Changes to AACS mean cheaper Blu-Ray replication costs

[Tim Dashwood]

Blu-Ray replication costs are still much higher than DVD, but new rules to the AACS licensing structure now allow smaller producers (like me) to afford Blu-Ray replication. A $500/year licensing fee is required, but it is a heck of a lot cheaper than the $3000 one-time fee previously required just to submit your job for replication. The "Title Key Certificates" have dropped from $1300/master to $500/master, but the royalty fee is still 4¢/disc.
Replication costs are still about $3 per disc so the total cost on an order of 1000 discs is now only about $4040. ($500 + $500 + $40 + $3000)
Any additional titles you replicate within that year would be $500 less because you only have to pay that fee once a year.

[Paul Cascio]

Is that first $500 fee for each title, or does it cover the studio? Or, how much is a second title?

[Charles W. Hull]

Blu-Ray replication costs are still much higher than DVD, but new rules to the AACS licensing structure now allow smaller producers (like me) to afford Blu-Ray replication. A $500/year licensing fee is required, but it is a heck of a lot cheaper than the $3000 one-time fee previously required just to submit your job for replication. The "Title Key Certificates" have dropped from $1300/master to $500/master, but the royalty fee is still 4¢/disc.
Replication costs are still about $3 per disc so the total cost on an order of 1000 discs is now only about $4040. ($500 + $500 + $40 + $3000)
Any additional titles you replicate within that year would be $500 less because you only have to pay that fee once a year.

How does AACS look at personal Blu-rays, at sending copies you burn yourself to friends and associates? Is there any licensing issue with 10 copies? 100?

[Ronan Fournier]

This may answer your question. I found it on Blu-ray Disc License Office -- FAQ

"I am a wedding/event video photographer and shoot the HD pictures and burn on BD-R/RE discs. Can I apply for LLA?
If you burn to R or RE discs, BD Logo is not permitted to use. The reason is BD-Logo is basically used to communicate to the consumers that the products having BD-Logo is complying with BD Specification and compatible with other BD Products.
In case of contents burn on to BD-R or RE discs, there is no way we can assure the compatibility /quality of the disc.
To communicate to your customers that the disc is a BD disc, you can either use a word “Blu-ray ™” in plain letter on the label or you can design your disc, so that BD-Logo on the original blank disc is visible to the consumers.
You may use “Blu-ray ™” in plain letter in your website/printed materials to publicize that you are providing your services using Blu-ray format."

So, if I uderstand well, you can burn BD-r but not use the blu-ray logo when selling them. However, the terms "wedding & events" are not very clear. Why should it concerns only wedding & events ? Maybe it's just an example. I mean it should be logical that they don't care if you shoot weeding or short movies or even indie documentary since you burn yourself the BD-R and don't use the logo. What do you think of this?

[Charles W. Hull]

Originally Posted by Ronan Fournier

So, if I uderstand well, you can burn BD-r but not use the blu-ray logo when selling them. However, the terms "wedding & events" are not very clear. Why should it concerns only wedding & events ? Maybe it's just an example. I mean it should be logical that they don't care if you shoot wedding or short movies or even indie documentary since you burn yourself the BD-R and don't use the logo. What do you think of this?

Yes, that's very useful - thanks.

[Ed Kukla]

the original poster used the term replication. Perhaps the licencing he refers to is only for large scale replication? Burning your own blu-ray discs at home would not come under the licencing and not have any fees or restrictions except that you cannot use the official logo?