The Wonderful World of Blu Ray High-Def Video

Blu-ray Disc (BD) is the newest optical disc format available on the market. This format was developed to allow consumers the ability to record, rewrite, and playback high-definition (HD) videos. The technology uses blue-violet lasers to read and write data.

First, if you are planning to purchase a high-definition Blu-ray DVD player, make sure your television is also equipped for high-definition format in order to take advantage of this feature. Another important fact is your current DVDs (non-Blu-ray movies) will play on a Blu-Ray player. This is good news as your current DVD movie collection is not obsolete.

The newest generation of these players are the Profile 2 or BD Live Players. These have expanded features compared to the Profile 1 and 1.1 players. The BD Live Players can be connected to the internet for product updates, security fixes and of course to enjoy on-line gaming. Some Blu-ray players have Netflix streaming where Netflix subscribers can use the player to stream movies directly from their Netflix service to their televisions.

Blue Ray DVD players also feature menu pop-ups which can be displayed while the movie is playing. Another great feature is picture-in-picture video commentary where the director can explain filming procedures while the movie is playing.

Blu-ray formatting is exceptionally superior to the standard DVD format. The movies in this high-def format will produce a smoother-looking images due to the lines and pixels are shown in a consecutive pattern compared to alternate patterns. Consumers will also notice better detail and color consistency. They offer sharper picture quality, more vivid color images and the audio quality is greatly enhanced.

Blu-ray discs are also capable of storing more data than the standard DVDs. They can hold more than five times than their traditional counterparts. More than nine hours of high-definition video can fit on a 50GB disc. Approximately, twenty-three hours of standard-definition video can fit on a 50GB disc.

While Toshiba fought hard to become the standard for high definition with their HD-DVD format, BD technology has won that battle. With BD being the high-def choice for major retailers, such as Wal Mart, Blockbuster, Netflix and Best Buy, Toshiba's format has taken a back seat. And the major studios putting out new releases in the BD format rather than the HD-DVD seems to be the final nail on the HD-DVD coffin.

There is a growing expectation that in the future Blu-ray DVD players will eventually replace the standard DVD players.