Ascent Media Group has teamed with Akamai Technologies and Sofatronic to create an integrated digital workflow and distribution solution for the production, hosting and delivery of BD-Live functionality for Blu-ray Discs.

Available through Ascent Media’s Blink Digital, the platform provides a more efficient and cost-effective way for movie studios and content creators to harness the full power of BD-Live’s Internet-enabled features, such as bonus content, online community, and interactive and e-commerce applications.

Under the joint initiative, Sofatronic is responsible for the development of a new software platform based off its Kaleidoscope technology, a development platform for interactive entertainmenton Blu-ray.

Akamai’s global distribution platform will enable Internet-connected devices to support large file downloads and acceleration of rich, interactive media content and applications. Blink Digital is responsible for providing creative delivery, design, authoring and programming services and BD-Live integration for high quality Blu-ray Disc production.

The companies claim to have addressed many of the outstanding industry issues that previous BD-Live platforms have experienced by providing improved authoring tools, better disc quality assurance, increased menu functionality, secure retailing interface, improved bonus content download times, and fixed disc pricing.

BD-Live offers a wide array of interactive features to the home entertainment ecosystem. With the highly interactive BD-Live platform, personalized avatars can be created, subtitles can be frequently updated and viewers can simultaneously interact with others while watching a movie. There are currently more than 75 BD-Live movie titles available in the US.

Story filed 19.01.09