| Blu-ray is a new format for storage of optical disc | | | | internet connection is necessary for supporting this |
| media and is widely gaining popularity as compared to | | | | format. It is absolutely untrue. Internet connection is |
| the old DVD format that has less storage capacity. | | | | not needed for basic playback of blu-ray supported |
| Blu-ray disc, which is also known as BD or blu-ray, is a | | | | movies. It will only be needed for extra features like |
| format for storing optical disc media. It is generally | | | | downloading value-added services, web browsing, |
| used for high-definition video storage and data | | | | watching latest movie trailers etc. You will also need |
| storage. This disc looks like any ordinary disc and has | | | | internet if you want to authorize the managed copies |
| the same dimensions. | | | | of those blu-ray movies that are transferred over |
| The name of blu-ray Disc comes from the blue laser | | | | your home network. |
| that is used for reading and writing this type of disc. | | | | The second myth is regarding down-converting |
| It is a combination of the word "blue" that stands for | | | | analog outputs. Blu-ray players will not down-convert |
| blue-violet laser and `ray` standing for optical ray. | | | | the signals of analog output unless your video |
| Since it has shorter wavelength of around 405 nm, | | | | contains ICT or Image Constraint Token. Since most |
| so it can store substantially more data than a DVD | | | | of the movie studios like Sony, Fox, Disney, MGM, |
| that uses a red or 650 nm laser. To give you more | | | | Paramount, and Universal do not use this feature so |
| details, a dual layer blu-ray disc has the capacity to | | | | you will not be having much trouble with this. |
| store 50 GB, which is almost six times of the | | | | Another question is regarding supporting mandatory |
| capacity of similar dual layer DVD. | | | | managed copies. Well, the blu-ray format will have |
| The blu-ray Disc was invented by the Blu-ray Disc | | | | mandatory managed copy (MMC) in order to enable |
| Association. It is a group of companies that represent | | | | customers to make legal and authentic copies of |
| computer hardware, consumer electronics, and are | | | | blu-ray movies, which can be easily transferred over |
| also involved in motion picture production. There are | | | | the home network. |
| more than 180 member companies in this association, | | | | Since it is a new technology so it is obvious that the |
| from all over the world. The current board of | | | | first generation products will be somewhat expensive |
| directors consists of companies like Apple Computer, | | | | as there will be low production volumes. But |
| Inc., Warner Bros. Entertainment, Dell Inc., Thomson | | | | manufacturers are planning a wide range of blu-ray |
| Multimedia, Hewlett Packard Company, Sharp | | | | products like players, drives, recorders, media, |
| Corporation, Hitachi, Ltd., Twentieth Century Fox, LG | | | | writers, etc and hence product volumes are soon |
| Electronics Inc, Sony Corporation, Matsushita Electric | | | | expected to rise giving way to lower prices. |
| Industrial Co., Sun Microsystems, Inc Ltd, TDK | | | | It is a general expectation that blu-ray will soon |
| Corporation, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Pioneer | | | | replace DVDs and most of the big movie studios |
| Corporation, Royal Philips Electronics, Samsung | | | | have hugely supported this format compared to |
| Electronics Co., Ltd., Walt Disney Pictures. | | | | DVDs monopoly. They have already released movies |
| There was a time when blu-ray disc was competing | | | | in this format and plan to continue the same. But it is |
| with the HD DVD format, but soon most of the | | | | a high probability that DVDs will also not become |
| leading companies announced that they could no | | | | completely extinct. Chances are that these two |
| longer find buyers for their HD DVD players and | | | | formats will co-exist for some time. That is the |
| recorders. Hence blu-ray emerged as the clear winner | | | | reason why most top consumer electronics brands |
| of the format war. | | | | like Panasonic, Philips, Sony, Samsung, Sharp, Pioneer |
| There are many myths regarding this technology | | | | and LG have introduced products that can read and |
| since it is comparatively new. In this article we will try | | | | write CDs, DVDs as well as blu-ray discs. |
| to clear some of those. The first myth is that | | | | |