones.

But libraries are not exempt from economic hardships. Costs are rising and budgets are tight. Libraries need to watch where they are spending their money. For this reason, it would be a good idea to invest in premium-quality DVD cases and durable audiobook cases for a reasonable cost. More use means that there will be more wear and tear on the cases. Therefore, libraries need cases that will last long, rather than having to replace them frequently.

The new Blu-Ray technology format can be confusing for some. While most know that it is a superior quality format to enhance the entertainment experience, not all may know that a specific player is required for it to work. Blu-Ray discs can only be played on Blu-Ray Disc players, Playstation® 3, or Blu-Ray Disc drives on computers. Blu-Ray discs cannot be played on DVD players. DVDs, however, will play on Blu-Ray Disc players. They just won’t look as nice as the high definition video available with Blu-Ray discs.

Since Blu-Ray is different than DVDs and is not compatible with regular DVD players, there needs to be a way to differentiate these discs. Packaging can do that easily.

Many major studios have adopted blue cases for their Blu-Ray discs that are slightly different in size from standard black DVD cases.

Criterion, on the other hand, just released some of their titles on Blu-Ray, but not in the traditional Blu-Ray discs. They use standard black DVD cases with a small Blu-Ray credit on the back and a small blue sticker on the shrink wrap. The engadgetHD blog mentioned the different packaging on their movies. After reading some of the discussion, it seemed like many people were not happy with the standard black DVD cases. They found them confusing. It is harder to recognize on the shelf and some customers may accidentally buy the Blu-Ray version, rather than the standard version. Some did not like that the cases do not match up with their current Blu-Ray collections.

When customers see the signature blue Blu-Ray cases on the shelves, they know that they are purchasing a high definition movie. This is why it is important for Blu-Ray discs to be differentiated from standard DVDs. Avoid the mix-ups and confusion. Read more about our new Blu-Ray cases that will be available next week!

Companies are looking to cut costs in any way possible. While quality should never be sacrificed for the sake of saving a few pennies, you can realize cost savings by packaging your product as efficiently as possible. Sunrise is a custom packaging manufacturer and we firmly believe in the added value of custom packaging. We also know there are some projects where a custom solution is just not in the budget. We would like to show you a variety of high-quality CD/DVD packaging options that are all available for less than 50 cents!

First off, there are the standard size 14mm black CD/DVD cases. These cases feature quick release hub prongs that are strong and durable. They can hold up to two discs and include literature clips to hold DVD booklets or artwork. These are also available in either premium or standard qualities. The premium model cases are made from partially virgin material to protect your discs, and they are machine-loadable. This can save an enormous amount of time by not having to insert everything by hand. There are also premium quality cases made from 100% raw material in white. This is a great option for weddings or to package Wii gaming discs!

There are also slim CD/DVD cases being introduced if you would like to save space without giving up quality or protection. There are premium quality slim 7mm DVD cases, as well as clam-shell cases, square-shell cases. These cases are all clear to display the artwork on the discs.

And for only a few pennies a disc, paper sleeves with a window, protect your discs from damage and display its artwork too.

There are even more CD/DVD case options to choose from. There are premium quality jewel cases available in either the standard 10.4mm style or the 5.2mm style. These cases offer high protection to prevent damage to your CDs/DVDs, and the clear cover allows artwork to be displayed. The trays are available in either black or clear, whichever best suits your needs.

Lastly, using Blu-Ray cases is another low cost approach to packaging your discs. There is a higher perception value associated with Blu-Ray discs, which should be matched with premium packaging. As soon as the customers see the signature clear-blue packaging, they will know that they are getting the high-definition Blu-Ray discs that they desire.

In the coming year, budgets are going to be tighter. With that in mind, Sunrise Packaging is proud to announce the new stock CD/DVD case product line that is currently being launched. These cases will be available for less than 50 cents each and many are priced under 25 cents! The 14mm DVD cases are now available for order, and the rest of the product line will be launched in February. Visit http://shop.sunpack.com for more information.

Improved innovations and quality have increased demands for Blu-Ray technology. Blu-Ray Discs are read and written with a blue laser, rather than the red laser in the DVD format. The blue laser has a much shorter wavelength, which allows Blu-Ray Discs to store a substantial amount of more data than DVDs. Blu-Ray specifications call for a higher transfer rate of 36 Mbps (megabits per second) then DVD which is only 10 Mbps. This allows for faster recording time and it is expected to speed up even more in the future.

The qualities of Blu-Ray technologies have already proven themselves by defeating HD technology. Psystar’s president Rudy Pedraza claimed, “Blu-Ray has won the format war. Not only is there fully functional and mature support for Blu-Ray in other operating systems but you can now rent Blu-Ray discs from almost any rental chain. Blu-Ray has become pervasive technology that is being widely adopted by consumers everywhere.” There is a growing availability of Blu-Ray movies across the world. Ritek, one of the world’s leading optical disc makers, believes that BD-R discs will reach a crucial market size of 20 million units in 2009.

Now that we know there is a growing demand for Blu-Ray Discs, what does this mean for packaging? Since Blu-Ray Discs are a different format than CDs/DVDs and are used in different drives, you may want to differentiate your Blu-Ray Disc packaging from your CD/DVD packaging to avoid confusing your customers. Many Blu-Ray Discs are packaged in a Blu-Ray case. These cases are much like DVD cases, but are typically a little shorter and come in a transparent electric blue color. Implementing this packaging idea could help your company meet the growing demand for Blu-Ray technology.