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blu ray – A Simple Introduction to Blu-ray
Written by Rob Byron on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 | No Comments
Categories: Blu Ray DVD Releases Tags: blu ray
blu ray – A Simple Introduction to Blu-ray
Blu-ray, also referred to as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name associated with a next generation optical disc format. It has the same physical proportions as standard DVDs and Compact disks, however offers over five times the storage capacity of conventional DVDs, holding up to 27 GB of data on a single-layer disc (that’s more than 2 hrs of high definition video or about thirteen hrs of standard video) and up to 50 GB on a dual-layer disc. Current developments by Pioneer have pushed the storage potential to 500GB on a solitary disc by using 20 layers.
This extra capacity merged together with the use of advanced video and audio codecs gives consumers an unprecedented HD experience. Additionally, extras such as bonus material and special features may be included in high quality within the same disc, so there’s no need for separate bonus discs to accompany the film title.
Blu-ray was jointly formulated by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a collection of the world’s top consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers (including Dell, Apple, HP, Hitachi, JVC, Mitsubishi, Pioneer, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Samsung, Sharp, Thomson and TDK). It was developed to allow recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data.
Although present optical disc technologies such as DVD make use of a red laser to read and write data, the Blu-ray format uses a blue-violet laser in its place. The advantage of using a blue-violet laser (405 nm) is that it’s got a shorter wavelength than a red laser (650 nm), which makes it feasible to focus the laser spot with even greater accuracy. This enables data to be packed more closely and stored in a reduced amount of space, so it’s possible to fit more data on the disc. However, despite the different type of lasers used, Blu-ray products can easily be made backwards compatible with CDs and DVDs through the use of a BD/DVD/CD compatible optical pickup unit.
During the format war over high-definition optical discs, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. However, on February 19, 2008, Toshiba (the main company supporting HD DVD) announced that it would no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders, leading almost all other HD DVD businesses to follow suit, and thus effectively ending the format war. Blu -ray is currently supported by about 200 of the world’s leading pc, consumer electronics, recording media, music and video game companies. The format has the benefit of support from all Hollywood studios and other smaller studios as being a successor to the current DVD format. Major blank media producers such as TDK also support the Blu-ray Disc format as the successor to DVD.
Blu-ray provides some of the strongest copy protection methods ever developed for any consumer format, which makes it the best option for any content publisher wanting assurance that their valuable assets are protected from piracy. The format contains a powerful copy protection mechanism, which not only relies on implementation on the playback device, but which also includes precautions at replicator level, which can be strictly controlled. Unlike the voluntary implementation of CSS protection in DVD, the copy protection mechanism for Blu-ray Disc is mandatory and will be governed by strict licensing procedures.
Blu-ray Goes From Strength To Strength
A £1 million pound ad campaign aims to make Blu-ray a more dominant force in the home movie market.
A massive increase in sales of High Definition televisions over the past two years has provided Blu-ray’s interested parties – namely big movie producers and distributors – a chance to persuade owners to exploit their new equipment to the best of its abilities.
The promotion of Blu-ray DVD in the UK is organised by the British Video Association. Its Director General Lavinia Carey, hopes that educating consumers about Blu-ray will increase sales.
Carey commented that “The best way to enjoy films at home is in High Definition and on Blu-ray discs and our goal is to boost understanding of the benefits of Blu-ray in the run up to Christmas.”
At present the figures indicate that the majority of home movie viewing is DVD-based. The range of titles available on DVD and the relatively cheap cost of players and discs mean that at present DVD holds a commanding 92% market share.
Whilst Blu-ray sales increased this year by roughly 200% in comparison to the previous year, in total only 3.1 million units sold compared to over 99 million DVD units in the same period.
It is this gap which Blu-ray aims to bridge in the coming years.
Bridging the Impossible?
The main issue claims Helen Davis Jayaleth, Head of Video at Screen Digest, is that a lot of consumers, without full knowledge of Blu-ray’s benefits, don’t feel that they will be getting something that will deliver an improvement comparable to the VHS/DVD upgrade.
Jayaleth stated: “Clearly the start of a global recession was not the ideal time to launch an upgrade to what many consumers consider to be a perfectly serviceable home entertainment system.”
Inevitably, the costs will come down but the prevalence of online DVD rental sites means that industry bodies such as the BVA cannot be sure that cost alone will be enough to persuade consumers to purchase DVD titles they may well already own on Blu-ray.
At present there are numerous online Blu-ray rental websites.
Lovefilm and Blockbuster operate the two largest with a large selection of the titles available to purchase.
Renting Blu-ray titles from online Blu-ray rent
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al websites is often cheaper as most do not charge extra for the privilege.
This proves particularly useful for consumers who have purchased other technology that incorporates a Blu-ray player. PS3 owners for example, are all owners of a Blu-ray player.
Online DVD Rental websites mean they are able to rent games and movies at the same time for the same monthly subscription.
Consumers claim that for Blu-ray sales to reach the dizzy heights that DVDs currently enjoy, the price of the hardware needed to play Blu-ray discs and the cost of the discs themselves needs to fall, persuading people to replace DVD players.
It may need a new generation who only ever know High Definition before Blu-ray renders DVD obsolete or indeed, is rendered obsolete itself.
What is certain though is that it will take more than an advertising campaign to kill off the DVD.
By: Neil Hawkins
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Neil Hawkins is a staff writer for the Choose Ltd group of websites, he specialises in broadband news but often writes on home entertainment, particularly online DVD rental for Choose DVD Rental.
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