BLU RAY AND DVD
Blu-ray or Blu-ray Disc (BD, BRD) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was designed to supersede the DVD format, in that it is capable of storing high-definition video resolution (1080p). The plastic disc is 120 mm in diameter and 1.2 mm thick, the same size as DVDs and CDs.[4] Conventional (pre-BD-XL) Blu-ray Discs contain 25 GB per layer, with dual layer discs (50 GB) being the industry standard for feature-length video discs. Triple layer discs (100 GB) and quadruple layers (128 GB) are available for BD-XL re-writer drives. The name "Blu-ray" refers to the blue laser (specifically, a violet laser) used to read the disc, which allows information to be stored at a greater density than is possible with the longer-wavelength red laser used for DVDs. The main application of Blu-ray is as a medium for video material such as feature films and physical distribution of video games for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Besides the hardware specifications, Blu-ray is associated with a set of multimedia formats.
High-definition video may be stored on Blu-ray Discs with up to 1080p resolution (1920×1080 pixels), at up to 60 (59.94) fields or 60 frames per second. DVD discs had been limited to a maximum resolution of 480i, (NTSC, 720×480 pixels) or 576i, (PAL, 720×576 pixels). The format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion pictures. Sony unveiled the first Blu-ray Disc prototypes in October 2000, and the first prototype player was released in April 2003 in Japan. Afterwards, it continued to be developed until its official release in June 2006. During the high definition optical disc format war, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. Toshiba, the main company that supported HD DVD, conceded in February 2008, releasing its own Blu-ray Disc player in late 2009. According to Media Research, high-definition software sales in the US were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales. Blu-ray faces competition from video on demand.
History
The information density of the DVD format was limited by the wavelength of the laser diodes used. Following protracted development, blue laser diodes operating at 405 nanometers became available on a production basis. Sony started two projects in collaboration with Philips applying the new diodes: UDO (Ultra Density Optical), and DVR Blue (together with Pioneer), a format of rewritable discs that would eventually become Blu-ray Disc (more specifically, BD-RE). The core technologies of the formats are similar.
The first DVR Blue prototypes were unveiled at the CEATEC exhibition in October 2000 by Sony. A trademark for the "Blue Disc" logo was filed February 9, 2001. On February 19, 2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray Disc, and Blu-ray Disc Founders was founded by the nine initial members.
DVD
HD DVD (short for High Definition/Density Digital Versatile/Video Disc) is a discontinued high-density optical disc format for storing data and high-definition video. Supported principally by Toshiba, HD DVD was envisioned to be the successor to the standard DVD format.
On 19 February 2008, after a protracted format war with rival Blu-ray Disc, Toshiba abandoned the format, announcing it would no longer develop nor manufacture HD DVD players or drives. The HD DVD Promotion Group was dissolved on March 28, 2008.
The HD DVD physical disc specifications (but not the codecs) were still in use as the basis for the China Blue High-definition Disc (CBHD) formerly called CH-DVD.
Because all variants except 3× DVD and HD REC employed a blue laser with a shorter wavelength, HD DVD stored about 3.2 times as much data per layer as its predecessor (maximum capacity: 15 GB per layer compared to 4.7 GB per layer).
In the mid 1990s, commercial HDTV sets started to enter a larger market, but there was no inexpensive way to record or play back HD content. JVC's D-VHS and Sony's HDCAM formats could store that amount of data, but were neither popular nor well-known. It was well known that using lasers with shorter wavelengths would yield optical storage with higher density. Shuji Nakamura invented practical blue laser diodes, but a lengthy patent lawsuit delayed commercial introduction.
Origins and competition from Blu-ray Disc
Sony started two projects applying the new diodes: UDO (Ultra Density Optical) and DVR Blue together with Philips, a format of rewritable discs which would eventually become Blu-ray Disc (more specifically, BD-RE) and later on with Pioneer a format of read only discs (BD-ROM). The two formats share several technologies (such as the AV codecs and the laser diode). In February 2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray Disc, and the Blu-ray Disc Association was founded by the nine initial members.
The DVD Forum (chaired by Sony) was deeply split over whether to go with the more expensive blue lasers or not. Although today's Blu-ray Discs appear virtually identical to a standard DVD, when the Blu-ray Discs were initially developed they required a protective caddy to avoid mis-handling by the consumer (early CD-Rs also featured a protective caddy for the same purpose.) The Blu-ray Disc prototype's caddy was both expensive and physically different from DVD, posing several problems. In March 2002, the forum voted to approve a proposal endorsed by Warner Bros. and other motion picture studios that involved compressing HD content onto dual-layer DVD-9 discs. In spite of this decision, the DVD Forum's Steering Committee announced in April that it was pursuing its own blue-laser high-definition solution. In August, Toshiba and NEC announced their competing standard Advanced Optical Disc. It was adopted by the DVD forum and renamed to HD DVD the next year.
The HD DVD Promotion Group was a group of manufacturers and media studios formed to exchange thoughts and ideas to help promote the format worldwide. Its members comprised Toshiba as the Chair Company and Secretary, Memory-Tech Corporation and NEC as Vice-Chair companies, and Sanyo Electric as Auditors; there were 61 general members and 72 associate members in total. The HD DVD promotion group was officially dissolved on March 28, 2008, following Toshiba's announcement on February 19, 2008 that it would no longer develop or manufacture HD DVD players and drives.
Blu-ray players are a good match for high-definition TVs, especially 1080p sets, which can display all the detail contained on Blu-ray discs. The picture quality is top-notch, the best currently available. Many new players can play 3D Blu-ray movies and regular high-def Blu-ray discs. The latest development: models that can upconvert 1080p high def to 4K when used with an Ultra HD TV. All Blu-ray players can also play standard DVDs (upconverting the video to quasi-HD resolutions) and CDs, so you can use one player for all your discs. Many new players can stream video from the Internet, providing instant access to movies and TV episodes from Amazon Instant Video, CinemaNow, Netflix, Vudu, and other online movie services.
If you have an HDTV, we strongly recommend that you buy a Blu-ray player rather than a standard DVD player. Prices for Blu-ray players now start at less than #8,000, but expect to pay a bit more for a major-brand player that has 3D and wireless capbility. There are already many thousands of Blu-ray titles--movies and TV episodes--on the market, and a growing number of 3D Blu-ray titles.
Portable Blu-ray players let you watch a movie anytime, anywhere--perfect for long trips or waits between flights. Though you can also play movies on a laptop computer with a built-in Blu-ray drive, portable players are often smaller and lighter and might offer more playback options. Most portable players look like small laptops minus the keyboard. They typically have a 7-to-10-inch screen (measured diagonally) with a clamshell-style cover that protects the screen when it's closed. Other models have an exposed screen like a tablet's. You probably won't appreciate the benefits of high definition on such a small screen, but if you have a library of Blu-ray discs, you might like the option of taking them on the road. (You cannot play Blu-ray discs on a standard DVD model.) Figure on spending #7,000 or more for a portable player.
This guide can help you sort through the various options to find the right model. While price is always a factor, also consider the features and brand. Make sure you check out our shopping advice, which should help you find the right model at the best price. Check us out today at deluxe online store for the best quality of Blu-ray and DVD products