Australia- from www.apcmag.com – Since opening in June, the factory in Huntingwood — the only Blu-ray duplicator in the Southern hemisphere — has been actively soliciting outside work to supplement its existing roster of (largely US) studio titles. “Sony DADC will be doing production for local companies and there will be capacity,” a Sony spokesperson said. The plant has a maximum annual capacity of around 12 million discs, though one of its three lines is being used exclusively for duplicating PS3 games.

However, when asked if the policy of banning porn duplication which has been implemented in many overseas disc duplication plants would also apply here, the enthusiasm dropped a little. “Sony DADC is open to other contracts but would not take on any adult titles or content,” the spokesperson told APC.

While Sony declined to elaborate on the specific reasons for the ban, it’s likely to be because of what is often referred to as “the Disney effect”. Disney’s digitally restored versions of its classic animated features are one of the biggest sellers in the Blu-ray market, and its policy of including a DVD alongside the Blu-ray version for some titles is credited by some market observers with helping boost consumer acceptance.

“Disney putting a DVD platter into the Sleeping Beauty title seemed to break the ice,” Richard Doherty of Envisioneering argued earlier this year.

However, the company imposes strict conditions on sites that reproduce its titles, including that no X-rated material can be manufactured on the same premises.

That in turn dates back to a 1999 controversy where it emerged that the home video version of The Rescuers included two frames where a topless woman could clearly be seen in the background. The source of the image remains shrouded in mystery and speculation, but it swiftly withdrew all copies of the movie.

The negative publicity Disney scored after that fracas has convinced the entertainment giant to take no chances in the future. Banning adult content from factory sites minimises the risks of the wrong movie hitting the production line and horrified parents discovering their kids are watching The Empress’s New Boobs instead of The Emperor’s New Groove.

The topic of whether hi-definition formats are in demand from the porn industry anyway is a contentious one. Many argue that no-one wants to see genitalia in massively high-definition closeup, and that online access is replacing sales of individual movies anyway.

On the other hand, in recent years the AVN Awards — the porn industry equivalent of the Oscars — have been dominated by titles filmed specifically in high-definition. There’s a specific category for best hi-def title, and the top-selling and renting title, Digital Playground’s Cheerleaders, was released in both Blu-ray and regular DVD formats.

Those porn companies which have produced Blu-ray discs have sometimes struggled to find a suitable site. In niche markets, some have resorted to burning discs themselves, but that can be risky as self-burnt discs won’t play on some equipment.