What is Blu-Ray?

[lovethattink]

I'm looking through Christmas sale flyers and this term keeps coming up. What is Blu-Ray?

 

[sandyhund]

I may be mistaken, but I believe Blu-Ray is the type of DVD that plays on a High Definition DVD player and an HD TV. I have neither an HD TV or player so I could be wrong. HTH

 

[N&B'smom]

Is it the thing that the new PS3 has? I believe (and could be wrong) that it has to do with being able to play HD DVD's. Like I said, I could be wrong but I know that the new PS3 has new technology so it will play those types of DVD's.

Shelby

 

[Sparx]

It has to do with the way a video game system works.

 

[Anewman]

It is a new type of media being used mostlyto bring High definition MOVIES home, but can also store large amounts of DATA for pcs.

competitor to the new HD-DVDs

 

[salmoneous]

There are two new formats out there trying to replace DVD's. HD-DVD's and Blu-Rays. Both look and act pretty much like DVD's, but have higher quality picture and sound.

You need a player, the discs and an HDTV. Most people - even a lot of the gadget geeks - are sitting on the sidline and sticking with plain-old DVD's for now.

EDIT - Yes the PS3 player does use Blu-Ray discs to hold games, and will play Blu-Ray movies.

 

[helenabear]

There are two new formats out there trying to replace DVD's. HD-DVD's and Blu-Rays. Both look and act pretty much like DVD's, but have higher quality picture and sound.

You need a player, the discs and an HDTV. Most people - even a lot of the gadget geeks - are sitting on the sidline and sticking with plain-old DVD's for now.

EDIT - Yes the PS3 player does use Blu-Ray discs to hold games, and will play Blu-Ray movies.

That's how my husband would describe it. He makes this analogy: it is the new Beta. Both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray would be similar to Beta (as in people don't think it is going to last). Standard DVD owners think they'll be the "winner" (like VHS was).

I've heard someone equate it to laser disc as well... had a bit of followers, but in the end, it died out.

 

[minnieandme]

According to Wikipedia:

Blu-ray Disc is a next-generation optical disc format meant for high definition video (HD) and high density data storage, and is one of two competing standards for HD optical media. Its competitor is HD-DVD. Blu-ray gets its name from the shorter wavelength (405 nm) blue laser that, in addition to other techniques, allows it to store substantially more data on the same sized disc than DVD, which uses a longer wavelength (650 nm) red laser. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blu_Ray

 

[Anewman]

That's how my husband would describe it. He makes this analogy: it is the new Beta. Both HD-DVD and Blu-Ray would be similar to Beta (as in people don't think it is going to last). Standard DVD owners think they'll be the "winner" (like VHS was).

I've heard someone equate it to laser disc as well... had a bit of followers, but in the end, it died out.

Good analogy except that those examples are pretty much MOVIE only medias.
Blu-Ray is a Media format that can hold any DATA such as Games, pictures, Pc Software etc...

Just think of that CD-R burner on your PC, yes you can make a Music CD on it but you can also put anything else on it.

 

[ckay87]

Stop the technological progress train, I want to get off.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

It's to get you to have to change out your music and movie collections. They'll come out with an "even better" format in 10 years and you'll have to change em out again.

 

[cardaway]

Yes, it is the technology used in the PS3. If you get a PS3 you be able to play Blu-Ray movie discs.

 

[lovethattink]

Thanks everyone for your quick responses. Guess I'll wait it out on the side lines and see what happens.