Blu-ray Disc vs HD-DVD Disc

  The following article contains important information that will help you to get a better understanding of what blu-ray disc is, and how it differs from HD-DVD.

  Blu-ray Disc is the next-generation, optical disc format enabling the ultimate high-def entertainment experience. As more companies come on board, the demand for this new format will continue to grow and prices will drop for the average consumers.

  Many of the leading companies in the movie and music industry are involved in the development and distribution of the new Blu-ray disc technology. The following information should help explain what Blu-ray disc is about.

Blu-ray Disc Provides These Key Features and Advantages

Maximum Picture Resolution:

Blu-ray Disc delivers full 1080p* video resolution to provide pristine picture quality. With the Largest capacity available anywhere (25 GB single layer/50 GB dual layer), Blu-ray Disc offers up to 5X the capacity of today's DVDs.

Best Audio Possible:

Blu-ray Disc provides as many as 7.1 channels of natural, uncompressed surround sound for crystal-clear audio entertainment.

Enhanced Interactivity:

You can enjoy such capabilities as seamless menu navigation, exciting new bonus features, and network/Internet connectivity.

Widespread Industry Support from Brands You Trust:

The majority of Hollywood studios as well as a large number of leading consumer electronics companies, four brand name computers, the two largest music companies, Playstation® 3 and the leading gaming companies all support Blu-ray disc.

A Large Selection of High-Def Playback Devices:

Blu-ray Disc is supported by many of the leading consumer electronics and computing manufacturers. That means you can maximize the use of your HDTV and your home entertainment system with the widest selection of high-def playback devices, including players, recorders, computers, aftermarket drives and the PLAYSTATION® 3 game console.

Backward Compatibility:

Blu-ray Disc players enable you to continue to view and enjoy your existing DVD libraries.

Disc Robustness:

Breakthroughs in hard-coating technologies enable Blu-ray Disc to offer the strongest resistance to scratches and fingerprints. *HDTV required. As with other optical media devices, user factors and other circumstances may limit Blu-ray Disc playback. Some content may require HDMI-compatible TV for high-definition playback.

What is a HDMI Connector?

HDMI delivers uncompressed high-definition video and multichannel digital audio signals through a single cable to compatible components, producing the best Blu-ray Disc experience possible.

When Will Blu-ray Disc Products be Available?

Dozens of Blu-ray Disc players, recorders, computers, movies and game titles are widely available now with more planned for the future.

Why is it Called Blu-ray Disc?

The name Blu-ray comes from the fact that the laser beam which reads the data from the new discs is blue instead of red which is used for current DVDs and CDs. This new blue laser is at the heart of Blu-ray Disc technology (i.e. blue ray of light).

Will PLAYSTATION® 3 Play Blu-ray Disc Movies?

PLAYSTATION® 3 is a fully functional Blu-ray Disc player, so you can watch, listen and enjoy your favorite high-def movies and music in full 1080p resolution and in as many as 7.1 channels of surround sound. That's in addition to having the industry's ultimate console for high-def gaming.

What Home Theater Equipment is Needed for Optimal Blu-ray Disc Performance?

For the highest possible performance, your entertainment system should include:

- Blu-ray Disc player (Blu-ray Discs will not play on standard DVD players)

- HDTV with 720p, 1080i or higher resolution

- Surround sound speaker system 5.1 channel or 7.1 channel

- HDMI connector cables, High-quality analog cables or digital optical cables

What are the Differences Between Blu-ray Disc and HD-DVD?

Blu-ray Disc Industry Support:

Apple, Dell Inc., Hewlett Packard Company*, Hitachi Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Panasonic (Matsushita Electric), Pioneer Corporation, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, TDK Corporation, Thomson, Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures and Television, and Warner Bros*

*Supporting Both Formats

HD-DVD

Toshiba, NEC*, Memory-Tech, Microsoft, Intel, Sanyo*, HP*

*Supporting Both Formats

Studio Support

Lions Gate, MGM, Paramount*, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures and Television, (including Walt Disney Home Entertainment, Hollywood Pictures Home Video, Touchstone Home Entertainment, Miramax Home Entertainment, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Dimension Home Video and Disney DVD), Warner Bros. (including New Line Cinema and HBO Video) have publicly announced their support for the Blu-ray Disc format Paramount Pictures*, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. Studios (including New Line Cinema)*

*Supporting Both Formats

Game Support

EA, Vivendi Universal Games and PlayStation® 3 (PS3 has an integrated Blu-ray Disc drive) Microsoft Xbox 360 (peripheral add-on drive)

Music Support

Universal Music Group, Sony BMG, Eagle Rock Entertainment

HD-DVD None announced at this time

Ability to view and enjoy existing CDs and DVDs Blu-ray Yes*

*Product-dependent feature HD-DVD Yes*

What Makes Blu-ray Disc Different from a DVD Disc?

Just as DVD meant a five to 10 times increase in storage capacity compared to CD, Blu-ray Disc represents an increase over DVD capacity by five to 10 times. This is due to the use of a blue laser instead of a red laser and improved lens specifications, allowing for a much smaller focused laser beam which enables the recording of much smaller and higher density pits on the disc.

The data layer on a Blu-ray Disc is placed much closer to the laser lens than in DVD which means there is less distortion resulting in significantly improved tolerances. Hence, more precision and ultra-high storage densities are now possible.

Is There a Difference Between 1080i and 1080p?

Blu-ray Disc offers 1080p video resolution HDTV video quality that far surpasses any other medium or broadcast format available today. With a resolution of up to 1920x1080 and up to 54 Mbps bandwidth (roughly double that of a normal HDTV broadcast), no other format can match the video quality of Blu-ray Disc.

Because of the capacity of a Blu-ray Disc, no tight compression algorithms that may alter the picture quality are required, as with other formats that offer less recording space. Depending on the application, Blu-ray Disc also supports other video formats, including standard-definition TV.

1080i refers to the resolution of a picture with interlaced (i) fields, which fit together to form one full frame and produces an image that has a TV-like quality. 1080p refers to the resolution of the picture with progressive (p), multiple full frames, producing an image that appears more like film.

Hopefully, this information has been helpful in helping you decide which type of format you are looking for. Whatever format you choose to use, consider the costs, functionality and restrictions of each piece of equipment you would like to use for your home theater system before considering any purchases.

The day will come when you can use something you read about here to have a beneficial impact. Then you'll be glad you took the time to learn more about the difference between Blu-ray disc and HDTV-DVD disc.