M+E Daily

, a global provider of professional video editing, music creation and optical disc authoring solutions, announced on Monday that it is acquiring NetBlender, a leading developer of Blu-ray disc creation tools.

Under the agreement, Sony Creative Software will acquire NetBlender’s DoStudio product line of authoring applications to expand its current portfolio of Blu-ray disc software products, which currently includes DVD Architect and Blu-print. The DoStudio product line complements Sony Creative Software’s existing lineup, targeting post-production facilities, news organizations, educational institutions, corporate training facilities, cable TV outlets, Hollywood studios, and independent film producers.

“Many Blu-ray Disc authoring tools that are priced at the prosumer level have very limited feature sets compared to enterprise or studio level applications. The DoStudio line of products bridges the gap between these platforms by offering access to many of the Blu-ray special features that provide comprehensive mastering functionality at a more reasonable price structure,” says Brad Reinke, Sony Creative Software senior vice president, in a statement. “The acquisition of NetBlender will allow us to continue to deliver industry-standard tools that address these issues, as well as having the resources to offer new capabilities such as Blu-ray 3D and Custom BD-J within this new product line. We look forward to working with and supporting NetBlender’s loyal customers who have come to rely on these solutions for their multimedia production needs.”

Based in Alexandria, Va., NetBlender has attracted a professional authoring customer base that spans 31 countries. The company’s products have been employed in the production of more than 2,000 retail Blu-ray Disc titles to date.

“NetBlender and Sony Creative Software share the same passion for expanding Blu-ray adoption among independent production companies and post houses worldwide,” says John Harrington, NetBlender CEO. “The combination of NetBlender’s innovative products and Sony’s market leadership will be a powerful force for encouraging growth in the Blu-ray industry.”

Sony Creative Software and NetBlender will continue to provide customer service and technical support throughout the transition. NetBlender’s current resources, products, case studies, manuals and community portals will remain active and available on the company’s website until the acquisition is complete.