One of the big questions I had coming into the show was how much momentum Blu-ray would accumulate after the demise of HD DVD. A key barometer for me would be the attitude of the companies selling blu-ray printer/recorders, of which Microboards is a prime example. Let me rave about their latest printer/recorder, the MX-1 Disc Publisher a bit, then I’ll get back to the Blu-ray issue.

To set the stage, I currently use a Microboards CX-1 for DVD reproduction and printing. Three things about the MX-1 that caught my eye. First, it uses separate ink cartridges, which means less waste and a reported drop in print cost to nine cents per disc.

Second is a brand new software interface shown in the figure that’s built over the Prassi software that actually runs the unit and serves as the user interface on my CX-1. To be kind, the Prassi software was plain and functional, a nice way of saying it was two or three generations behind and not all that user friendly. The new software is wizard driven, a lot more fault tolerant, yet still uses the Prassi software to drive the recording functions, which should enhance reliability. Microboards also ships Charismac with the unit for Mac users, though there are no network capabilities, you have to be connected to the unit to drive it.

Third are 4X blu-ray drives that can record a full capacity single layer Blu-ray disc in 23 minutes. The unit supports up to two recorders, with two Blu-ray drives, which can also write DVD-R/+R, for $4,495, or two DVD recorders for $2995. Systems with Blu-ray drives won’t be available until June 1.

OK, back to the Blu-ray question. I asked Microboard’s Director of Marketing, who had manned the booth from the start, to assess Blu-ray’s progress. His comment was that last year, booth visitors were asking strategic questions about Blu-ray, trying to assess whether it would win the format war. This year, he reported, questions were more tactical, involving production workflow, speeds and feeds and the like. Obviously, this is a positive step, though you can’t make the mortgage payment with tactical questions.

Then I asked the company’s CTO, John Westrum, what percentage of units he thought would ship with Blu-ray drives. His guess was ten percent, though he allowed that he could be off in either direction.

To me, ten percent is meaningful, but somewhat less than a stampede. I didn’t feel a lot of Blu-ray buzz at the show, just a quiet momentum as many of the essential parts are falling into place. I see a lot more interest in the corporate space than in the consumer/retail market, which I frankly can’t explain.