HD DVD (High Definition Digital Versatile Disc) is a new format capable of storing large amounts of information and displaying high quality images and videos. Using advanced technology, HD DVD has denser layers and a thinner laser than regular DVDs, allowing you to store five times more data than a standard DVD - 15 GB single layer / 30 GB dual layer.
Why is HD DVD better than standard DVD?
The high definition (HD) image is brighter, incredibly clear, and looks very realistic. This stunning level of detail cannot be reproduced on a standard digital video disc, which has a resolution of 480p (or 480 lines). HD DVD can store the amount of data required for high quality video in 720p (720 lines) / 1080i (1080 interlaced lines), allowing you to watch video programs with greater brightness and higher quality than ever before.
Also, when you buy a movie on DVD, you usually get not only the movie, but also additional features, such as director's commentary, actors, or documentary cinematographers (depending on the disc, of course). On HD DVD, there is scope for previously unrealizable special features: imagine interactive content, for example, where the director explains a shooting scene on screen while the movie continues to play in the background. With enhanced quality and additional audio and video capabilities, HD DVD is a huge step forward in DVD format technology.
What is Blu Ray?
Blu Ray is a new format capable of storing large amounts of information and displaying high quality images and videos. Using advanced technology, Blue Ray has denser layers and a thinner laser than conventional DVDs, allowing you to store five times more data than a standard DVD - 25 GB single layer / 50 GB dual layer.
What is the difference between HD-DVD and Blu-ray?
Although Blu-ray and HD DVD are high definition formats based on blue laser technology, there are several important differences between them.
The first is size. The Blu-ray player uses a shorter wavelength laser than HD DVD. Therefore, more data is placed per unit area. As a result, a single-layer disc can contain 25 GB of data (HD DVD - 15 GB), a double-layer disc - 50 GB (HD DVD - 30 GB)
The second difference is content. Several major studios have stated that they will only support one media format. For example, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (including MGM and Tri-Star), Twentieth Century Fox and Disney will release films only on Blu-ray, while Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and HBO will only release films on HD DVD, Paramount announced the release of films in both formats.
Although the formats are incompatible with each other, what they have in common is high video and sound quality, new additions to movies, and intuitive and more interactive disc management than standard DVD.
HD DVD
The HD format appeals to consumers who demand a higher level of detail and quality in movies, games and other digital media. Increased scan lines, increased video resolution and superior sound quality are features that differentiate HD content from standard format content. Here are some of the distinguishing features
materials in HD standard:
- Compared to 525 scan lines per image
- standard resolution, image frame
- high-definition contains 720 to 1,080 lines
- sweep.
- Support for advanced video formats,
- including MPEG-2 SD/HD, H.264, VC-1.
- Support for high quality formats
- sound quality, including PCM (Pulse Code
- Modulation, pulse code modulation),
- Dolby TrueHD (MLP), Dolby Digital+, DTS HD.
The result is an immersive viewing experience in HD. The image seems to go beyond the screen and looks surprisingly alive. Until recently, movies and other HD content were not available to customers. The reason for this is simple: High-detailed images require more storage space than a regular DVD can. HD DVD is one of the next generation DVD standards; this type of media is designed to increase storage capacity, allowing you to store a complete HD movie along with special HD features on a single HD DVD disc.
CAPACITY: DVD VS HD DVD
The capacity of a standard single-layer DVD is only 4.7 GB, or up to 2 hours of a regular movie. Dual-layer DVD with storage capacity up to 8.5 GB allows you to play regular movies up to 4 hours (240 minutes) without changing the disc. Compared to these values, the capacity of an HD DVD disc is much larger. An HD DVD disc can have up to three layers. Each layer holds 15 GB of high-definition content, for a maximum storage capacity of up to 45 GB. One 3-layer HD DVD can store up to 12 hours of HD recording. For fans of HD movies, this means that there is still room on the disc for special HD features. Of the features of HD DVD, support for iHD, an interactive HD format, is especially interesting. One example of the interactivity provided by this feature is a video overlay on a movie being played. Conventional DVDs often include commentary from the director, actors, producer, and other technicians. Video commentaries can be played on HD DVD, allowing the viewer to get a complete overview of the filmmaking process. Clearly, HD DVD is an excellent medium for high definition material.
HOW THE HD DVD IS WORKED
In general terms, an HD DVD disc is arranged in the same way as a DVD disc and consists of two back-to-back
substrates with a diameter of 120 mm and a thickness of 0.6 mm. Like DVD technology, information on an HD DVD disc is stored in a series of microscopic pits arranged in a long spiral on the disc. Data is recorded on a layer 0.6 mm from the surface. This means that HD DVD discs can be made using methods currently used in DVD technology. Therefore, HD DVDs are compatible with DVDs, which means that the HD DVD drive can also read DVDs. So what is the difference between HD DVD discs and DVD discs? The answer is simple. Unlike DVD technology, which uses red lasers, HD DVD technology uses blue lasers to increase storage capacity. Due to the shorter wavelength of the blue laser (405nm instead of 650nm in DVD), its use allows more information to be stored on an HD DVD disc. Reducing the wavelength is important because it reduces diffraction, which allows for more precise focusing on the read-write surface. Difference
about the same as between writing with a thick felt-tip pen and a ballpoint pen. Here, HD DVD technology introduces fine, precise and clear ballpoint pen writing. As a result, blue laser technology allows more data to be recorded and stored on a disc of the same diameter than on a conventional DVD.
How is the HD DVD format evolving?
HD DVD ROM players are now commercially available, allowing hobbyists to view and play HD content. For gamers and movie lovers, this is good news. The next step will be the introduction of the ability to burn discs in HD DVD format. This innovation will allow users to burn material to discs. For those who want to create their own HD content, personal collections of HD content, or simply take advantage of increased storage capacity for backups, these future developments will be a major breakthrough. As the distribution of HDTV broadcasts and HD recordings over broadband connections continues to grow in popularity, access to HD content for recording and playback will increase. Users will be able to shape their entertainment media in HD format.
Microsoft has ended support for the HD DVD format, according to techPowerUp. Representatives of the corporation reported that HD DVD drives for the Xbox 360 game console have been discontinued.
Toshiba announced that following a review of its overall financial strategy, management has made the final decision to cease production of HD DVD players and recorders. “We didn't have a chance to win this fight. If we had continued to persist, it would have affected our customers,” said Toshiba President Atsutoshi Nishida.
And here is the film company Universal Pictures, one of the few film studios that supported HD DVD, almost immediately after Toshiba's official announcement, also announced the decision to stop releasing HD DVD and switch to Blu-ray. Most likely, Paramount will follow the example of Universal Pictures. As for studios such as Walt Disney, Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox and MGM, they initially only supported the Blu-ray format.
blu-ray
Variations and sizes
A single-layer Blu-ray Disc (BD) can store 23.3, 25, or 27 GB, enough to record approximately four hours of high-definition video with sound. A dual-layer disc can hold 46.6, 50, or 54 GB - enough for approximately eight hours of HD video. Also under development are 100 GB and 200 GB discs using four and eight layers, respectively. TDK Corporation has already announced a prototype of a 100 GB four-layer disc. The BD-RE (BD rewritable) standard will be available alongside the BD-R (recordable) and BD-ROM formats. Almost all optical media manufacturers have announced their readiness to release rewritable and recordable discs at the same time as the BD-ROM format enters the market.
In addition to the standard 12cm discs, 8cm discs will be released for use in digital still cameras and camcorders, planned to be 15GB for the dual-layer version.
Technical details
Laser and optics
Blu-ray technology uses a 405nm blue-violet laser to read and write. Conventional DVDs and CDs use red and infrared lasers at 650nm and 780nm respectively.
This reduction made it possible to narrow the track by half compared to a conventional DVD disc - to 0.32 microns - and increase the data recording density.
The shorter wavelength of the blue-violet laser allows more information to be stored on 12 cm discs of the same size as CD/DVDs.
Comparison of effective “spot size”.
The effective "spot size" on which a laser can focus is limited by diffraction and depends on the wavelength of the light and the numerical aperture of the lens used to focus it. Reducing the wavelength, using a larger numerical aperture (0.85 compared to 0.6 for DVD), a high-quality two-lens system, and reducing the protective layer thickness by a factor of six (0.1 mm instead of 0.6 mm) made it possible to carry out better and more correct flow of read / write operations. This made it possible to write information to smaller points on the disk, which means storing more information in the physical area of \u200b\u200bthe disk, as well as increasing the read speed to 36 Mbps. In addition to optical enhancements, Blu-ray discs also feature improved data encoding technology to store more information.
Hard coating technology
Due to the fact that data is located too close to the surface on Blu-ray discs, the first versions of the discs were extremely sensitive to scratches and other external mechanical influences, which is why they were enclosed in plastic cartridges. This shortcoming raised serious doubts as to whether the Blu-ray format would be able to compete with the HD DVD standard, its main competitor. HD DVD, in addition to its lower cost, can normally exist without cartridges, just like the CD and DVD formats, which makes it more understandable for buyers, as well as more interesting for manufacturers and distributors who may be concerned about additional costs due to cartridges.
The solution to this problem appeared in January 2004, with the introduction of a new polymer coating that gave the discs incredible protection against scratches and dust. This coating, developed by TDK Corporation, called "Durabis", allows you to clean the BD with paper towels - which can damage CDs and DVDs. The HD DVD format has the same drawbacks, since these discs are based on older optical media. According to press reports, "bare" BDs with this coating remain functional even when scratched with a screwdriver.
Codecs
The codec is used to convert the video and audio stream and determines the size that the video will occupy on disk. Some or almost all of the video discs that appear at the beginning will use the MPEG-2 codec.
At the moment, the BD-ROM format specification includes support for three codecs: MPEG-2, which is also standard for DVD; MPEG-4 H.264/AVC codec and VC-1 is a new rapidly developing codec based on Microsoft Windows Media 9. When using the first codec, it is possible to record about two hours of high-definition video per layer, the other two are more modern codec allow you to record up to four hours of video on one layer.
For audio, the BD-ROM supports linear (uncompressed) PCM, Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, DTS, DTS-HD, and Dolby Lossless (a lossless data compression format also known as Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP).
Compatibility
While the Blu-ray Disc Association does not mandate player manufacturers, it strongly encourages them to enable Blu-ray devices to play DVD discs for backwards compatibility.
What's more, JVC has developed a three-layer technology that allows both the physical area for DVD and BD to be applied on the same disc, thus producing a combined BD/DVD disc. Prototype discs were shown at the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2006. If it can be commercialized, then it is possible that buyers will be able to buy a disc that can be played like in modern DVDs. players, and in future BD-players, getting a picture of different quality.
Region codes
Blu-ray video movies will have different region codes than DVDs. According to the latest press reports, they will be as follows:
Code——— Region
1 or A North America, South America, Japan, and East Asia (excluding China)
2 or B Europe (excluding Russia) and Africa
3 or C India, China, Russia, and all other countries.
Copyright protection systems
The Blu-ray format uses an experimental security feature called BD+ that allows you to dynamically change the encryption scheme. Once the encryption is broken, manufacturers can update the encryption scheme, and all subsequent copies will be protected by the new scheme. Thus, a single breaking of the cipher will not compromise the entire specification for the entire period of its life. The Mandatory Managed Copy technology will also be used, which allows users to make legal copies of video information in a protected format, this technology was developed by HP and requested to be included in the format. It was the lack of the ability to dynamically change the encryption scheme that led to the creation of the DeCSS program, which became a real bane of the film industry: once the Content-Scrambling System (CSS) was cracked, all subsequent DVDs were cracked without any problems.
The next level of protection that discs have is digital watermarking technology called ROM-Mark. This technology will be hard-wired into the drives during production, preventing the player from playing without a special hidden label, which the Association claims will be impossible to counterfeit. So, through strict regulation and licensing of factories, disc manufacturers will be selected, who will be supplied with special equipment.
In addition to this, all Blu-ray players will only be able to output a full video signal through an encrypted interface. This means that most early HDTVs that were sold without HDCP-enabled interfaces (HDMI or DVI with HDCP support) will not be able to play HD video from Blu-ray discs.
FAQ
– What is Blu-ray?
Blu-ray is known as Blu-ray Disc with the abbreviation BD, a new generation optical disc.
This format was developed for recording, dubbing and playing high definition (HD) video, which itself takes up a lot of data on disk. Blu-ray is more than 5 times more dense than regular DVD5 and can store more than 25 GB on a single layer disc and 50 GB on a dual layer disc for Blu ray movies.
Why Blu-ray?
The name Blu-ray was taken from technologies that rely on a blue-violet laser to write and read data. The format name is the result of a combination of the words Blue (blue, blue-violet laser) and Ray (beam, optical ray). The Blu-ray Disc Association urges that the missing "e" in the format's name be ignored, as it was one of the conditions for Blu-ray to be registered as a trademark.
Correct abbreviations and spellings of the format name:
Blu-ray Disc but not Blu-rayu Disc
Blu-ray but not Blu-ray
BD, but not BR or BRD.
– Who developed Blu-ray?
The Blu-ray format was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of leaders in consumer electronics, personal computing and multimedia production,
Which has more than 180 representative companies worldwide. The current board of directors has representation in the following companies:
Apple Computer Inc.
Dell Inc.
Hewlett Packard Company
Hitachi Ltd.
LG Electronics Inc.
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
Pioneer Corporation
Royal Philips Electronics
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
Sharp Corporation
Sony Corporation
Sun Microsystems Inc.
TDK Corporation
Thomson Multimedia
Twentieth Century Fox
Walt Disney Pictures
Warner Bros. Entertainment
– The price of Blu-ray products.
Yandex will help you with the current price difference.
– What formats of Blu-ray discs are planned for release?
Based on the needs of CDs and DVDs in various formats, Blu-ray is planning a wide range of formats, including ROM/R/RW. These formats will be specific to Blu-ray:
BD-ROM is a read-only format, this format will distribute high-definition movies, games, software, etc.
BD-R is a format that is designed to record high-resolution video and any other data on a blank disc.
BD-RE (RW) is a format that can be erased and new data can be written on the disc.
There are also plans to release a BD\DVD compatible format that can make DVDs and Blu-ray discs playable on Blu-ray players and DVD players.
– How much data can be recorded on Blu-ray?
Single layer discs can store 25 GB of data.
Dual-layer discs store 50 GB of data.
To make sure that Blu-ray has a very flexible layer structure, which can lead to the highest storage density, in the future it is planned to release multilayer discs from 100 to 200 GB (25 GB per layer) by adding layers.
How many videos can fit on a Blu-ray?
A dual-layer Blu-ray disc can store about 9 hours of high-definition video and about 23 hours of normal DVD5 quality.
– How fast can I read/write information on Blu-ray?
Considering the Blu-ray specification, 1x speed has a bandwidth of 36Mbps. Since BD-ROM movies require at least 54Mbps of bandwidth, 2x (72Mbps) will be considered the minimum speed. Since Blu-ray has a huge potential for high speeds, correspondingly to a larger numerical aperture (scattering) adapted to Blu-ray. Therefore, a large numerical aperture means that a Blu-ray disc requires less writing power and less spin-up in the drive than this DVD and HD-DVD require to achieve the same bit rate. If earlier the recording of media files was limited by the speed of recording, now the opposite is true - the limiting factor for Blu-ray is the performance of your computer. That is why BDA already has plans to increase the speed to 8x (288Mbps) and more in the future.
– What video codecs does Blu-ray support?
MPEG-2 - more suitable for high definition video, also used for playing DVD and HDTV recordings.
MPEG-4 AVC is part of the MPEG-4 standard, also known as H.264 (Low and High Profile)
SMPTE VC-1 is a standard based on Windows Media Video (WMV) technology
Movies in the Blu-ray format do not exist, because. it is a type of disk that has a set of data encoded in a certain way.
The analogy with DVD video is usually MPEG-2 + AC3 compiled into a special format for playback on DVD players. Thus, it is correct to say not “blu-ray movie” but “blu-ray disc movie”.
– What audio codecs does Blu-ray support?
Linear PCM (LPCM) - up to eight channels of uncompressed audio. (Required)
Dolby Digital (DD) - Uses DVD, five-channel immersive audio (Required)
Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) - Expansion of Dolby Digital, seven-channel immersive audio. (Optionally)
Dolby TrueHD - Lossless audio up to 8 channels.. (optional)
DTS Digital Surround - Uses DVD, five-channel immersive audio. (mandatory)
DTS-HD High Resolution Audio - An expansion of DTS, seven-channel immersive audio. (optional)
DTS-HD Master Audio - Lossless audio up to 8 channels. (optional)
Note that Blu-ray players will have support for the above audio and video codecs, but it's up to the studios to decide which of these three codecs to use.
– Do you need a box for Blu-ray?
No, the development of a new hard coating technology can help you forget about the need for disc cases. The new coating makes the surface of the disc more resistant and more resistant to scratches and fingers than DVD. The new error correction system makes Blu-ray more durable and more reliable than regular disposable DVDs.
– Do I need internet connection for Blu-ray?
No, you don't need an internet connection to play Blu-ray movies normally. The Internet may be needed only if you want to add some features by downloading new add-ons, downloading movie trailers, etc.
Also Internet may be required for authorized copying of Blu-ray movies to PC.
– Do I need an analog signal converter for Blu-ray?
No, Blu-ray players do not require an analog signal converter unless the video contains the Image Constraint Token (ICT) feature. This feature is not part of Blu-ray, but is part of the AACS copy protection system also found on HD DVD.
Film studios will choose for themselves whether to include this feature in the release or not.
The good news so far is that Sony, Disney, Fox, Paramount, MGM and Universal will not use ICT.
As for other studios, they will most likely use this option in their releases. If so, then on the boxes with films there will be a designation - whether this copy is protected or not.
– Is backing up data from Blu-ray supported?
Yes, data backup is part of the Blu-ray format.
This function will be available to owners of disks to make legal copies of them and, if desired, distribute them within the boundaries of the home network.
Differences between Blu-ray and DVD (table).
| Capacity | |||
| Laser wavelength | |||
| Numerical aperture | |||
| Disc diameter | |||
| Disc thickness | |||
| protective layer | |||
| hard coating | |||
|
Transfer rate: |
|||
| Ordinary data | |||
| Audio and video |
10.08 Mbps<1x |
||
| Video resolution |
1920×1080 (1080p) |
720×480/720×576 (480i/576i) |
|
| Video bitrate | |||
| Disc thickness | |||
| protective layer | |||
| hard coating | |||
|
Transfer rate: |
|||
| Ordinary data | |||
| Audio and video |
36.55 Mbps<1x |
||
| Video resolution |
1920×1080 (1080p) |
1920×1080 (1080p) |
|
| Video bitrate | |||
| Video codecs | |||
| Audio codecs | |||
|
Dolby Digital Plus |
Dolby Digital Plus |
||
|
DTS Digital Surround |
DTS Digital Surround |
||
"Blu-ray vs 4K, what's the difference between blu-ray and 4K“For people who are not completely familiar with the field, these two concepts may be confused. Actually, Blu-ray and 4K are two different things. Blu-ray is a type of physical media, 4K is a type of video. In this article, we will focus on this topic and clarify the relationship and difference between Blu-ray and 4K, and provide some effective ways to enjoy Blu-ray and 4K content.
Blu-ray viewing guide is better
Blu-ray is an optical disc storage format that is the successor to DVD. It is capable of storing several hours of Full-High-Definition (1920×1080) and Ultra-High-Definition (3840×2160) video. different, so the accumulation power is also different.
4K refers to the horizontal screen resolution in the order of 4,000 pixels, which means 4096 * 2160 pixels, as well as the names DCI 4K DCI: Digital Cinema Initiatives. In the film projection industry, 4096×2160 (DCI 4K) is the dominant 4K standard.
UHD (Ultra-High-Definition) and 4K UHD are the same thing and they both refer to 3840*2160 pixels. In television and consumer media, 3840×2160 (UHD) is the dominant 4K standard. As a customer, when we buy a 4K TV or 4K Blu-ray disc, we care about exactly what the "4K" promotional copy means, which usually means 4K UHD (3840×2160), not DCI 4K (4096×2160).
In conclusion, DCI 4K and UHD differ in resolution. Although UHD is close to 4K, but not real 4K, as a marketing tactic, TV makers seem to insist on using "4K". So, "4K" has become a word we hear a lot in our daily digital lives.
I hope that I have already given a sufficiently clear explanation of these concepts. Blu-ray is a type of optical disc, there are 1080P Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, and 4K is the resolution. It can be Blu-ray disc format or other video format like MKV, MP4, etc.
Tips: Next, when we talk about 4K in this article, we also mean 4K UHD.
Knowing the definitions of Blu-ray and 4K, the question arises: is Blu-ray 4K better than regular Blu-ray? So, to get the answer, just keep reading and keep reading.
1080P Blu-ray vs 4K Blu-ray: Resolution, Compatibility, Storage, and Price Comparison
Resolution is at the core of the battle between regular Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray. But this is not the only factor we want to discuss. So, we will also talk about the difference in resolution, compatibility, storage and price in detail.
permission
Price or value
According to the previous point, having a complete set of 4K equipment is not easy. 4K Blu-ray disc, 4K TV/monitor, 4K player cost more than usual. The price of a 4K TV can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.
An overview of the differences between 1080P Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray
1080P Blu-ray | 4K Blu-ray |
|
permission | 1920×1080 pixels | 3840×2160 pixels |
Storage | 25GB / 50GB | 50GB / 66GB / 100GB |
Laser type | 405nm (blue laser) | 405nm (blue laser) |
video codecs | H.264, MPEG-2 Part2, VC-1, H.264 MVC (3D) | H.265, VP9 |
Sound channels | Up to 8 | up to 32 |
Learn more about 4K video
The first time I watched 4K video on a 4K monitor it was incredibly shocking and I have loved it ever since. At the moment, most video sharing services like YouTube, Vimeo and streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, etc. support watching 4K videos online. As long as you have a 4K monitor, your computer configuration is sufficient, and the network speed is fast enough, you can watch 4K videos online with peace of mind. To enjoy 4K videos offline, there is another great solution from the popular video sites.
Tips: The streaming service will use a rather complex compression system to compress 4K videos, so there is definitely a quality gap between 4K video streaming and 4K Blu-ray disc.
In fact, there are many different aspects between Blu-ray and 4K. It is difficult for us to make a comprehensive comparison. So if you still have issues with Blu-ray vs 4K, please leave it below and we can discuss together.
Translation from HDTV Solutions.com
The cost of Blu-ray players has fallen significantly in recent years, moving them from the category of elite products to the mass market. Today you can find a model with a diverse set of additional features at an affordable cost for every buyer. This guide will help the buyer decide when choosing a Blu-ray player.
A bit of history
For those who are unfamiliar with the history of Blu-ray players, a little historical digression may be useful. The information obtained will really help in the process of choosing the player you need.
Blu-ray players are basically the same DVD players, adapted to play larger discs and equipped with additional features. And the main feature of Blu-ray discs is the ability to record high-definition video on them.
Let's go back to the recent past, when TVs were thin and not flat, and their screen resolution was 480 lines, which is now called standard (SD). To watch movies on such TVs, video studios recorded them on DVD discs with a resolution of 480 lines. This format suited everyone until the HDTVs that captured the market today appeared.
As an intermediate solution, manufacturers have equipped traditional DVD players with upscaling technology for standard 480p video with the ability to display 1080p video on a TV screen.
The presence of upscaling technology in traditional DVD players is considered by many to be the reason why many do not buy Blu-ray players. (Though I guess the main reason is their high cost).
I'm fascinated by how well the players can upscale 480p source material to high resolution, allowing you to enjoy old DVD collections. However, when scaling up, the player has a limited amount of video information, and calculates the missing information by filling in the gaps in the enlarged image and trying to create a picture as close as possible to the original, but in high resolution.
But even the latest powerful video processors in the best players have limited ability to improve the image from DVD discs. DVD resolution is not enough to create a high quality high definition picture. Providing a full HDTV picture on an HDTV screen requires discs capable of storing more data and players capable of playing it back.
A single-sided DVD can hold up to 4.7 gigabytes (GB) of data, which is enough for standard definition movies, but not enough for full-length 1080p high-definition movies.
To increase the capacity of an optical disc, technology has been developed using a blue laser. On a single layer Blu-ray disc, it was possible to place 25 GB of information. Since that time, film studios have begun to record their films on Blu-ray discs in super 1080p resolution. High-definition video captures more detail, sharper pictures with better color reproduction, allowing your HDTV to show its full potential. Naturally, the image provided by Blu-ray discs is much better than that achieved by upscaling a standard DVD.
Blu-ray players appeared in 2006. And for a while there was a so-called war of formats. Toshiba and a number of other companies have developed and started producing HD DVD players that are not compatible with the conventional DVD format. (Neither Blu-ray players nor DVDs could read HD DVD discs.)
Toshiba capitulated in early 2008 and stopped developing HD DVD players. The format war ended with the introduction of the first Toshiba BDX2000 Blu-ray player.
Blu-ray specification
Stages of improvement of Blu-ray players in recent years have been reflected in three specifications called profiles - Profile 1.0, 1.1 and 2.0.
Profile 1.0 provides Blu-ray disc playback and basic interactive features. Profile 1.1, also known as BonusView, allows you to display picture-in-picture and secondary audio tracks from BonusView discs. All Blu-ray players manufactured after October 31, 2007 were at least profile 1.1. Several 1.1 profile models are still in production.
A little later, BD-Live or Profile 2.0 appeared, requiring players to have a port for accessing the Internet, from where content available for players with BD-Live technology can be downloaded. Let's take a look at how BD-Live players work. Built-in hardware and software components allow them to directly access the Internet without a computer. If wired internet is available in your home, you can connect an Ethernet cable from the player to the router. (Some players have a wireless interface for connection).
If you then load a BD-Live compatible disc into the player, a menu containing the BD-Live option will appear on the TV screen. If you open it, the player will connect to the studio's website and offer you additional content. For example, for the first disc of Transformers, you can download video clips of interviews with the director and film crew, experiment with robots.
Not all Blu-ray disc movies support BD-Live, but those that do offer a variety of additional content. Many films, especially those from the Disney studio, allow you to connect to social networks so that you can chat with friends who are also watching this movie at the same time.
Some viewers are not interested in BD-Live extras. If you just want to watch a movie without any add-ons, like on an old DVD player, do not connect your player to the Internet or even choose a player model that supports profile 1.1 (BonusView). Such players are also generally cheaper than models with support for BD-Live. Thus, if you are not interested in BD-Live or if you do not have the ability to connect to the Internet, you can save a little by buying a player only with BonusView support.
When getting acquainted with various models of players, you may come across the term "BD-Live Ready". Typically, such models belong to profile 1.1, but they have an Ethernet port, and after replacing the firmware, the player can become compatible with BD-Live.
You should also be aware that in order to download BD-Live material, the player must have at least 1 GB of memory. Some models have built-in memory, others like the Sharp BD-HP22U include 2 GB external memory as part of the purchase. Other players have neither internal nor external memory and leave this problem up to you.
Many already have flash drives at home and can use them with the player. In any case, if you plan to use the BD-Live function, make sure that the player has built-in memory, if not, check if the flash drive is included in the purchase.
Compatibility
As I already noted, most of the players sold today are equipped with a wide range of functionality and belong to the 2.0 profile. But let's start with profile 1.1 players. The main parameter of the player is compatibility. Almost all Blu-ray players can play DVDs and audio discs. As well as a variety of format options such as BD-R/RE, CD (CD-DA), CD-R/RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R and DVD-RW.
If you're unfamiliar with the need to support any of these formats, you probably don't need to worry, because commercial movie and music discs usually don't use them. And if you have such discs, you should check the player's specifications for compatibility with this recording format.
USB port and SD card slot
Many manufacturers build a USB port or SD card slot into the player, which allows you to receive content from USB drives or SD cards.
The most commonly used function is to play photos from flash drives. Some players can only read .jpeg photos, others can play music and movies. If you are a fan of the DIVX video format, you can look for a player that supports this format. To do this, you will have to study the specifications of the players to find out what files they support playing. I can imagine the need to view photos and videos from flash drives, but I do not see the point in listening to music through the TV, for two reasons. First, not all TVs have a function to turn off the screen when listening to music. Because of this, your TV will consume additional electricity. And perhaps more importantly, the audio quality of most TVs is not high enough.
However, if you run the audio from the player through an AV receiver to a separate speaker system, this will be a much better solution. Which is akin to another option near and dear to the many audiophiles who love their analog A/V receivers.
Analog audio outputs 7.1
Most inexpensive Blu-ray players only have an analog stereo audio output. Therefore, most users take a digital audio signal from the player either via an HDMI cable, or from the SPDIF digital output. And this is the perfect solution.
But there are analog audio aficionados who opt for a Blu-ray player with the 7.1 audio outputs found on some high-end players like the Pioneer BDP-320. Usually you pay an extra price for this feature. And if it is not necessary, you can find similar less expensive models with only a stereo output.
Network connection
If you buy a 2.0 profile player and want to use the BD-Live features, you will have to connect it to the network, which will require some skills.
If you, like me, have a router with network access, but located in another room, then you will have to lay a special network cable from there and connect it to your Blu-ray player.
Another option would be a wireless connection. Players such as the Sony BDP-560 have a built-in wireless interface. Others, such as the Samsung BD-P3600, can use the separate wireless adapter included in the kit. Other users will have to find and purchase a compatible wireless adapter.
The next step is to perform a software connection to the network, which can vary greatly depending on the equipment used and the method of accessing the network.
Streaming content
All the previous steps can be an ordeal, but once the player is connected to your home network, all efforts will be rewarded with the variety of content now available for playback. One of the invaluable advantages is the ability to directly play files from your computer or media server, now received via your home network. But not all players support this feature. In the reference literature on the players, you need to look at the possibility of connecting with DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) devices.
I don't like most of the BD-Live content I've seen, but I can appreciate how many moviegoers would love to see more behind the scenes clips and experiment with interactive features.
I'm more interested in Internet content providers. For example, the LG BD370 player supports connection to Netflix, CinemaNow and YouTube from the main menu. When the player is connected to the Internet, you can use it to watch streaming movies and videos on your TV screen.
I love watching movies and I'm intoxicated by the ability to instantly download over 17,000 movies from Netflix. If you are a monthly Netflix subscriber, this streaming service is free for you. Other player makers are partnering with providers like Amazon Video on Demand, which have a different service than Netflix. On Amazon, you either buy content or pay for an impression. For an additional fee, Amazon offers a selection of over 40,000 titles.
With any of these providers, you could watch movies and videos from the comfort of your home, for days on end.
Recently, streaming video from the Internet and devices offering access to it have exploded. The number of TV models with direct access to the Internet is increasing. There are a variety of devices and set-top boxes that provide streaming content from the Internet.
If you plan on getting good quality streaming video from the Internet, you need a fairly fast and stable connection with your ISP, ideally around 10 megabits per second. I know some sites offer a low bit rate of around 2.5 megabits per second. But if someone at the same time as you in your home watches movies with such a connection, the quality of the show may deteriorate. At least try to have 5 megabits per second. Summing up, I want to say that you will be even more satisfied with a super-high-speed connection.
Design
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As for the color scheme of the cases, you can find matte black, glossy black and gray, sometimes with a silver finish. I know designers who tinker with every curve and detail they're not sure about, but most Blu-ray players look the same. And after they began to often hide on the shelves, their appearance probably does not matter much when choosing a purchase.
Fine Tuning Knobs
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My guess is that if you feel the need to adjust, you'll go to the TV first, not the player. If you are an adherent of player customization, then, as I have seen, OPPO BDP-83 has one of the most advanced sets of controls.
Energy consumption
You might think that you don't have to worry about the power consumption of a device as small as a Blu-ray player. And you are wrong, many people have a habit of sucking extra electricity.
For example, I recently dealt with the Sony BDP-S560 player. Measured power consumption while playing discs ranged between 17.3 and 17.5 watts, which is the average value for such players. 17 watts is a small power consumption, especially if you use the player three or four times a week.
But there is one catch here. The BDP-S560 has a Quick Start mode that reduces boot time when the player is turned on. And it increases power consumption. If the Quick Start mode is enabled, then when the player is switched to standby mode, the measured power readings do not fall below 7.8 - 8 watts. And if you turn off the Quick Start mode in the system settings menu, then when the player is turned off, the power consumption drops to almost zero. Do you need the player to charge the electricity meter for 160 hours a week?
This is one of the reasons why I don't pay attention to how fast the player loads the disc. For me, the slight time savings with Quick Start turned on does not matter with constant power consumption.
Reliability
Of course, you should expect your player to handle any content from discs you purchase flawlessly. (I will not elaborate on the expectations of a good playback of the disc that Uncle Vasya burned on his computer). You have to understand that if you save $25 on a new movie release, you can't expect a perfect screening.
It's a reality that some of the highest-end Blu-ray players stumble over individual content. To be fair, usually problem areas are associated with special shooting modes and, as a rule, many players stumble on them. I still think that half of this problem is in the flaws in the software part.
The Blu-ray format is still in its childhood growing pains. Producers are exploring new technologies and algorithms for processing and presenting content. Occasionally there are problems. Fortunately, most manufacturers are responsible for releasing firmware updates for their players. And I always repeat, the first time you set up your player, make sure you're using the latest software.
I don't want to discourage you from buying a Blu-ray player and enjoying high definition video and high quality sound. I just want to inform you about the possible disadvantages. When buying a player, whether $500 or less than $100, I recommend that you test it out with a few of your favorite regular and high definition movies.
Characteristics
I left talking about specs near the end of this guide, but realized it was too hot a topic to unceremoniously skip. But it is also too large and varied to be adequately covered in a few paragraphs.
Let me start with a general statement. When playing discs, the quality of the audio and video signal output from the player will be excellent even if the image is obtained by upscaling standard definition video.
If you're a critical videophile, I can't more clearly visualize the difference in player performance here. And I believe we will quickly reach a common understanding that the quality of your HDTV and audio system are more important factors in getting good picture and sound.
Price
And in conclusion of the guide about the cost of the purchase. I've already heard about $80 Blu-ray players. On this occasion, I can say that “you will get what you paid for” and I am not ready to discuss the benefits of such a purchase.
I know that when the first Blu-ray players came out, manufacturers could charge $300 to $400 in price. Now Blu-ray players are quickly becoming a common commodity, as are standard definition models - DVD players. This does not mean that all models are the same. You definitely have a choice in features and price. And I assure you, you will be able to find great quality models for less than $200 and even less than $150 during the Christmas sales.
test questions
As a summary of the guide, there are checkpoints to consider before buying a player.
- You want the player to play rare DVD or CD formats such as BD-R/RE, CD (CD-DA), CD-R/RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-R and DVD-RW. Then check the specification of the player and make sure it supports the required formats.
- Do you need to play photos, music and video files via USB or SD cards? Many players have such capabilities. However, some allow you to play only photos, without music and video.
- You need 7.1 analog audio outputs. If you are going to buy such a player, be aware that not everyone uses this sound reproduction option, because players with support for this feature are usually more expensive.
- Do you plan to connect your Blu-ray player to the Internet and home network? If not, you can get by with a 1.1 profile-only player if you see one at an attractive price.
- Are you planning to connect to the Internet via a wired or wireless interface? Wireless is more convenient and enjoyable, but wireless players tend to be more expensive.
- Do you want to have Internet access to providers like Netflix or YouTube? Not all profile 2.0 players provide the necessary connection, the list of available providers varies from model to model.
Is it possible to imagine a modern home theater without a Blu-ray player? After all, Blu-Ray discs store a much larger amount of information, and, consequently, better quality movies. And video formats such as Full HD and UHD significantly increase the size of video files. But how to watch the latest blockbusters in not the best quality? You just need Full HD (and even better 4K) - can't you watch it in SD? Therefore, the Blu-ray player has become an integral part of the modern home theater.
Why Blu-Ray? The name comes from the English "blue ray" - a blue ray. Blu-Ray is an optical media that uses blue light as opposed to infrared for DVD. With this technology, a shorter wavelength is obtained, which makes it possible to narrow the track and increase the recording density. Therefore, a Blu-Ray media can store 25 times more information than a regular DVD. Today there are Blu-Ray media with storage capacity up to 128 GB (just enough for the average 4K movie).
When choosing a stationary Blu-ray player, you should start by considering the rest of the home theater equipment: if you are not going to change it, then proceed from the characteristics of the TV and speaker system. You also need to decide how exactly you will use the player. There are different models for different purposes. Of course, you can buy a universal player, but it will be very expensive. Why pay for unnecessary features?
Therefore, let's look at the main characteristics that distinguish stationary Blu-Ray players.
What is the difference between stationary Blu-ray players?
HD output format
Equipment manufacturers primarily focus on a number of standard resolutions and video formats. It is customary to divide them into three generations: SD, HD and UHD.SD (standard definition) comes in two resolutions: 720x576 (576p) and 640x480 (480p). The aspect ratio of SD is 4:3. SD is used more than widely today. But, you see, this is not the format in which one would like to watch modern cinema.
HD (high definition) exists in 1280x720 (720p) and 1920x1080 (1080p, Full HD) resolutions. The HD aspect ratio is already 16:9. Until recently, this was the top format, but today it has become almost universally used ...
…Ultra HD (ultra high definition). This format exists in 3840x2160 (2160p, 4K UHD) and 7680x4320 (4320p, 8K UHD) resolutions. The most powerful devices have been working with 4K for many years, and not so long ago 8K began to enter our lives. UHD is the best format for high definition and deep cinema immersion. But to achieve all this, you need a large screen: at least 55 inches.
When buying a Blu-ray player that supports UHD, be sure to check that the specifications of your TV are compatible with this format. Also note that there are formats such as 1080i and 1080p. The letters i and p stand for interlaced and progressive modes. Each frame of the first one has half the height resolution. In fact, with 1080i you get 1920x540 instead of 1920x1080 with 1080p.
Supported file and optical media formats
Today there are a huge number of media file formats. And if most video formats support almost all models of Blu-Ray players, then with image and audio formats it is already more and more difficult. Pay attention to this feature if you want to listen to music, view photos, or if you often use some particular format (for example, MPO or DSD).Even Blu-Ray players of the highest price category may not support all optical media. Most likely, you can watch old DVDs without problems, but other media may not work on every player (for example, VCD, Blu-Ray 3D, DVD-RAM). So pay attention to this option.
Audio decoding formats
In order to enjoy high-quality multi-channel sound while watching a movie, you need a Blu-Ray player that supports the desired sound formats. Let's focus on the three main ones: LPCM, Dolby Digital and DTS.LPCM is a standard format for uncompressed audio stream. Can have from one (mono) to eight (7.1) channels. This format is common among music lovers, as it very accurately conveys the sound of music in stereo. However, it is not suitable for multi-channel movie sound.
Dolby Digital is a standard developed by Dolby Laboratories, the pioneer of multi-channel sound in cinema. The first AC3 codec features strong audio compression, low bitrate and sample rate. Number of channels: 1-5.1. Because of the loss in quality, new formats began to appear.
Dolby Digital Plus has a higher bit rate and the sound it transmits is comparable to MP3. Number of channels: 1-7.1.
Dolby TrueHD is a lossless compression format. It has a high bitrate and sampling rate. Number of channels: 1-8. For compatibility with equipment that does not support Dolby TrueHD, it contains 2 independent versions of the track - TrueHD, as well as the usual AC3 version of the track.
DTS is a standard developed by the company of the same name. Audio loss, low bitrate and sample rate led to the creation of new formats. Number of channels: 1-5.1.
DTS-HD HR is a lossy compression format. It also implies lossy encoding, but, of course, with higher quality. Number of channels: 1-8.
DTS-HD MA is a lossless compression format. On Blu-Ray discs, the bitrate is very high, the number of channels: 1-8.
When choosing a player, it is ideal that it supports all these formats. Otherwise, if you buy a disc with Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA, you risk staying with Dolby Digital or DTS sound. But keep in mind that when transmitting to the receiver, Dolby Digital and DTS formats require an HDMI connection, and for older formats, HDMI 1.3.
Analog audio output channels
Pay attention to this characteristic: this is the number of audio output channels to connect to the speaker system amplifier or to the analog inputs of the receiver. 2.0 means a stereo pair, i.e. 2 speakers. 5.1 and 7.1 are outputs for 5 or 7 speakers + subwoofer. This item will be important for those who are going to connect the audio system to analog inputs.Audio/video outputs
This characteristic indicates the types and number of player outputs. First, look at HDMI. An HDMI cable connects to a TV, and it is also possible to connect to a speaker system to play the latest sound formats.There are two and multi-channel audio cables. Two-channel are needed to connect to a stereo pair, and multi-channel - for 5.1 and 7.1 systems.
S / PDIF connectors are coaxial, optical and digital. For minimal loss, it is best to use an optical standard.
Number of USB ports
USB ports are needed in order to connect an external drive, as well as for a number of other useful functions. For example, you can insert a Wi-Fi adapter into such a connector.Availability of Wi-Fi and Ethernet port
Wi-Fi allows you to connect wirelessly to the Internet. With it, you can take advantage of many of the features available in Smart TV: get information about movies, download additional files, access social networks and YouTube, online TV, software updates and much more.An Ethernet port is required for a wired connection. It will definitely be stable, moreover, it does not have signal transmission restrictions like walls.
HDMI-CEC
CEC is a built-in function of the HDMI interface. HDMI-CEC is a single-wire, bi-directional serial bus that functions as a remote control. It is needed to control multiple devices with one remote control. CEC also allows some devices to configure each other without user intervention. For stable operation of this function, it is better to purchase a player from the same company as the TV.DLNA
This function is needed to create a single home digital network between devices for the exchange of multimedia data. That is, you can download a movie to your computer and immediately watch it on your home theater without using a FLASH card. Both wired and wireless connections are used for signal transmission.
Image scaling (upscaling)
This function is useful for those who want to watch DVD. The player automatically "draws" the image to HD format. The picture will become clearer and more complete, but still remain worse than real HD. For example, having an image of 720x576 pixels at the input, after upscaling, the output is 1280x720. 1080i will also make 1080p. By the way, many TVs also have this feature, but a powerful player will do the job much better.3D support
The player must support 3D in order to be able to view movie editions in this format. If the player has this function, then keep in mind that the parameters of the TV play an important role in this matter.
Blu-ray ("Blue Ray Disc") is the most advanced, high quality optical disc that can store much more information than a standard DVD disc. A single layer Blu-ray disc can store 25 GB (Gigabytes) of information - that's 5 times the size of a standard single layer DVD. Dual layer Blu-ray discs can store twice as much information as single layer discs - that's about 8 times more information than a standard dual layer DVD.
A standard DVD disc has enough space for a 2 hour low definition movie plus a few extras. A Blu-ray disc can store 13 hours of standard video or 2 hours of high definition video. In addition, Blu-ray discs allow you to:
- record one show while watching another;
- edit and burn video to disk;
- have access to the Internet to download subtitles and other items.
All DVDs and CDs store information as a series of grooves on the recording surface of the disc. The grooves are written in the form of a spiral that goes from the center of the disk to its outer edge. On the one hand, the grooves look like pits (recesses), and on the other hand, like elevations. To read the disc, the player directs the laser to the side of the disc where there are elevations.
Standard CD and DVD players use a red beam to read information from a disc. Blu-ray compatible players use a blue laser. Blue light has a shorter wavelength than red. This means that, compared to red, the blue laser can recognize smaller grooves.
Because the blue laser can recognize very small grooves, information on a Blu-ray disc can be written much more compactly than a standard disc. Therefore, even though the discs are the same size, a Blu-ray disc can store much more information than a standard CD or DVD.
Blu-ray discs are designed differently from standard discs, thus avoiding some of the design flaws that are found on standard DVD discs. One of these shortcomings is birefringence. On a standard DVD disc, the recorded information is sandwiched between 2 polycarbonate layers. In order to detect data, the laser must shine through the polycarbonate layer.
Sometimes it happens that the polycarbonate splits the laser into two beams, preventing it from getting to the data - as a result, the player cannot read the disc. The alignment process of the polycarbonate beams must be carried out with great precision in order to prevent birefringence. In addition, the laser beam may also be distorted.
On a Blu-ray disc, information is printed on top of a polycarbonate layer. Because the data is on top, the laser doesn't have to shine through the polycarbonate, so there's no birefringence problem on Blu-ray discs. This simplifies the production process, making Blu-ray discs available at an affordable price. What's more, the data on the disc is closer to the laser-reading lens, which is also an advantage of Blu-ray discs.
Blu-ray discs have the following advantages over standard DVD discs:
- they store more information;
- they read information more reliably;
- they provide interactive features.
Blu-ray discs have very few disadvantages, however, they do exist. These include the following:
Blu-ray disc production requires special equipment. Even though these discs are much easier to produce than standard DVD discs, manufacturers still have to buy new equipment to make them. This plays into the hands of the main competitor of Blu-ray discs - HD-DVD. HD-DVD is another type of high definition DVD that can be created with the equipment used to release standard DVDs. HD-DVDs are smaller in size, but they are also cheaper in price;
Blu-ray discs are not more expensive than standard discs, however, Blu-ray players are much more expensive than HD-DVD players. You can get players that will play the standard formats along with HD-DVD or Blu-ray, but you won't find a player on the market that can read both HD-DVD and Blu-ray;
Both HD-DVD and Blu-ray have strong market positions, but neither is a leader. As with the format wars of yesteryear, most users tend to buy an expensive new player when they don't know if their chosen format will continue to be produced. However, Blu-ray technology is currently a strong competitor and has every chance of becoming the market leader.
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