Sony PCL has announced that it will start its AVC encoding services for Blu-Ray discs in April 2007.

The company started its MPEG-2 authoring services of BD-ROM discs in July 2006. Now, Sony PCL introduces a new encoding system that is capable of producing H.264/MPEG-4 AVC high-definition content. Compared to the MPEG-2 encoder, the new AVC encoder is twice more efficient, while it maintains superior picture quality, according to the Japanese company. The system offers real time encoding of both video and audio, supporting new audio standards such as the Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD, as well as the previously introduced Dolby Digital, DTS and linear PCM.

Sony PCL also announced that it has made significant progress in developing tools that support the BD-J interactive features of the Blu-Ray format.

Japanese Panasonic has been also offering AVC authoring services for Blu-Ray discs at its Panasonic Hollywood Laboratory.