Geo LTD. Home Entertainment was the home video arm of the American animation studio Geo LTD., a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast.
History
The home video division of Geo LTD. started in 1980 as Geo LTD. Home Video.
In 1982, Geo LTD's video division became known as Geo LTD. Home Entertainment Group, Incorporated. In 1983, all the major motion picture studios, Geo LTD., and Tiger Electronics teamed up to make a 8-bit video portable system called Compact Portable Video to make programs, movies, and TV shows, and interactive video games. At the same time, CPV start using a disc system as the StarDisc. In December 1983, other home video companies such as Vestron and Embassy Home Entertainment start releasing for the CPV. In 1984, Compact Portable Video was upgraded to a color form as CPV Color.
In 1986, Compact Portable Video was later converted to 16-bit as CPV World which was discontinued in 1995. After the conversion, Compact Portable Video continues to produce 8-bit titles until the video portable system discontinued in 1989. In 1987, it became a video label distributed by Buena Vista Home Video, which released a variety of Geo LTD. productions on video from 1987 to 2004.
In 1988, Geo LTD. Consumer Products was established as a subsidiary of Geo LTD. Home Video, which was split off from the home video division in 1992 as Geo LTD. Interactive. In 1992, CPV converted to 32-bit as CPV Clear which was discontinued in 1997. In 1993, all CPV systems starting with CPV Clear start using a preschool brand CPV Junior, as well as the same CPV systems start using CPV XP. In 1994, Geo LTD. Home Video founded the kids and family label Geo LTD. Family Entertainment.
In 1996, CPV converted to 64-bit as CPV Hyper 64, which was discontinued in 2004. In 1997, Geo LTD. began releasing its titles on DVD, just like every other major studio. In 1999, CPV, all CPV systems starting with CPV Hyper 64 start using distribution thru Treehouse Kids as CPV Treehouse Kids Edition. Upon CPV's distribution with Treehouse Kids, Geo LTD. sold overseas video rights to Universal Studios Home Entertainment.
In 2000, Geo LTD. signed a 10-year deal with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment to release titles in the UK. In 2002, Geo LTD. Home Video was renamed to Geo LTD. Home Entertainment and CPV was converted to 128-bit as CPV Point which was discontinued in 2010, but one of CPV Point's first titles were Sky Island, The Nut Box, and Spiffed.
In 2003, following the traditional success of CPV Point, Geo LTD. Family Entertainment was renamed Geo LTD. Kids. In 2005, Geo LTD. gave its other titles to UMD Video.
In 2005, Geo LTD. UK paid Fox $225 million to end their distribution agreement in early 2006; the initial deal was to have expired in 2010. As a result of the deal, Geo LTD. gave up the home video rights to the programs and films to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. That same year, the company acquired the remains of the defunct assets of Knowledge Adventure Home Video, which closed its doors in 2003 after filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and liquidating its assets. In 2006, CPV created a new portable system, CPV PX0, which was discontinued in 2014.
In 2008, following Geo LTD. signed a five-year arrangement with Universal Studios, the company was under the Universal Studios Home Entertainment label, which has distributed the Geo LTD. library, though under the GLHE label.
In 2011, CPV created an all-new portable system called CPV Fusion. Its first title on the CPV Fusion was Gabriel and the Wacky Pack. In 2012, the remake of Zane the Cool Kid becomes the best-selling title on the CPV Fusion.
On July 21, 2015, NBCUniversal announced it would be acquiring Geo LTD. for $7.4 billion. On December 9, 2015, the acquisition was completed.
With the studio being acquired by Universal, Universal has decided to discontinue this lockout policy with future titles.
Geo LTD. Home Entertainment ceased to exist in 2015, and was folded into Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.
In the process, they parted ways with Canadian film distributor Alliance Films and the last Geo LTD. title to use the GLHE logo was Hatty.
Distribution managements
Here is the list of distributors that managed to distribute Geo LTD. Home Video and Geo LTD. Home Entertainment titles:
- Publishing and Broadcasting Video (1980–1999, Australia)
- Buena Vista Home Entertainment (1987–2004)
- Pony Canyon (1995–1999, Japan)
- 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000–2006, UK)
- Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2005–2009)
- Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (1999–2002 Australia, 2009–present worldwide)
Libraries
Through Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Geo LTD. Home Entertainment handles distribution of:
- Geo LTD. Cartoon library (1960s library)
Licenses
Coming soon!
Licensors
- Glass Ball Home Video
- Shout! Factory
Trivia
- In Japan, Geo LTD. Home Video was known as Geo LTD. Animation Home Video from 1999 to 2003.
Gallery
