Saturday, March 22, 2014

Blu ray player for vista 64?




Dancid


I swear to god I'm pulling my hair out trying to find a blu ray player. My disc drive didn't come with software of course. I'm not going to pay for software considering I have a ps3, but am not always, in fact rarely able to use it. Does VLC player have some plug-in now that I'm unaware of now? or some other simple, yet versatile, freeware that I don't know about?
yeah I was wondering about nero, am I going to have to get an add-on? meaning will I have to pay for it? I hate getting crack software. Torrent link would be appreciated to a good copy. Thanks in advance



Answer
do you use nero
this comes with blu ray software included
overlooked by meny a user

Er...Blu Ray Freeware for Vista?




llama


'Ello, people. Is there a Blu-Ray player software that works for Windows Vista that's free? As in, I don't have to pay a cent to get it, nor to get anything required to get it?


Answer
There are no free players for blu-ray or hd-dvd for Windows. Both players require licensed (royalties) drivers.




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Where can I find a cheap Blu-Ray player?




FatedScyth


I've looked around Walmart, Target, and Best Buy. The cheapest I've found is for $89 at Walmart and Target. The same Phillips model. I like Phillips. My 32" HDTV is a Phillips brand. But can I find a cheaper Blu-Ray player elsewhere?


Answer
I would not recommend buying the cheapest player in the market at all. What I would recommend is a Panasonic, they are the most reliable. I own a first generation player model BD-10 which is over 4 years old and played over 300 blu ray disc movies without any problems. If you read yahoo questions, you will notice that 95% of the problems on blu ray disc player are those bargain price players. Keep in mind, you get what you pay for. Hope this will help you out.

Skyfall Blu Ray won't play!?




Ismael


So I bought the new Slyfall Blu Ray and went to play it. The Blu ray kept stuttering and skipping and the sound would cut out. I put in the DVD, and it plays like a dream. Does the player use the same piece to play the DVD as it does for the blu ray? This has only happened on old discs or ones that were scratched and I've never encountered this before. just wondering if its the disc or my player.


Answer
These are what you have to check on your Blu-ray player to make sure, so that the Blu-ray disc will play.

-Have you downloaded and updated your Blu-ray player with the latest firmware, IF it needs that to play the disc, and NOT the last version that was on the manufacturer's web site.

-IF you have already updated your Blu-ray player with the latest firmware, and it still will NOT play. Could it be a parts problem, and has nothing to do with firmware update. Even the latest version will not help with that. IF it is a parts problem.

-Maybe it looks like a parts problem in the Blu-ray player. But all you need is just use a Blu-ray player laser lenses cleaner to clean the inside.

-IF you have another Blu-ray player try the Blu-ray disc in that player. IF it works then the Blu-ray disc has no problem. It would haveto be one of the other problems with the other player.

-Could it be the disc you got, has problem. Because in the production of say 3572 Blu-ray disc for a movie there got to be two or three disc that has problems. Who knows which one could it be, maybe it disc 72, disc 698 and disc 745. So bring it back and let the store you brought it from know. IF you got it from big name retailer like Best Buy and Target should let you exchange it.

-Last of all IF it still have problem after exchanging for another one. Maybe it is a parts problem in the Blu-ray player. IF you have already updated the player to the latest firmware, from the manufacturer's website and also have clean it with a Blu-ray player laser lenses cleaner. NO one that lucky or would want to get the the disc that also has problems in the mass production again. And anyway who knows which store it be shipped to in which city and state.




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Friday, March 21, 2014

cant karaoke on my samsung home theater f5550hk blu ray player?




andrian r


Hi

I just bought f5550hk samsung blu ray player
i tried to karaoke but, it seems like the karaoke volume is very slow
When i max my volume i can hear very slow sound , like almost gone
theres no mic volume control in the setting.

What should i do? Or is this series doesnt support karaoke?

Thanks



Answer
Those home theater in a box are not flexible for adding anything to them or for up grading. It is mainly designed for watching a movie with the built in player with surround sound. Keep in mind that surround sound are only available on DVD and blu ray disc movies and some video games. Karaoke are not the same as what you have. Hope this will help you out.

Do they make home theater system with 3d blu ray players?




Ana T


or just regular blu ray players?


Answer
They do, but they suck hard. I would steer clear of "home theater systems" if I were you. they tipically have never few, if any inputs, so it's almost impossible to connect your other components.

I would also like to point out that most home theater in a box systems (HTiB) have high failure rates. These high failure rates are mainly due to overheating since these systems try to jam so much into one small chassis.

If you double your budget, you can easily get 10 times the quality and 10 times the enjoyment from a decent component system.




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Samsung working on a patch to allow its blu ray players to play Avatar?




gotta_kill


Just bought a Samsung BD C5500 less than a month ago. I put the blu ray version of Avatar in and kept getting this red screen of death stating that my player needed an upgrade. So i did this, and it still says that i need an upgrade. From what i read on this forum, Sony is having the same types of issues and is allegedly working on a sort of patch to download to possibly correct this issue. Anyone know if Samsung is working on any similar patch? The DVD works fine, and looks pretty damn awesome, but i'd really like to watch it on blu ray, since i have a blu ray player. Pretty frustrating.


Answer
Return the blu-ray player and blu-ray disc and wait until this technology is better established.

Seriously, it's utterly ridiculous that you have to worry about upgrading your movie player everytime a new movie comes out. We don't have to do upgrade our microwave oven every time a new TV dinner comes out in the freezer section do we?

We didn't have these problems with VHS and didn't have nearly the same problems with DVD. If I bought a blu-ray player, I'd expect it to play blu-ray discs. If it can't...it must be defective.

I will be buying a Blu-Ray player...will it work on my TV?




Dobby


Hey, I have a Sansui 19" TV. Here is all of the info on it, if that helps: http://www.sansuiproducts.com/televisions/hdlcd1912-lcd-tv-s-series-19.html

So, I have no idea if the Blu-Ray player will work on it. I have a DVD player connected to it right now, but I've been wanting a Blu-Ray player for a long time.

Thanks for helping!



Answer
Yes, your blu ray disc player will work on this tv, it has an HDMI cable input. The blu ray disc player have HDMI output, just purchase an HDMI cable and connect the blu ray disc player on one end and the tv on the other end. Hope this will help you out.




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netflix on bluray player question?




Dd


ok i have a insignia blu ray player that can connect to Netflix and i was wondering how to change the audio (language) and put in subtitles because its not in the menu so how do i change it?
yeah i looked trough that there was nothing about netflix on it



Answer
The Insignia BD players do not support alternative audio languages. They also do not support subtitles. The following devices support subtitles for streaming movies and TV shows:

PC/Mac
PS3
Wii
Google TV Devices such as Logitech Revue and Sony Internet TV
Boxee Box by D-Link
iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch

Netflix does not have a list of devices that support alternative audio on their website. You will need to call customer service to inquire about specific devices.

Blu Ray player playing DVDs?




Karen


Hi guys.

Brought a blu ray player around a month ago and I'm converted.

What I don't understand is if a Blu Ray player upscales a DVD to near Blu ray quality, what is the quality that it doesn't alter ? I.E is the picture stil not quite as good as Blu Ray

I get that Blu Ray will let you go on internet and has specials features but I'm not intrested in this - just the movie.

Thanks !



Answer
hi,
maybe you will like this covenient tool for alll that. It can do:
DVD to iPad Converter provides you with powerful function of ripping DVD to iPad video formats and extracting audio from DVD file to any popular audio format as you like. DVD to iPad Converter also possesses mighty editing functions:

so much ipad software in this site,
http://www.ipad-tools.biz/

http://www.ipad-tools.biz/dvd-to-ipad-converter/index.html




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Blu-ray Player Update?




musicalyos


How do I update my Sony BDP-S300?


Answer
Click this site to get to the Sony BDP-S300 page at sony style. Go to the hyperlink that says:
Get the latest BDP-S300 Blu-ray Disc⢠Player firmware update here

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&productId=8198552921665088000#

Then select your computer's operating system, XP or what ever and dowload the frmware file and burn it to a cdr disk and you now have the firmware to use in your Sony. If you do not have a burner, you can go to the same site and call the number 866-909-7669 to ask them to mail you a cd.

This is from the site:
Please follow the update instructions carefully. Failure to follow the instructions may interrupt the update process and may cause the player to be unresponsive or to require repair.
Do not power off the player or disconnect it from the AC power outlet. Loss of power during the installation of the firmware update may cause the player to be unresponsive or to require repair.
Use a brand new CD-R disc to burn the firmware update. The player may not be able to correctly read a dirty disc or a disc with scratches.
Recommended operating system for the computer that will download the firmware update:
Microsoft® Windows® 98SE or later is needed.
Windows Vista®, Windows XP, or Windows 2000 (Service Pack 4) is recommended.
A drive with CD disc burning capability is required to create the update disc.

If you do not have a CD burner in your computer, Sony will provide a free disc with the firmware update. Click here to order the firmware update.
NOTE: If you have questions or require assistance, please contact our customer call center at 866-909-7669.
A CD-R disc is required to create the update disc.
NOTE: A CD-R disc is highly recommended. Do not use a CD-RW disc.
Installing this firmware update will return all your personal settings to the factory default settings. After installing the update it will be necessary to reconfigure your personal settings.
In order to perform the firmware update, it is necessary to have the BDP-S300 correctly connected to a compatible television.
It is highly recommended to print out these instructions as a reference during the installation process.

How do I update my PS3's Blu ray player?????




FO80


So I got a new Blu Ray movie and in the begining it said that in order for me to use my disc to it's full potential that I need to update my player... How do I update it??? And dnt tell me to update it on playstation.com cuz I already got the 3.60 version and it stii says it.... HELP


Answer
Don't worry about that. That is a standard message on all blu-ray movie discs. The message will disappear after a while and the movie will play just fine. If Sony views a need to update their player, its usually included in firmware updates anyways so you should be good.




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blu ray player help!?!?!?!?




Josh


i set up my blu ray and everything but when i turn it on and go to the right channel theirs just a bunch up static you can see some words and colors but its pretty much just the normal thing you see when you start it up but a bunch of static over it any help??


Answer
What do you mean "right channel"?

While an RF modulator can be used to convert video signals from a DVD or Blu-ray player into a coaxial cable signal that is then tuned by the TV tuner this a) gives poor results (and won't work with digital tuners), and b) is unnecessary with an HDTV. It's much better to connected the video outputs of a Blu-ray player direct to one of the HDTV video input jacks ... preferably using an HDMI cable, but alternatively component (triple RCA cable coded red.green.blue), or as a last resort, composite (yellow RCA)). You then don't have to select a channel (you aren't using the tuner) since you are feeding the signal direct to the display from the Blu-ray player. All you have to do is select the right input port on the TV.

If you DON'T have a HDTV you won't get ANY benefit from Blu-ray ... take the player back and get your money back.

Blu Ray players with s-video and HDMI?




letmepicyo


Hey guys, I'm wondering if all you folks in the know about such things could list for me all the blu ray players you know that have S-Video and HDMI connections BOTH, must be 1080p of course. My old 35" isn't dead yet, but I do have a 27" 1080p LED LCD computer monitor I'd love to hook a blu ray to until my old analog tv finally croaks. Any help would be much appreciated.
I understand S-video does not support high definition, that wasn't what I asked.
I know you lose quality with s-video vs a digital signal such as HDMI, what befuddles me is most of them have Composite out, which is a lower signal quality than S-Video, as well as Component out, which is just 1 step beyond S-video in the analog connection world. I know there are older blu ray models which featured HDMI and S-Video, because I've seen just that feature on on older Sony I saw 2 days ago in a pawn shop. What I'm hoping is there there is some model somewhere currently produced that features S-video and HDMI.



Answer
Most Blu ray players will only have hdmi and sometimes composite or component connection, Blu ray players main selling point is better picture quality and resolution, which you lose with S-video connection. you are more likely to find blu ray players with composite or component output, then you can use composite or component to s-video cable. there is also hdmi to s-video converters you can buy off amazon or ebay if you have too.

Goodluck
C+W team,




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Blu-Ray player price?




Ryan


im looking for a blu-ray player around $150 or less. anybody know of any. and i would prefer if it is not a black friday only sale.

thanks in advance



Answer
I am assuming you live in the United States. If so, there are good sales on Samsung and Sony Blu-ray players for 199.99 at bestbuy.

Samsung BD-P1500
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8735327&type=product&id=1201913483931

If you can stretch out an extra $50, this is a superb blu-ray player. It is profile 1.1 out of the box but samsung includes a USB 2.0 drive in the back of the unit so you can update it through USB or even CD to be the new 2.0 profile standard. I know a few families that own this exact player and none of them have had any problems. The player has relatively slow loading times when loading blu-rays but that is to be expected with all blu-ray players. Samsung includes a loading icon to remedy this which can allow you to at least know when it is loading and when it is not. The sony player is very good as well since Sony are the main innovators of blu-ray.

If the extra $50 is too big of a stretch, there is an insignia blu-ray player going for $149.99 at best buy.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8777344&type=product&id=1204332499513

Unfortunately with this unit, there is no ethernet port in the back or a USB port in order to upgrade to profile 2.0 so it is not exactly future proof in terms of extra content if that is what you enjoy in blu-rays. I personally do not care about the extra features they bundle and always just watch the movie. If you share the same views then this player would be fine as it plays blu-rays fine. The main downside with this player is that the display isn't exactly the brightest and it does not bear the mark of the popular companies such as Samsung, Sony, LG, Pioneer, etc. that make quality products day in and day out.

Hope I helped.

Help with Blu-Ray Player?




Holly P


Does anyone know why my tv won't play my blue-rays in widescreen. It does not really bother me but really makes my boyfriend angry. We can't figure it out. Something to do with the age of the T.V?
I don't know how to choose a best answer or whatever but Thanks guys!



Answer
If you have an HD tv and are connecting the blu ray to your tv with an HDMI cable, then go into the blu ray's set up menu and adjust the video setting to 16:9. That will fill the screen side to side tho many blu ray movies are shown in the aspect ratio they were filmed in and you will still have the black bars on the top and bottom.




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Thursday, March 20, 2014

what is the best blu ray player!?




RT350


i really want a blu ray player, dont say ps3 cause i dont have 1 i have a pc. i really want a blu ray player that doesnt make a lot of noise when it has a disc in it and can play normal dvds and cd's, i dont have a 3d tv so i dont need a 3d blu ray player, and i wouldnt mind it if the speed wasnt that quick, but i cant find the right one for me so does anyone no???


Answer
The best Blu ray players are made by Oppo, they have various models....

has anyone tried this, blu ray plays in my DVD player?




peru_jhona


I have a home theater, Philips FDR 1600 and well, just for the heck of it I tried playin a blu ray movie and well it played... has anyone else tried this or want to try and comment. and yes I'm sure that the movie is a blu ray and that the player is a DVD player... please comment


Answer
Some blu-ray packages also include a separate DVD version in them. Otherwise, no DVD player will a blu-ray, so either you actually used the DVD version, OR you actually have a blu-ray player.




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Blu-Ray player or PS3?




Dean Winch


I'm getting a new TV, and I have the choice of one of those, but I can decide.

I am a gamer so, a PS3 will just complete my collection of consoles. :P



Answer
I recently completed my collection of consoles to go with my 55" Samsung LED. I couldn't be more satisfied with the ps3. I have gone through 3 different blu Ray players, and re PS3 does the best job of loading blu rays quickly as well as upscaling DVD's. It has built In wifi, and in integrated web browser. The only Blu Ray player I've seen match the PS3 is the Oppo, and that runs for $700.

Edit: my reciever outputs 120 watt per speaker and my sub is a powered 200 watt downfiring.

My reciever is a pioneer vsx1019 ah-k look into it because it has auto speaker caliberation :) a nice feature that saves you the trouble of hiring a professional each time I rearrange my speakers/ add new furniture (yes it's THAT sensitive)

That 7 core Cell processor handles blu Ray 2.0 like water and outputs clean, crisp surround sound 5.1 OR 7.1 - most blu Ray players only support 5.1

furthermore, you can hook up a wireless mouse or Bluetooth mouse and a wireless or bt keyboard.
Go with the PS3 and you will NOT be disappointed. I have a 7.1 reciever with 120 watt, and 7 harman Kardon speakers plus 1 subwoofer the size of a coffee table. Buy the ps3 and you won't be disappointed :)

Blu-ray player??




steve t


Im planning on buying a Blu-ray player since the HD-DVD empire collapsed along with my HD-DVD xbox 360 add on ( tough lesson to learn) but which is a good blu-ray out there to buy under 500?? I heard stories about long loading times, and i have seen plenty on youtube vid's, my HD-DVD player did not have that problem, and then i heard about firmware updates. I dont wanna spend half a grand on a blu-day player and find out its out dated on the firmware. Any suggestions on a safe purchase.
forgot to mention, i wouldnt mind a PS3 but all the games i like so far are on 380 and future games coming up exclusive for 360 like Gears of War 2 and Resident Evil 5, Ninja Gaiden 2 etc.. although ps3 sounds logical, i wont have time to toggle between ps3 games and xbox 360 games.
correction i mean 360, lol.. not 380.
Its kinda odd to me, buying a gaming console system just for the Blu-ray, although being able to download firmware on it does sound good.... are there blu-ray players out there that can enable you to update the player, or should i just wait till' blu-ray players catch up with firmware updates.



Answer
The only other 2.0 player on the market right now is the Panasonic DMP-BD50, which can bitstream and decode all audio formats, has HDMI 1.3 and analog 5.1 outputs and an ethernet connection for BD-Live content and firmware upgrades.

However, because it's the only 2.0 standalone player on the market it's still at a premium. If you wait until Black Friday or the last few weeks leading up to Christmas you'll get a standalone player for $199-$249 and it very well may be a profile 2.0 player like the Sony BDP-S350, which is being released soon and will get 2.0 compatability via firmware upgrade.

The PlayStation 3 is an excellent option, even if you don't use it for games. You can install Linux on it, browse the web with a bluetooth keyboard and mouse, download movies on it which don't have DRM, has HDMi 1.3, fastest load times, great picture and sound quality.

Good luck - the more Blu-ray's you watch the harder it gets to watch DVD, even with a great upscaler which the PS3 definitely is, scoring 120/130 on the HQV DVD test bench disc.




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Will xbox 360s have blu ray players on their next console?




fireflame3


I want a blu ray player but I also want an xbox. Will microsoft make an xbox with a blu ray player or should I get a ps3? I'd rather have an xbox because my friends have them and it has better online gaming.


Answer
Very unlikely, blu ray is Sony, and xbox is Microsoft, your gonna have to choose. Or buy a blu ray player separately later.

Which of these game systems have the best blu ray player. PS3, PS4 , or Xbox One?




Michael


1. Which of these games systems have the best blu ray and dvd video quality.. The playstation 3, playstation 4, or Xbox one

2. Does the quality in video and sound remain the same with all three or is there a loss in quality (resolution, sound, aspect ratio etc...) in any of the systems

3. Why and what are the differences

4. What is your recommendation?



Thanks



Answer
I've recently bought a PS4 and I've owned the PS3 (first slim edition) for a long while now. Out of my own curiosity to see which bdp (bluray disc player) had the best performance, I popped in the lord of the rings 3 and watched the same scene over and over again. The PS3 looked sharper. I'm not sure why that was. I could not understand why the older device played blurays better than the newer bdp. One reason I can think of is that the PS3 does have MUCH more Video Playback settings than the PS4 which I can only recall it having a 1080p/24 playback mode, but that was about it. Maybe it was that? I do not know. There have been a bunch of firmware updates that have happened since I ran that test and maybe one of those corrected the performance of bluray playback, however I'm sticking with the PS3 for my bdp. Not to mention the PS3 can play my 3D blurays and the others cannot. Keep in mind that from what I've experienced from the PS3 and the PS4, both have fan noise that can sometimes be a distraction. I'm not sure how fan noise is on the Xbox One as I do not own the Xbox (and have no plan to due to my own personal reasons) but I know that it supposedly has good ventilation but does have some fan noise as well (pretty much every gaming console has fan noise these days). As a console, I'm recommending the PS4 due to the actual Hardware that's inside. I believe fancy User Interfaces is something that can be improved or added later.

At this point, I would rarely recommend the PS3 since it is no longer Next-Gen, unless you've never played one before and want to play the excellent library of games on the PS3. Last thing: If you want a good stand alone bluray player, check out the Panasonic BDT-230 or Sony BDP-S5100. Those are good bluray players and have 0 fan noise.




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Blu-Ray Player?




anthpack


Is there any development of in-car video/audio systems that can play blu-ray discs? I could put all of my music on 1 25GB disc and if it had a touch-screen interface like those of ipod interfaces it would be really cool. Just wondering. Also, you could watch HD movies in the car! They just have to develop a HD screen 7". Then it could have a HD tuner, to watch tv in HD. There are systems like these that can tune 4, 6, 8, 10,etc. A system like this would be very expensive, but I would buy one.
But the price of players will decrease, because the PS3 will play BD's and they're going to be $500-$600. It would be expensive, but it would be cool. Maybe you could install a tailgating machine in the back of an SUV with a big screen HDTV.



Answer
Overview

The name Blu-ray is derived from the blue-green laser it uses to read and write to the chalcogenide disc. A Blu-ray Disc can store substantially more data than a DVD, because of the shorter wavelength (405 nm) of the blue-violet laser (DVDs use a 650-nm-wavelength red laser and CDs an infrared 780 nm laser), which allows more information to be stored digitally in the same amount of space. In comparison to HD DVD, which also uses a blue laser, Blu-ray has more information capacity per layer (starting from 25GB with test media currently at 100 gigabytes instead of 15). Sony has released 50 gigabyte recordable BD's and will soon be releasing 50 gigabyte BD media discs[1]. In August 2006, TDK developed a Blu-ray disk with a 200 gigabytes capacity. [2]
[edit]

History

The Blue-ray standard was jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), spearheaded by Sony. It is currently competing with the HD DVD format for wide adoption as the preferred next generation optical standard, similar to the videotape format war between VHS and Sony's Betamax. As of 2006, neither format has succeeded in supplanting the present home video standard, the DVD.

The Blu-ray Disc Association unveiled their plans for a May 23, 2006 release date at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January 2006. Since then, Blu-ray was delayed, but eventually shipped in the U.S. on June 20, 2006.[1]

Currently, a Blu-ray disc can hold a maximum of 50 gigabytes.
[edit]

Specifications

* About 9 hours of high-definition (HD) video can be stored on a 50 GB disc.
* About 23 hours of standard-definition (SD) video can be stored on a 50 GB disc.

TDK recently announced that they have created a working experimental Blu-ray disc capable of holding 200 GB of data on a single side (six 33 GB data layers).[2]
Physical size Single layer capacity Dual layer capacity Sextuple layer capacity
12 cm, single sided 25 GB (23.3 GiB) 50 GB (46.6 GiB) 200 GB (33.3 GB/layer) TDK
12 cm, double sided 50 GB (46.6 GiB) 100 GB (93.2 GiB)
8 cm, single sided 7.8 GB (7.3 GiB) 15.6 GB (14.5 GiB)
8 cm, double sided 15.6 GB (14.5 GiB) 31.2 GB (29 GiB)
[edit]

Laser and optics

Blu-ray systems use a blue-green laser operating at a wavelength of 405 nm, similar to the one used for HD DVD, to read and write data. Conventional DVDs and CDs use red and infrared lasers at 650 nm and 780 nm respectively.
[edit]

Hard-coating technology
TDK 100-gigabyte four-layer Blu-ray Disc.
Enlarge
TDK 100-gigabyte four-layer Blu-ray Disc.

Because the Blu-ray standard places the data recording layer so close to the surface of the disc, early discs were susceptible to contamination and scratches and had to be enclosed in plastic caddies for protection. The consortium worried that such an inconvenience would hurt Blu-ray's market adoption in the face of the rival HD DVD standard, as HD DVDs place the data layer farther away from the surface, rather like DVDs. Blu-ray discs now use a purpose developed layer of protective material over the reflective data backing (ie, on the label side).

Both Sony and Panasonic replication methods include proprietary hard-coat technologies. Sony's rewriteable media are sprayed with a scratch-resistant and antistatic coating. [3]

TDK also announced a way to remedy the problem in January 2004 with the introduction of a clear polymer coating that gives Blu-ray Discs substantial scratch resistance. The coating was developed by TDK Corporation and is called "Durabis". It allows BDs to be cleaned safely with only a tissue. The coating is said to successfully resist "wire-wool scrubbing" according to Samsung Optical technical manager Chas Kalsi. It is not clear, however, whether discs will use the Durabis coating or if the use of the coating will prove too expensive.

Verbatim announced in July 2006 that their Blu-ray Recordable and Rewriteable discs would incorporate their hard-coat ScratchGuard technology which protects against scratches, abrasion, fingerprints and traces of grease. [4][5]
[edit]

Software standards
[edit]

Codecs

Codecs are compression schemes that can be used to store audio and video information on a disc. For video, all standalone BD-ROM players must be able to decode three codec formats: MPEG-2 (the video codec also used for DVDs), H.264/AVC (a newer codec developed jointly by ISO/IEC's MPEG and ITU-T's VCEG), and VC-1 (a codec based on Microsoft's Windows Media 9 and standardized by SMPTE).

Initial versions of Sony's Blu-ray authoring software only included support for MPEG-2 video, so the initial Blu-ray discs were forced to use MPEG-2 rather than the newer codecs, VC-1 and H.264. An upgrade was subsequently released supporting the newer compression methods so the second wave of Blu-ray titles were able to make use of this. The choice of codecs affects disc cost (due to related licensing/royalty payments) as well as program capacity. The two more advanced video codecs can typically achieve twice the video runtime of MPEG-2. When using MPEG-2, quality considerations would limit the publisher to around two hours of high-definition content on a single-layer (25 GB) BD-ROM.

For audio, BD-ROM players are required to support Dolby Digital and DTS, and linear PCM (up to 7.1 channels.) The standard has optional support for Dolby Digital Plus and the lossless formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS HD. The linear PCM 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1 formats are mandatory, meaning that one of them may be used as the sole soundtrack on a disc, because every player will have a decoder that can process any of these three bitstreams.[6] For lossless audio in movies in the PCM, Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD formats, Blu-ray discs support encoding in up to 24-bit/192 kHz for up to six channels, or up to eight channels of up to 24-bit/96 kHz encoding.[7] For reference, even new big-budget Hollywood films are mastered in only 24-bit/48 kHz, with 16-bit/48 kHz being common for ordinary films.

For users recording digital television broadcasts, the Blu-ray's baseline datarate of 36 Mbit/s is more than adequate to record high-definition broadcasts. Support for new codecs will evolve as they are encapsulated by broadcasters into their MPEG-2 transport streams, and consumer set-top boxes capable of decoding them are rolled out.
[edit]

Java software support

At the 2005 JavaOne trade show, it was announced that Sun Microsystems' Java cross-platform software environment would be included in all Blu-ray players as a mandatory part of the standard. Java will be used to implement interactive menus on Blu-ray discs, as opposed to the method used on DVD video discs, which uses pre-rendered MPEG segments and selectable subtitle pictures, which is considerably more primitive and less seamless. Java creator James Gosling, at the conference, suggested that the inclusion of a Java virtual machine as well as network connectivity in BD devices will allow updates to Blu-ray discs via the Internet, adding content such as additional subtitle languages and promotional features that are not included on the disc at pressing time. This Java Version will be called BD-J and will be a subset of the Globally Executable MHP (GEM) standard. GEM is the world-wide version of the Multimedia Home Platform standard.

There is some concern about the cost of implementing and licensing the Multimedia Home Platform standard. The first generation Blu-ray players are only required to implement a subset of the Java layer, and are not required to support certain features such as Picture-in-Picture, persistent storage, or network connections.
[edit]

Region codes

The Blu-ray movie region codes are different from the DVD region codes.[8] The following are the region codes for Blu-ray discs:[9]
Region code Area
A/1 North America, South America, East Asia except for China
B/2 Europe, Africa and Oceania
C/3 China, Middle East, Russia, and South Asia.
[edit]

Digital rights management

Blu-ray has an experimental digital rights management (DRM) feature called BD+ which allows for dynamically-changing keys for the cryptographic protections involved. Should the keys currently in use be 'cracked' or leaked, manufacturers can update them and build them into all subsequent disks, preventing a single key discovery from permanently breaking the entire scheme. Blu-ray also mandates the Mandatory Managed Copy system, which allows users to copy content a limited number of times, but requiring registration with the content provider to acquire the keys needed; this feature was originally requested by HP [10] . The lack of a dynamic encryption model is what has made DeCSS a disaster from the industry's perspective: once CSS was cracked, all DVDs from then on were open to unauthorized decryption (commonly known as "ripping"). However this new technology, together with Self-Protecting Digital Content (SPDC), can allow players judged 'bad' to be effectively disabled [11], preventing their use by their purchaser or subsequent owners.[12] See Advanced Access Content System (AACS).

The Blu-ray Disc Association also agreed to add a form of digital watermarking technology to the discs. Under the name "ROM-Mark", this technology will be built into all ROM-producing devices, and requires a specially licensed piece of hardware to insert the ROM-mark into the media during replication. All Blu-ray playback devices must check for the mark. Through licensing of the special hardware element, the BDA believes that it can eliminate the possibility of mass producing BD-ROMs without authorization.

In addition, Blu-ray players must follow AACS guidelines pertaining to outputs over non-encrypted interfaces. This is set by a flag called the Image Constraint Token (ICT), which restricts the output-resolution without HDCP to 960Ã540. The decision to set the flag to restrict output ("down-convert") is left up to the content provider. According to CED Magazine, Sony/MGM and Disney currently have no plans to down-convert, and Fox is opposed to it as well. Warner Pictures is a proponent of the ICT, and it is expected that Paramount will also implement it [13]. Other studios releasing Blu-ray content have not yet commented on whether or not they will use down-conversion. AACS guidelines require that any title that implements the ICT must clearly state so on the packaging.
[edit]

Applications
[edit]

Compatibility

While it is not compulsory for manufacturers, the Blu-ray Disc Association recommends that Blu-ray drives should be capable of reading DVDs for backward compatibility. For instance, Samsung's first Blu-ray drive (now available) can read and write CD, DVD, and Blu-ray discs.

JVC has developed a three layer technology that allows putting both standard-definition DVD data and HD data on a BD/DVD combo disc. If successfully commercialized, this would enable the consumer to purchase a disc which could be played on current DVD players, and reveal its HD version when played on a new BD player.[14] This form of hybrid disc does not appear to be ready for production, however, and no titles have been announced that utilize this disc structure.
[edit]

Stand-alone recorders and game consoles

The first Blu-ray recorder was unveiled by Sony on March 3, 2003, and was introduced to the Japanese market in April that year. On September 1, 2003, JVC and Samsung Electronics announced Blu-ray based products at IFA in Berlin, Germany. Both indicated that their products would be on the market in 2005.

In June 2004 Panasonic became the second manufacturer to launch a Blu-ray recorder to the Japanese market. Launching in July the DMR-E700BD was one of the first few units to support writing to existing DVD formats, and to single-side dual-layer Blu-ray Discs with a maximum capacity of 50 gigabytes. The launch price of the recorder was $2780 USD, with 50 GB disc costing around $69 USD and the 25 GB disc costing around $32 USD. [15][16]

Sony has announced that the PlayStation 3 will be shipped with a 2x Blu-ray drive, likely read-only as is the case with most game console optical drives. According to Sony's press releases, it will support DVD(8x), CD(24x) and SACD (2x) formats in addition to BD-ROM, BD-R, and BD-RE. The Japanese release date for PS3 is on November 11, 2006. The release date of the PS3 in North America has been announced for November 17, 2006, and everywhere else in March, 2007. Sony also announced in March 2006 their first consumer Blu-ray disc player the BDP-S1, would be available in stores by July 2006. [17]

On January 4, 2006, at the Consumer Electronics Show Samsung and Philips announced their first Blu-ray consumer products to the US market. Samsung launched the first Blu-ray player for the US market, the BD-P1000, retailing for $1000 USD and sporting HDMI output with backwards support for most of today's standard DVD formats (DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R, DVD RW, and DVD R), while Philips launched the BDP-9000 player. Both players were expected to arrive in stores sometime in 2nd and 3rd quarters of 2006. [18][19] [20]

On April 13 2006, Panasonic announced their first Blu-ray player for the US market, the DMP-BD10 would be shipping together in late 2006 along with their first commercially available plasma 1080p HDTVs. [21]
[edit]

PC data storage
To meet Wikipedia's quality standards, this section may require cleanup.
Please discuss this issue on the talk page, and/or replace this tag with a more specific message. Editing help is available.
This section has been tagged since August 2006.

Main article: Blu-ray Disc recordable

Originally, blu-ray drives in production could only transfer approximately 36 Mbit/s (54 Mbit/s required for BD-ROM), but 2x speed drives with a 72 Mbit/s transfer rate are now available. Rates of 8x (288 Mbit/s) or more are planned for the future.
North American Pioneer BDR-101A drive
Enlarge
North American Pioneer BDR-101A drive

Hewlett Packard has announced plans to sell Blu-ray-equipped desktop PCs and laptops. In December 2005, HP announced that they would also be supporting the rival HD DVD technology. [22] Philips was scheduled to debut a Blu-ray computer drive in the second half of 2005, but it was also delayed. [23] [24] On March 10, 2005 Apple Computer joined the Blu-ray Disc Association.

In July 2005, information was leaked about an upcoming Pioneer Blu-ray drive; the OEM BDR 101A. [25] On December 27, 2005, Pioneer formally announced the drive which was released in the late second quarter of 2006. The drive writes at 2x on BD-R and BD-RE, 8x on DVD+R and DVD-R, and 4x on DVD-RW and DVD+RW. [26] [27]

Optical heads allowing the reading of CD/DVD/Blu-ray discs have already been developed and are expected to be included after first release of DVD/Blu-ray only drives. [28]

The Panasonic Blu-ray SW-5582 is the first drive to support all 3 formats. [29]

On January 4, 2006, at the Consumer Electronics Show Philips announced its SPD7000 Triplewriter Blu-ray internal drive for the PC and Blu-ray BD-R/B-RE/BD-RE media discs would be available in 2nd quarter of 2006. [30]

In March 2006 Sony announced a Blu-ray disc player, a VAIO desktop PC with a Blu-Ray recorder, and a Blu-ray internal PC drive would be released in the summer of 2006. [31]

In April 2006 Panasonic said it would be releasing a Blu-ray internal PC drive in the summer, the LF-MB121JD, priced at $850 USD. The new drive would be able to comprehensively read and/or write 13 BD / DVD / CD formats, which includes both BD-R/RE formats. It will read both 25 GB and 50 GB dual layer discs and write to them at 2x speeds. [32]

As of June 2006 Sony sold the first commercially available VAIO AR laptop and RC desktop PCs with a built in Blu-Ray recorder. [33][34]

In June 2006 LiteOn announced their first internal Blu-ray drive LH-2B1S would be released August 2006 for the UK market. [35] Also in June Plextor announced their first internal 2x Blu-ray drive PX-B900A would be released in 3rd quarter of 2006. [36]

In July 2006 BenQ announced they will be selling a Blu-ray device for the Europe, China and Taiwan markets. [37]

Sony's first after-market Blu-ray drive is announced in July 2006 with shipment due in August. [38]

In August 2006 LiteOn announced their first triple laser internal Blu-ray drive for the US market would be available in 3rd quarter of 2006. [39]
[edit]

Corporate support

* On June 30, 2004 Panasonic, part of Matsushita Electric, a founder member of the Blu-ray Disc Association, became the second manufacturer after Sony to launch a Blu-ray consumer product into the Japanese market. The DMR-E700BD recorder supported writing to existing DVD formats, and became one of the first units to read and write to dual-layer Blu-ray Discs with a maximum capacity of 50 gigabytes. The launch price of the recorder was $2780 USD. [40][41]
* On October 3, 2004 20th Century Fox announced that it was joining the BDA, and on July 29, 2005 the studio officially announced its support for Blu-ray.
* On December 8, 2004 The Walt Disney Company (and its home video division, Buena Vista Home Entertainment) announced its non-exclusive support for Blu-ray.
* On January 7, 2005 Vivendi Universal Games (VU Games) and Electronic Arts (EA Games) announced their support for the Blu-ray Disc format.
* On March 10, 2005 Apple Computer announced its support for Blu-ray and joined the BDA.
* On July 28, 2005 Verbatim Corporation, part of Mitsubishi Chemical Media, announced its support for Blu-ray and HD DVD storage format development. [42]
* On August 17, 2005 Lions Gate Home Entertainment announced it would release its content using the Blu-ray disc format.
* On September 7, 2005 Samsung confirmed their next-generation of optical drives will support Blu-Ray and HD DVD discs.
* On October 2, 2005 Paramount announced they would endorse Blu-ray, while still supplying content on the rival HD DVD -- in order to give consumers a choice.
* On October 20, 2005 Warner Bros. announced they would release titles on the Blu-ray format, in addition to HD DVD Video. [43] [44] Of the six largest Hollywood studios, this leaves only Universal Studios supporting HD DVD exclusively.
* On November 9, 2005 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer announced it would support Blu-ray Disc, and plans to have titles available when Blu-ray Disc is launched. [45]
* On November 19, 2005, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment announced that they finished editing the first Blu-ray Disc, a full-length movie, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. The disc uses MPEG-2 compression at a resolution of 1920x1080 (it was not announced whether it will be 1080p or 1080i) and claims to use a menu interface that would succeed current DVD-Video interfaces. [46]
* On January 4, 2006, at the Consumer Electronics Show Samsung and Philips announced their first Blu-ray players for the US market. Samsung announced the BD-P1000, retailing for $1000 USD and sporting HDMI output with backwards support for DVD formats (DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R, DVD RW, and DVD R), while Philips announced the BDP-9000. Philips also announced their all-in-one PC TripleWriter Blu-ray drive and range of Blu-ray medias would arrive in 2nd quarter of 2006. [47][48]
* On January 5, 2006, the Consumer Electronics Show displayed Blu-ray movie titles with the 1080p logo on the case.[49]
* On January 12, 2006 Digital Playground, a prominent pornographic movie studio, announced it would release its content using the Blu-ray disc format. [50]
* On March 7, 2006 Sony announced it would be shipping rewriteable single-layer 25 GB 2x speed Blu-ray discs to Europe, with dual-layer discs arriving later in the year. [51]
* On March 16, 2006 Sony announced a Blu-ray disc player, the first VAIO desktop PC with a Blu-Ray recorder, and a Blu-ray internal PC drive would be released in the summer of 2006. The VAIO PC would be shipped with a free 25 GB Blank BD-RE (rewritable) Blu-ray disc worth $25 USD. [52]
* On April 3, 2006 Blueray, an Italian videoproduction company, announced it would release its content using the Blu-ray disc format. [53]
* On April 10, 2006 TDK announced in a press release that it began shipping 25 GB BD-R and BD-RE media (at prices of $19.99 USD and $24.99 USD respectively). TDK also announced that it would be releasing 50 GB BD-R and BD-RE media later this year (at prices of $47.99 USD and $59.99 respectively). [54]
* On May 16, 2006 Sony announced its first VAIO notebook computer that will include a built-in Blu-ray burner with a 17" WUXGA display capable of displaying 1080p (at a price of $3499.99 USD). The VAIO shipped in June including software to play Blu-ray movies and an HDMI-A input for other HD devices. [55]
* On May 17, 2006 Pioneer shipped BDR-101A, a PC-based Blu-ray burner drive.[56]
* On June 15, 2006, Samsung announced the industry's first BD-P1000 player had begun shipping to US retail stores for availability on June 25 2006. [57]
* On June 29, 2006, Plextor announced their first internal Blu-ray drive PX-B900A would be released in 3rd quarter of 2006. [58]
* On July 11, 2006 Human Computing announced that it is shipping the first Blu-ray PC software.[59]
* On July 18, 2006 Verbatim Corporation announced that it was shipping its ScratchGuard coated BD-R and BD-RE Blu-ray recordable and rewriteable discs to stores in Europe, with discs priced between £20 and £24 (GBP). [60]
* On August 16, 2006 Sony announced shipment of 50 GB dual-layer Blu-ray recordable disks with a suggested retail price of $48.[61]
* On August 31, 2006 Sun Microsystems joined the BDA

The BDA has over 170 members. Its Board of Directors consists of representatives from Apple Computer Corp.; 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; Sun Microsystems; TDK Corporation; Thomson; Twentieth Century Fox; Walt Disney Pictures and Television; Warner Bros. Entertainment.
[edit]

Alternatives

The primary rival to Blu-ray is HD DVD, championed by Toshiba, NEC Corporation, Microsoft, and Intel. HD DVD has lower disc capacity (30 GB vs 50 GB), but currently (as of 2006) benefits from correspondingly lower manufacturing costs for both pre-recorded (ROM) and recordable media. In addition, since no Blu-ray movie titles have shipped on 50 GB dual-layer discs, HD DVD currently features more real-world capacity (30 GB vs. 25 GB). Blu-ray detractors believe that the 50 GB disc is unlikely to ever be cost effective, while Blu-Ray proponents expect BD media manufacturing costs to approach those of HD DVD, once production volume has ramped. All Blu-ray movies currently released (as of 2006) have been on single-layer 25 GB discs. Sony's goal is to reach the standard of 50 GB dual-layer discs capable of storing four hours of high-definition MPEG-2 video content, but up to this point in time the cost of mass producing dual-layer Blu-ray discs has been too high. Alternatively, studios releasing movies on Blu-ray may choose to switch to VC-1 or H.264/AVC in the future, allowing four hours of high-definition content to fit on a single layer BD disc.

In terms of audio/video compression, Blu-ray and HD DVD are similar on the surface: both support MPEG-2, VC-1, and H.264 for video compression, and Dolby Digital (AC-3), PCM, and DTS for audio compression. The first generation of Blu-ray movies released used MPEG-2 (the standard currently used in DVDs), while initial HD DVDs releases used the more efficient VC-1 codec. Blu-ray proponents point out that Blu-ray permits a higher maximum video-bitrate, as well as potentially higher average bitrates (due to greater total disc-capacity.) In terms of audio, there are greater differences. Blu-ray allows conventional AC-3 audiotracks at 640 kbit/s, which is higher than DVD/HD DVD's maximum, 448 kbit/s. On the other hand, Dolby Digital Plus support is mandatory for standalone HD DVD players at a maximum of 3 Mbit/s, while only optional for BD players and capped at 1.7 Mbit/s.

On November 29, 2004 four Hollywood studios (New Line Cinema, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios and Warner Bros.) announced non-exclusive agreements to support HD DVD. Since that time, Paramount and Warner have chosen to release titles in both Blu-ray and HD DVD.

Blu-ray is a very similar format to PDD, another optical disc format developed by Sony (and has been available since 2004) but offering higher data transfer speeds. PDD is not intended for home video use and is aimed at business data archiving and backup. The UDO format is also aimed for similar purposes.

Other competitors:

* Digital Multilayer Disk â the successor technology to Fluorescent Multilayer Disc
* Forward Versatile Disc â Taiwanese backed red laser format
* Holographic Versatile Disc - standards with 200 and 300 GB storage are under development and prototypes expected in 2008
* Versatile Multilayer Disc

[edit]

Released titles

Main article: List of Blu-ray releases

Some Blu-ray Disc movie cases
Enlarge
Some Blu-ray Disc movie cases

The first Blu-ray titles released on June 20, 2006 were Hitch, The Fifth Element, House of Flying Daggers, Underworld: Evolution, 50 First Dates, XXX by Sony; and The Terminator by MGM.

To date, 44 titles have been released and a further 63 have been given release dates for 2006. All titles currently released are on 25 GB single-layer Blu-ray discs. Apart from 3 VC-1 and 2 AVC encoded titles all current releases use MPEG-2 video compression.

On September 5, 2006 Warner released the first 3 titles using VC-1 encoding, Blazing Saddles, Firewall and Lethal Weapon.A further 6 VC-1 encoded titles , Tim Burton's Corpse Bride, Swordfish, Space Cowboys, The Fugitive, Lethal Weapon 2 and House of Wax, will be released on September 26.[3] On November 28, 2006 Warner will release their first 50 GB title, Superman Returns

On September 19, 2006 Disney released the first two titles to be encoded using AVC, namely Eight Below and

On November 14, 2006 Fox will be releasing the first 50 GB dual-layer Blu-ray title, Kingdom of Heaven. Other titles, Ice Age: The Meltdown, Fantastic Four and the recent remake of The Omen will be released on the same day and will be using AVC encoding and DTS HD Lossless Master Audio.[4]
[edit]

See also

* List of Blu-ray releases
* HD DVD
* Professional Disc for DATA (PDD or ProDATA)
* Format war
* Holographic Versatile Disc

[edit]

References

1. ^ Blu-ray disc coming June 20. (2006). Retrieved on 2006-06-23.
2. ^ TDK develops 200 GB recordable Blu-Ray disc with six layers (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-15.
3. ^ Sony to ship blank Blue-ray Discs this month (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
4. ^ Verbatim introduces Blu ray in Q3 (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
5. ^ Verbatim to release BD-R, BD-RE media (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
6. ^ Dolby Audio Coding for Future Entertainment Formats (PDF)
7. ^ (March 2005). "White Paper Blu-ray Disc Format". Retrieved on 2006-06-27.
8. ^ æ¥æ¬ã§ã¯HDã¢ãã­ã°åºåå¶éãç¡å¹ã«ââAACSã®ã³ã³ãã³ãéç¨è¦å®ãæ±ºå® (in Japanese) (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
9. ^ The Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ: What is Regional Playback Control? (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-29.
10. ^ The High Definition DVD FAQ (2006-02-05). Retrieved on 2006-05-30.
11. ^ HP to Support HD-DVD High-definition DVD Format and Join HD-DVD Promotions Group (2005-12-16). Retrieved on 2006-05-28.
12. ^ The DVD War Against Consumers (2006-05-30). Retrieved on 2006-05-31.
13. ^ Sweeting, Paul (2006). High-def âdown-convertingâ forced. Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
14. ^ Blu-ray/ DVD Combo ROM Disc Technology (2006). Retrieved on 2006-05-30.
15. ^ Matsushita unveils DVD recorder adopting Blu-ray Disc format+ (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
16. ^ Panasonic Unveils Blu-ray Recorder (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
17. ^ Sony unveils Blu-ray player, Vaio PC (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
18. ^ Samsung's BD-P1000: first U.S. Blu-Ray player (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
19. ^ SAMSUNG Launches Industry's First Blu-ray Disc Player To The U.S. Market (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
20. ^ Philips introduces new Blu-ray Disc⢠products and media â the ultimate consumer storage platform for high definition entertainment (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
21. ^ Panasonic DMP-BD10 Blu-ray Disc Player (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
22. ^ HP to Support HD-DVD High-definition DVD Format and Join HD-DVD Promotions Group (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
23. ^ Philips Demonstrates its Blu-ray Disc PC drive capable of reading and writing on CD, DVD and Blu-ray Discs (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
24. ^ Philips All-in-One OPU81 Blu-ray Disc Drive (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
25. ^ BluRay DVD burner for PC? (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
26. ^ Pioneer Launches One of Industry's First PC-Based Blu-ray Disc Drives (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
27. ^ Pioneer Launches Its First Internal Blu-Ray Disc Writer (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
28. ^ Development of Blu-ray Disc, DVD and CD compatible, 3 wavelength recording/playback Optical Head (2004). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
29. ^ Panasonic Blu-ray SW-5582 (2006). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
30. ^ Philips introduces new Blu-ray Disc⢠products and media â the ultimate consumer storage platform for high definition entertainment (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
31. ^ Sony unveils Blu-ray player, Vaio PC (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
32. ^ Panasonic LF-MB121JD Blu-ray drive ships June 10th for $850 (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
33. ^ Sony VAIO VGC-RC204 (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
34. ^ Sony's Blu-ray notebook arriving next week (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
35. ^ Lite-On promises UK Blu-ray burner in August (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
36. ^ Plextor's Blu-ray burner, the PX-B900A (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
37. ^ BenQ to launch Blu-ray Disc writer in August (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
38. ^ Sony unveils its first after-market Blu-ray Disc burner. (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
39. ^ LiteOn Introduces New Blu-Ray Disc Triple Writer (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
40. ^ Matsushita unveils DVD recorder adopting Blu-ray Disc format+ (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
41. ^ Panasonic Unveils Blu-ray Recorder (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
42. ^ Verbatim Announces Development Plans for both BluRay and HD-DVD (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
43. ^ Arnold, Thomas K. (2005). Another Victory for Blu-ray Camp. Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
44. ^ Warner joins Blu-ray cabal, Toshiba reacts (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
45. ^ MGM to Support Blu-ray Disc Format (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
46. ^ Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Completes First Full-Length Blu-ray Disc (2005). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
47. ^ Samsung's BD-P1000: first U.S. Blu-Ray player (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
48. ^ Philips introduces new Blu-ray Disc⢠products and media â the ultimate consumer storage platform for high definition entertainment (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-25.
49. ^ Shimpi, Anand Lal; Wasson, Manveer (2006). CES 2006 - Day 2: Blu-ray/HD-DVD, PureVideo H.264, Viiv, Centrino Duo and a lot more. Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
50. ^ Kahn, Kat (2006). Digital Playground Chooses Blu-ray Format. Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
51. ^ Sony to ship blank Blu-ray Discs this month (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
52. ^ Sony unveils Blu-ray player, Vaio PC (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
53. ^ Blueray (2006). Retrieved on 2006-04-03.
54. ^ TDK Begins Shipping Its Highly Anticipated Blu-ray Disc 25 GB Recordable And Rewritable Media; Exclusive Material Formulations and Manufacturing Processes Deliver Bit-Perfect Recording and Playback (2006). Retrieved on 2006-04-10.
55. ^ Sony announces first VAIO notebook computer to include built-in blu-ray burner. (2006). Retrieved on 2006-05-17.
56. ^ Pioneer Ships PC-Based Blu-ray Disc Drives (2006). Retrieved on 2006-05-25.
57. ^ SAMSUNG Launches Industry's First Blu-ray Disc Player To The U.S. Market (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
58. ^ Plextor's Blu-ray burner, the PX-B900A (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
59. ^ Blu-ray ships on PC. (2006). Retrieved on 2006-07-11.
60. ^ Verbatim to release BD-R, BD-RE media (2006). Retrieved on 2006-08-24.
61. ^ SONY NOW SHIPPING 50 GB DUAL LAYER BLU-RAY DISC MEDIA IN THE U.S.. Sony. Retrieved on 2006-08-17.

[edit]

External links
Commons logo
Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Blu-ray Disc

* The Authoritative Blu-ray Disc (BD) FAQ by Hugh Bennett
* Blu-ray Disc Association - BDA web site
* BBC: Next-generation DVD battle begins
* How Stuff Works on Blu-ray - Includes pictures and a comparison of HD-DVD and Blu-ray.
* CDfreaks Article On HD DVD vs Blu-ray - Comparison of HD DVD and Blu-ray
* TDK Blu-ray Disc Protypes - 200 GB BD-RE with 6 Layers
* JVC Announcement of BD/DVD combo disks - JVC Develops World's First Blu-ray/ DVD Combo ROM Disc Technology
* The High Definition DVD FAQ - FAQ for Blu-ray, HD DVD, EVD, FVD...
* High Def Digest's Release Dates for Blu-ray Discs - An up-to-date list containing all movies announced for Blu-ray with release dates

dvd blu ray comparison?




anonymous


i got a blu ray player and am currently buying blu rays if they are comparable to dvd prices...So, some movies have what seems the top versions on DVD....i was told blu ray has much moe storage so this doesnt really make sense, especially if you consider that the blu ray of most given older movies is released after the dvd, and they opt to convert the bare-bones version....ex: theres the unrated knocked up...and then theres the unrated 2 disc edition...now it seems, based on the cover art, that the blu ray version only encompasses the lesser version..is this true?...why would they not just releasethe full version-and seeing as im one of those people who wants the best version available-i should get the DVD of movies like that?...it seems apart from current movies, the blu rays dont have like the directors cut edition but merely the regular version...last time i checked the same was true of pulp fiction


hopefully you can understand what im asking...
Thanks
i dont care about ur blu ray opinions..i already have 1 and i got 3 movies for about 40 total so thats like 13 a movie which is not bad at all...and it blows dvd out of the water....i know all the specs but i just want someone to answer my question if the have knowledge on the differences between the actual DISCS of the same movie, not the player itself



Answer
I don't pretend to know everything about the film industry, but most likely director's-cut editions need some type of approval to be used for new editions to be created. Since blu-ray must be created using the original film reel (35mm analog film has more than enough data to produce 1080p content and beyond in a high-end film scanner), it's unlikely that a director's cut version is possible to transfer without significantly compromising quality of the final product, or to be used at all for a new transfer without special permission.




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School project - help laser pointer?




Voldemort


I need to make a some object that shoots out light... therefore a laser.... lol but anyway

I need step-by-step instructions on how to make a fairly easy laser. I know you need a diode from a cd player but I need instructions on how to attach the wires and other things... I plan on buying the parts online.
I want to know how to do it and plus if I make it out of nothing and retrieve the parts and put it together myself I have a sense of accomplishment

Plus it'd be way cooler than buying one... more fun...and no one else in my grade could begin to make a laser pointer
tytytytytytytytytytytyty Yoho ....

Best answer

as long as you DO have to put it together



Answer
cd diodes are IR so you will no be able to see it. If you own a digital camera and it doesnt have a IR filter you would be able to use it to see the light.

You would be able to see a blueray diode but they're not easy to come by so you would have to buy one off ebay

The main problem with both is the lenses on the lasers are focused around inch away from the diode to read/write on the disk. There by they really dont look all the much like a laser but more like a led.


You can buy something like this
http://cgi.ebay.com/150mW-405nm-Blu-ray-Blue-Violet-Laser-Diode-Module-Kit_W0QQitemZ270430046283QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3ef6e3084b&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1205|293%3A1|294%3A50

Comes with a diode and a driver that would have to be wired up. There are other kits like this that are cheaper if you look around.

Is it possible to turn a dvd eye into a laser pointer?




Jack


I was wondering since I have a spare dvd player and was looking for a little project. Is it possible to take the dvd eye that reads the dvd and turn it into a laser pointer powered by a battery?


Answer
Yeah, DIY lasers are big on the internet. Lots of people do almost exactly what you've described, although I think they usually use DVD burner diodes. Those have the power to burn black tape, pop balloons, etc. I saw one tutorial where they built the laser into and old NES zapper. Wicked! The main point is to rip your player/burner open and get the laser diode out, which basically looks like an LED. You need to buy a housing for the diode, which will have a lens on it to focus the beam. After that you just wire up your power source, and that's it. It's pretty fucking easy to make a laser. If you can get a Blu-Ray diode, then you'll have a purple laser that makes things fluoresce, or glow, when it hits them. If you want to do this for the fun of building your own highly dangerous laser, then you're on the right track. Search around for tutorials with specific instructions and pictures. If you just want a laser that can cut things, you can also check out the stuff at www.dealextreme.com. Those things can blind a small child in seconds!!! Have fun.




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Blu ray 3D TV question(s) kindly answer all 3 questions/concerns?




BILL C


Ok i am going to get a new TV a SAMSUNG 55" 1080P 240HZ 3D-READY LED-BACKLIT LCD HDTV - UN55C7000...http://www.eastcoasttvs.com/index.php/led-tv/samsung/55/samsung-55-1080p-240hz-3d-ready-led-backlit-lcd-hdtv-un55c7000.html
and a new Blue ray player SAMSUNG 3D BLU-RAY DISC PLAYER WITH WIFI - BDC7900 ..http://www.eastcoasttvs.com/index.php/blu-ray-dvd/samsung/bdc7900.html
will i be able to watch
1)regular non-blu ray dvds in 3D ?
2) blu ray dvds in 3D ?
3) TV shows from my cable co. verizon fios ?
thanks in advance for taking the time to read my questions.



Answer
will i be able to watch
1)regular non-blu ray dvds in 3D ?
2) blu ray dvds in 3D ?

Yes to both, because the Samsung TV can simulate 3D with 2D sources. Unfortunately, it is not that impressive, and not worth the trouble of wearing the eyeglasses (I've seen the feature in action at my friend's house).

3) TV shows from my cable co. verizon fios ?

Yes, 3D TVs also work in 2D mode, so 2D material is no problem.

What is a decent Blu Ray Player to buy?




The Nights


Im looking for my first blu ray player. I would like wifi, but no 3d. Something that has decent loading speed. And I'd Like to keep it fairly cheap without sacrificing quality. Any suggestions?


Answer
Believe it or not the Sony PS 3 is still the buy in blu-ray players. It takes some time to properly setup all the audio video setting in the menu (which makes a big difference in the picture quality) but its a good player. You can set it up for auto-play just insert and starts playing. The only other thing is it uses a bluetooth remote which must be purchased separately.

Kevin
40 years high end audio video specialist




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Wednesday, March 19, 2014

why do some hdtv/blu ray player combinations look better than others?




Marc


I have been trying to set up a home theater (hdtv + blu ray player) system that will be eye catching, colors and graphics popping to the eye and with the best, sharpest resolution such that it would seem the person on the tv looks like he's in the same room with you. I have seen displays in Best Buys, Circuit City, etc. They were incredible, the colors popped out, the graphics and details of people were 10 times more life like then if they were in the same room as you.

I attempted to duplicate this quality. I bought an HDTV with what I thought were some of the best options you can choose - a Resolution of 1080P, a contrast resolution of 10,000 to 1, and I bought a Sylvania Blu Ray Player. I am also using the recomended HDMI Cable.

The picture is pretty good. However it is not nearly as fetching as the picture in the store. It has a grainy appearance at times (maybe because I'm sitting just 4 feet away from the 37 inch screen) The colors aren't popping as much, but more importantly, the blu ray dvds that I'm watching are not showing me a picture in which the people in the movie look 10x better than if they were in the same room with me (like how the one in the store appeared). I thought 10,000 to one was an excellent contrast ratio, and the TV is a Sharp, a name brand. I thought Sylvania (though not a name brand) was a good enough Blu Ray to deliver great picture. It has output capability of up to 1080P24.

The only things that I can think of are: maybe the setup in the store has an HDTV with like 5 billion to 1 contrast ratio? Does the brand name of the Blu Ray player make a significant difference?

Hope someone can help my nip thisone in the bud once and for all. Thanks!
I should also add that I have tested some of the best (recently made, visually stunning) Blu Ray DVDs in there and they don't look nearly as good as the store system on display.



Answer
There are a couple of things you could consider to get that picture quality you want.

Since you are 4 feet away from your TV, a 37" may be slightly too big, and I mean just slightly. Maybe a 32" would have been sufficient.

Also, I would have recommended a Samsung or Sony Blu-Ray player in terms of top quality Blu-Ray players over the Sylvania.

Is your Sharp Flat screen a Plasma or LCD? If its 10,000:1 contrast ratio on a plasma, you should be fine, I would have definitely recommended a minimum of 15,000:1 ratio if your TV is an LCD

Does your TV do 1080P @ 24 frames? You indicated your Sylvania Blu-Ray player outputs 1080p24, but does your TV display 1080p24? 24 frames per second is the film frame rate and most film sourced Bluray discs are encoded at that frame rate. 60 frames per second is the video display rate on most TVs. In simple terms, a 24p output into a TV that can display it, gives smoother motion for 99.99% of movies. That may be your artifact issues you are seeing in your poor picture quality.

One last thing, you might want to get your TV calibrated. That can get a bit expensive to get it professionally calibrated, but well worth getting it done in the end to get your TV to the EXACT color specifications to bring out the best picture quality.

Here's a link to some calibration techniques you can do for free: http://ezinearticles.com/?Give-Your-Flat-Screen-TV-Some-Calibration---For-Free!&id=862955
http://www.flat-screen-tv-guide.com/how-to.html

Why does my toshiba 720p 120hz tv not display blu ray in true 24p?




jtb012


i also have a Sony 40 inch 1080p 60hz tv downstairs which displays blu rays in 24p veery well. the motion is smooth. Why iis the motion not smooth on my Toshiba 720p 120hz tv? the 24p is enabled on the blu ray player.


Answer
The motion should be fine at either resolution. Try disabling the 24p and setting the blu ray output to 720p if you have it at 1080p. Maybe the tv isn't able to properly process those settings. Some tvs can and some older ones can't.

If you have tru motion enabled, try disabling that too.




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Audio problems with Blue Ray player.?




Mike


I am having trouble with my new Blue Ray player. When watching a movie, the music and sound effect volume levels are fine but the dialogue volume is low. This happens when using either the TV's built in speakers or headphones. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to adjust the volume levels to be equal?


Answer
Look in your Blu-Ray audio setup menu & look for a choice that addresses "dynamic range", choose "compress".

Blu Ray Player remote stopped being able to control volume on LG smart tv.?




Alex Hunte


Up until a month ago the Blu ray remote worked fine when controlling the tv volume. Please answer because I am sick of using the crappy magic remote just to raise or lower the volume on the tv.


Answer
I think you must first "un-pair" the magic remote from the TV before using the blu ray remote. This is done by pressing the Back and Home buttons at the same time for about 5-10 seconds (you'll know it's unpaired because the arrow will disappear and doesn't reappear when you shake the remote).




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blu ray player?




Whack whac


can they play HD DVD and regular dvd? what brand is good? what price range?

don't you just hate how sony show us consumers good stuffs like PS3 and blu rays that looks sooo darn good and costs us wayyy too much?



Answer
Unfortunately Blu-Ray players cannot play HD-DVD's as they are made using an entirely different format from Blu-Ray Discs. As I understand it, old DVDs will also play on Blu-Ray players as well. (www.blu-ray.com/faq/)

In regards to brands and prices, there is a review of new Blu-Ray players at CNet that I have provided the link for below.
(http://reviews.cnet.com/4321-6463_7-6509000.html)

how much does it cost to fix a blu ray player?




James D


Can't get the dvd out.


Answer
If your player is still covered by the warranty the company that makes your player should cover the costs. If you don't have the warranty call the company anyway and see if you can't make a deal with them to repair it cheaply. I did that with Sony, and struck a deal to repair the player for $60 (they originally wanted me to pay $120), so long as I could show proof of purchase and that the player was in good condition (it suddenly stopped playing after a firmware update). Sony even paid for the shipping.




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Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Do blu ray players have better picture then ps3's?










Answer
Some Blu ray players have a better picture but not many, for a long time the PS3 was the best blu ray player with the best picture, out there under $500... today there are a few players considered to have a better picture like the Oppo BDP 93 the Sony BDP S780; The Panasonic BD80 most still cost more than the PS3 though and so the PS3 is still considered to be one of the best blu ray players out there....for the price...

Blu ray and DVD players?




Victor


whats the difference??


Answer
A Blu-ray player will play Blu-ray discs. Blu-ray Discs to hold 25GB/50GB. a single layer dvd only hold 4.7GB and a dual-layer hold 8.5GB. Blu-ray with that much storage is able to put out a crystal clear high definition picture such as 1080p and also high definition sound through HDMI cables. The cost is a different story the average cost of a dvd is around $15 brand new the average cost of a blu-ray disc is $25-$30 blu-ray players also cost substantially more. to just experience a movie watch a regular dvd. To Live the movie watch it on Blu-Ray




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VCR, DVD now Blu-ray, What should i expect?




stanley d


Hi I live in Melboune Australia, i Remember 4-6 years ago you whould walk into a video store and you whould find all Tapes and maybe a little shelf of dvds.

Now i walk into a video store all you see is dvds and a little shelf of bluray or Hd-dvd disks

How long should it be until Bluray is everywhere insted of dvds?

also what is bluray?

and how much gb are the disks?



Answer
Blu-Ray is doing ok... but here's the thing -- it may never completely replace DVDs. There was a very compelling reason to replace tape with DVD... a disc is much easier to handle, random access, digital vs. analog, much better quality, etc. Blu-Ray is a nice upgrade, but it's going to be seen as more of an evolution than a revolution, particularly since every Blu-Ray player also plays DVDs.

What will happen in the next few years is that high-end DVD-only players will vanish... every player at, say, $200 and above will be Blu-Ray. Then it'll drop to $100 and above, and at some point, most people will have Blu-Ray players. But they may not have them yet in the kids rooms, the car, the boat, the portable, the laptop, etc. So people may still buy DVDs for some time yet. At present, disc sales are closing in on around 10% of the laser disc market.

The push toward digital televsion world wide may help here, since most digital TVs are high-defnition... people will get used to watching HD. This kind of thing never happened with high definition audio, both because most people do not have stereos good enough to really tell the difference between CD and DVD-Audio or SACD... and also because the format war there ended in a stalemate.

Blu-Ray delivers video up to 1920x1080, in 60fps interlaced, 50fps interlaced, or 24fps progressive formats today. It suppports the same MPEG-2 video standard as on DVD, but also two more advanced formats, AVC (also called MPEG-4 part 10 or H.264) and VC-1 (formerly known as Windows Media Video 9). Audio can be up to 8 tracks (7.1 surround sound), and they support raw (PCM), several near lossless compressions, and some new versions of the DTS and Dolby audio standards used on DVD. Blu-Ray also supports a form of the Java language, which allows far more complex user interfaces to be defined than on DVD, along with interactive features and live internet connections.

Each layer of a Blu-Ray disc stores 25GB of data, and like DVDs, they can be two layers (currently), for up to 50GB of data. The format is actually a new revision of UDF, so many computers can't yet read these without extra software along with extra hardware. The laser used is a blue-violet laser at 405nm. There are both ROM (BD-ROM), write-once (BD-R) and read/write (BD-RE) versions of the Blu-Ray disc.

Lots of people like to claim that digital downloads will beat out Blu-Ray, but in practical use that's 5-10 years away, unless you sacrifice quality (which is precedented -- very few digital music downloads even match CD quality, much less something better). Consider a $20 Blu-Ray disc (US price, on-sale) which can store up to 50GB of data. At common US internet speeds, that will take around 24 hours to download, assuming your network actually averages around 5Mb/s for a full day (and also assuming that the new download limits, in the range of 300GB/month, are removed by commercial ISPs). That will currently cost me $5-$10 in computer storage, depending on which HDD I put the download... in addition to the price, which is likely to be comparable to a DVD or Blu-Ray purchase, anyway.

That would work, if you're not much of a collector.. you can fit 20 or more of those discs on your 1TB HDD (what, you don't have a spare 1TB HDD... I have over 4TB external storage... I'm a video guy, what can I say). But the price advantage is still well in favor of the Blu-Ray. Imagine a box set... I paid $40 for "Lost: Season 3" on Blu-Ray, somewhere around 300GB worth. That would have been a full monthly use of internet on many systems, taken a week to download, and it would cost as much in HDD space as it cost to buy on Blu-Ray.

So sure, downloads are coming... if you're happy with sub-DVD quality, they're already here in force. But for HD at top quality, maybe downloads start to compete with rentals at some point (particularly over closed networks like satellite, FiOS, or cable), but I don't think they will catch on as purchased until well after Blu-Ray is fully established.

Are all Blu-ray DVDs 1080p?




briancarld


If so will I be able to play a Blu-ray DVD if my TV only supports 1080i?


Answer
The current official Blu-Ray DVDs are all released in 1080p format. The audio on the other hand, varies (anywhere from 5.1-7.1). If you do not have a 1080p HDTV (and most of us do not, myself included), your Blu-ray player will downscale your image to match your resolution setting, whether it be 480i or 720p. Note that if your Blu-Ray player is a PS3, you may have some varying degrees of success. Sony has not quite fixed their firmware, only plugged up the holes (like using duct tape to attach a bumper to a car).

I'm amazed by the statements of the BB guy above. What he says is absolutely untrue--especially on larger screens and depending upon the media you are viewing. Most high-speed and sporting HD events will appear much better in Progressive Scan mode versus a higher resolution Interlaced (720p vs. 1080i for instance). The difference should also show up more clearly on a plasma vs. LCD.

While I have nothing but respect for Best Buy technology employees in general, we appear to have found one who is a bit full of himself--at least he said what he did with conviction. Two years working with HDTVs every day and you haven't figured out there's a difference between 720p and 1080i? Hook up two 50in lcds (one running 720p and 1080i) playing a NASCAR event, and I dare you to say the same thing again. Geez.

At least he was right about the cables. HDMI and DVI in general will give you 1080p resolution, while Component (RCA w/2 audio and 3 video) cables will give you 480p-1080p with 2.1 sound. HDMI will give you full 7.1 surround, while DVI provides no audio capabilities. Optical cable is an interesting choice, and will provide up to 5.1 surround.




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