Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has outlined the pricing structure for its upcoming range of Blu-ray high definition film discs in America.

New films released in the next-generation DVD format will have a wholesale price of $23.45, translating into a retail price close to $35. Older releases will have a wholesale price of $17.95, closer to $29 at retail.

Players compatible with Blu-ray are expected to hit US store shelves in the next couple of months, as are players designed for the rival Toshiba-backed next-generation DVD format, HD-DVD.