| Blu-ray, also referred to as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the | | | | amount of space, so it's possible to fit more data on |
| name associated with a next generation optical disc | | | | the disc. However, despite the different type of |
| format. It has the same physical proportions as | | | | lasers used, Blu-ray products can easily be made |
| standard DVDs and Compact disks, however offers | | | | backwards compatible with CDs and DVDs through |
| over five times the storage capacity of conventional | | | | the use of a BD/DVD/CD compatible optical pickup |
| DVDs, holding up to 27 GB of data on a single-layer | | | | unit. |
| disc (that's more than 2 hrs of high definition video or | | | | During the format war over high-definition optical |
| about thirteen hrs of standard video) and up to 50 | | | | discs, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD |
| GB on a dual-layer disc. Current developments by | | | | format. However, on February 19, 2008, Toshiba (the |
| Pioneer have pushed the storage potential to 500GB | | | | main company supporting HD DVD) announced that it |
| on a solitary disc by using 20 layers. | | | | would no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD |
| This extra capacity merged together with the use of | | | | DVD players and recorders, leading almost all other |
| advanced video and audio codecs gives consumers | | | | HD DVD businesses to follow suit, and thus |
| an unprecedented HD experience. Additionally, extras | | | | effectively ending the format war. Blu -ray is |
| such as bonus material and special features may be | | | | currently supported by about 200 of the world's |
| included in high quality within the same disc, so there's | | | | leading pc, consumer electronics, recording media, |
| no need for separate bonus discs to accompany the | | | | music and video game companies. The format has |
| film title. | | | | the benefit of support from all Hollywood studios and |
| Blu-ray was jointly formulated by the Blu-ray Disc | | | | other smaller studios as being a successor to the |
| Association (BDA), a collection of the world's top | | | | current DVD format. Major blank media producers |
| consumer electronics, personal computer and media | | | | such as TDK also support the Blu-ray Disc format as |
| manufacturers (including Dell, Apple, HP, Hitachi, JVC, | | | | the successor to DVD. |
| Mitsubishi, Pioneer, LG, Panasonic, Philips, Sony, | | | | Blu-ray provides some of the strongest copy |
| Samsung, Sharp, Thomson and TDK). It was | | | | protection methods ever developed for any |
| developed to allow recording, rewriting and playback | | | | consumer format, which makes it the best option for |
| of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large | | | | any content publisher wanting assurance that their |
| amounts of data. | | | | valuable assets are protected from piracy. The |
| Although present optical disc technologies such as | | | | format contains a powerful copy protection |
| DVD make use of a red laser to read and write data, | | | | mechanism, which not only relies on implementation |
| the Blu-ray format uses a blue-violet laser in its place. | | | | on the playback device, but which also includes |
| The advantage of using a blue-violet laser (405 nm) is | | | | precautions at replicator level, which can be strictly |
| that it's got a shorter wavelength than a red laser | | | | controlled. Unlike the voluntary implementation of CSS |
| (650 nm), which makes it feasible to focus the laser | | | | protection in DVD, the copy protection mechanism |
| spot with even greater accuracy. This enables data | | | | for Blu-ray Disc is mandatory and will be governed by |
| to be packed more closely and stored in a reduced | | | | strict licensing procedures. |