AstralTech

Former names

 * Pathé Video (1980-1990)

List of Customers

 * Astral Home Entertainment [Canadian]
 * 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] (1983-1984)
 * Key Video [Canadian] (1984-1986)
 * MCA Home Video Canada (some 1980s tapes)
 * Media Home Entertainment [Canadian] (1984-1993)
 * Hi-Tops Video [Canadian]
 * New World Video [Canadian] (1984-1989)
 * RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video [Canadian]
 * Magic Window [Canadian]
 * Screencraft Video [Canadian]
 * Warner Home Video [Canadian] (198?-1994)

How to Tell

 * Tapes duplicated by Pathé Video and AstralTech prior to 1995 have a coloured sticker, usually white, on the tape guard. These stickers always have numbers on them.
 * 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).
 * From 1994 to early 1995, AstralTech printed out print dates on their tapes that were similar to the ones on US-marketed tapes duplicated by Technicolor.
 * Beginning in 1995, tapes duplicated by AstralTech have ink information on the bottom middle side akin to those duplicated by Technicolor, except the information reads the name of the release and cartridge numbers in either 0/0, 00/00, 000/000 or 0000/0000.
 * For example, 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.
 * Beginning in 1996, tapes duplicated by AstralTech have DTMF phone dial-tones at the beginning and end.
 * 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
 * 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
 * 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 Malo Video (the latter through the former)
 * RCP - tapes released by RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video and its subsidiaries
 * SC - tapes sold through Screencraft Video
 * TCI - tapes released by Alliance Atlantis, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and Paramount 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

 * Montreal, Quebec (19??-????)
 * Toronto, Ontario (19??-????)