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What is Blu Ray?

 
Introduction

What is Blu-ray? No, it's not a creature of the deep or any mythical beast. Blu-ray is a third-generation digital media or data storage technology from the Blu-ray Disc Association, an assembly of corporate media and electronics technology leaders. Blu-ray discs are currently competing with HD-DVD to become the new optical disc format. They have much more storage capacities and data transfer speeds than conventional DVD's and CD's.

Blu-ray Disc Versus Other Optical Discs

A Blu-ray disc, looks much like any other optical disc, including first-generation CDs, second-generation DVDs, and the competing third-generation HD DVDs.

A Blu-ray disc system uses a blue-violet laser with a wavelength of 405 nanometers to write and read data on the optical disc. This laser is the source of Blu-ray's name and the technology which differentiates Blu-ray from previous generation optical media. The 405 nanometer blue-violet laser is also used for writing and reading data on third-generation HD DVD discs, which have smaller data storage capacity per layer. Older optical media require a red laser for data storage and retrieval.

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Blu Ray Disc
Blu Ray Disc
What is Blu Ray? Continued ...

Blu-ray Storage Capacity

The Blu-ray disc system uses a shorter wavelength than conventional optical discs (CD systems use a red laser with a wavelength of 780 nanometers whereas DVD systems use the same red laser with a wavelength of 650 nanometers). The shorter wavelength means more precise data recording, which allows more data to be packed on the Blu-ray disc surface than a comparable CD or DVD surface. In fact, a standard single-layer Blu-ray disc can store as much as 25 GB of digital data, more than five times the storage capacity of conventional DVDs. A dual-layer Blu-ray disc can store a maximum of 50 GB of digital data. On the drawing board are quadruple-layer Blu-ray discs with 100 GB digital data storage capacities.

Blu-ray Support

To enjoy the considerable benefits of a Blu-ray disc, one must have a Blu-ray disc player (either standalone or software-based) that supports reading of the Blu-ray disc. Blu-ray video players need to have an MPEG-2 codec (which makes a player capable of playing DVDs and HD DVDs), a VC-1 codec, and an AVC or MPEG-4 codec. Movies stored in Blu-ray discs will use any one of the above-mentioned codecs. One movie can also have more than one codec, as long as each codec used is supported by Blu-ray technology.

Blu Ray Disc Movies

Blu-ray is capable of storing and playing movies in 1080p resolution. In many respects, 1080p resolution is called "True High-Definition" or "Full High-Definition". A Blu-ray disc can store and play roughly around 5 to 6 hours of high-definition content (1080p resolution) and around 24 hours of standard-definition content (480i or 480p resolution). With the capability of storing up to 50 gigabytes of data, you will be able to watch an entire Blu-ray movie with crisp clarity.

But what exactly is 1080p resolution?

Well, the number 1080 means that there are 1,080 lines of vertical resolution. Generally the larger number of vertical resolution lines, the sharper and more detailed the image. The letter "p" stands for progressive scan. Progressive scan (a.k.a. non-interlaced) is a way to transmit, store, or display moving images. The other method of transmitting, storing, or displaying moving images is called interlace. Interlace is represented by the letter "i" (1080i). Interlace was created to improve video quality without consuming more bandwidth. However, progression scan is superior to the interlaced method because the progression scan method transmits, stores, or displaying moving images by processing all horizontal lines sequentially each frame. While the interlace method processes every other line in one frame, then the rest of the lines in the next. This results in reduced horizontal resolution. While the interlace method isn't all bad, and the progressive scan method isn't prefect, when it comes to which provides the best picture quality, progressive scan is the way to go.

HD DVD has the capability to store and play movies in 1080p, so why is Blu-ray better?

The answer to that question requires one word, space. A HD DVD has greater limitations than Blu-ray. HD DVD discs and Blu-ray discs come in two forms, single layered and dual layered. Please note that the higher the number of gigabytes, the more data that can be stored. A single layered HD DVD disc has a maximum capacity of 15 gigabytes and a single layered Blu-ray disc has a maximum capacity of 25 gigabytes. When these two discs are dual layered, their maximum capacities are doubled, with a HD DVD at 30 gigabytes and Blu-ray at 50. So, at most Blu-ray can handle 20 gigabytes of additional storage, and with a world that is constantly changing, that extra 20 gigabytes can make a world of difference.

Blu-ray movies: In the highest definition ever!

Blu-ray movies have the edge over HD DVD movies. Due to the lack of space, HD DVD will eventually fall further and further behind. On the contrary, Blu-ray will reach its full potential, being able to store more of the finest details and stunning visuals. Blu-ray has reached the highest definition ever!

Hopefuly this quick intro to Blu Ray has shown you the difference between this new format and the existing DVD format. Our new site at http://www.burnworld.net will follow this new format and bring to you all the Blu Ray info you should need in the future. Remember the future is Blu
Step : 1

Blu Ray Decryptor
Tips

Do buy a PS3 since it has a built in Blu Ray player
Warnings

Don't buy anything that says HD DVD. It's dead.
 
 
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