AstralTech

Former names

 * Pathé Video (1980-1990)

List of Customers

 * Astral Home Entertainment [Canadian]
 * Bellevue Home Entertainment [Canadian]
 * CIC Canada (unrelated to CIC Video)
 * Buena Vista Home Entertainment [Canadian] (1986-2000)
 * Hollywood Pictures Home Video [Canadian]
 * Touchstone Home Video [Canadian]
 * Walt Disney Home Video [Canadian]
 * CBS/Fox Video [Canadian] (1983-1986)
 * Key Video [Canadian] (1984-1986)
 * MCA Home Video Canada (some 1980s tapes)
 * Media Home Entertainment [Canadian] (1984-1993)
 * Hi-Tops Video [Canadian] (1986-1993)
 * New World Video [Canadian] (1984-1989)
 * RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video [Canadian]
 * Magic Window [Canadian]
 * SC/Creswin [Canadian]
 * Screencraft Video [Canadian]
 * Warner Home Video [Canadian] (1980-1994)

How to Tell

 * Tapes duplicated by AstralTech (formerly Pathé Video) prior to 1995 have a coloured sticker, usually white, on the tape guard. These stickers always have SKU numbers on them. Sometimes they would have a red ink side label number and/or a handwritten title label number.
 * Tapes duplicated in the early 80's also have the distributor's name on the sticker.
 * Most tapes duplicated by Pathé Video may have an abbreviation engraved on the right side or back of the tape.
 * For some distributors, there may also be a month-year code engraved next to it (e.g. RCP 5 4 = May 1984).
 * In the fall of 1994, AstralTech printed out print dates on their tapes that were similar to the ones on those duplicated by Technicolor.
 * Beginning in 1995, tapes duplicated by AstralTech have ink information on the bottom middle side akin to the information on those duplicated by Technicolor, except the information reads the name of the release and cartridge number.
 * E.G. if the cartridge number reads "13/40", that means the tape is cartridge number 13 out of the 40 cartridges, although in some ways, this does not reliably guarantee that only 40 copies of the VHS release were produced by this arm. Or, if it reads "089/510", that means the tape is cartridge number 89 out of 510 cartridges.
 * Tapes duplicated by Pathé may have a code on the vertical-blanking interval that begins with "PATH".
 * Most tapes were duplicated on cassettes manufactured by Fujifilm.

Known abbreviation letter codes

 * AV - tapes released by Astral Video, Forum Home Video, Media Home Entertainment and its subsidiaries, and Trans World Entertainment prior to 1990
 * ASTRAL - tapes released by Astral Video after 1990
 * BVHV - tapes released under the Buena Vista Home Video label and its subsidiaries from 1990 to 1998
 * BVHE - tapes released under the Buena Vista Home Entertainment label and its subsidiaries after 1998
 * CIC - tapes released by CIC Canada
 * DIS - tapes released by Buena Vista Home Video and its subsidiaries prior to 1990
 * MAG3 - tapes released by CBS/Fox Video and its subsidiaries
 * MCA - tapes released under the MCA Home Video label
 * NWV1 - tapes released by New World Video and Malofilm Video (the latter through the former)
 * PHE - tapes released by Paramount Home Entertainment after Technicolor's acquisition of AstralTech in 2000
 * RCP - tapes released by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video and its subsidiaries prior to 1990
 * COL - tapes released by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video after 1990
 * CTHV - tapes released by Columbia TriStar Home Video
 * SC - tapes sold through Screencraft Video
 * TCI - tapes released by Alliance Atlantis and Universal Studios Home Entertainment after Technicolor's acquisition of AstralTech in 2000

Fun Facts

 * Astral Media sold its video duplication and distribution arm to Technicolor Video Services in 2000; however, the sale did not include the Astral Home Entertainment video wholesaling and marketing operation.

Locations

 * Toronto, Ontario (1980-1994) (moved to Montreal)
 * Montreal, Quebec (1994-2000)