Believe it or not, the porno industry drives quite a great deal of technological advances. People who buy adult entertainment were the first to buy VCRs, the first to get DVD players and the first to get broadband. So, what other technology might the adult entertainment industry influence? Well, very likely the next-generation DVD format, that's what.
The multibillion-dollar industry releases about 11,000 titles on DVD each year, giving it tremendous power to sway the battle between two groups of studios and technology companies competing to set standards for the next generation.
"We're kind of riding it out a little further to see where the trend goes," said Jackie Ramos, an executive in the DVD division at leading porn producer Wicked Pictures. But if he had to choose, Ramos said, "Blu-ray technology sounds pretty attractive."
Word has it that many in the porno business disagree with Ramos, and don't want Blu-ray format because it requires new capital investment. Some feel that HD DVD would do the job just as well for a fraction of the price.
In any case, this is a battle likely to heat up over the next year or so, before we see drives and media in the shops.