Blu-Ray and Hi-Def Television: A Unbeatable Combination

When high definition television sets initially began arising in stores about 10 years ago folks were amazed at the clearness HD delivered over regular TV sets. Since that time thousands of people have upgraded their televisions to enjoy wide screen movies with DVDs and high definition cable and satellite broadcasts. While many people still haven't made the leap, a recent technology breakthrough has made even HDTV backers take notice. Developed by Sony, Blu-Ray has pushed television resolutions to the next level. Just a couple years gone, no one had a clue what standard would become the successor to DVD, but now Blu-Ray has won the battle and I'll tell you why you should consider adding Blu-Ray to your home entertainment system.

Though research started in 2000, Sony and its partners did not manufacture a final commercial product till mid 2006. The name Blu-Ray derives from the blue laser that's utilized to read information from a Blu-Ray formatted disc. This conflicts with the red laser utilized to read regular DVD discs. But why is Blu-Ray an improvement over existing DVD formats? Although Blu-Ray discs and players don't appear any different than standard DVDs, they can store much more data which means sharper picture, better audio, and more special extras. DVDs can hold up to 8 gigabytes of data while Blu-Ray discs can hold fifty gbs.. Big difference. The max resolution of a DVD is 720x480 lines while Blu-Ray has a maximum of 1920x1080 (also called full HD). If you've spent $1000 or more on a 1080p TV, you are essentially not making use of all the set can deliver when watching standard DVDs.

In the beginning prices for Blu-Ray players were way beyond what a typical home user wanted to spend. Price tags between $700 and $1000 were common for first generation Blu-Ray players. And, there was another competing standard on the store shelves that made a lot of perplexity. Toshiba and NEC introduced their own DVD successor with the announcement of the HD DVD standard. HD DVD, with a storage capability of 15 gigs, was a step up over regular DVDs but didn't meet the specifications of Blu-Ray. However HD DVD did have some marketplace influence. First, they made it to the market three months before Blu-Ray. Second, HD DVD devices where a little less expensive to produce and were sold less expensive as a result. Finally, HD DVD had more Hollywood studios on board at launch than Sony did which meant more flicks were at first available while Blu-Ray remained scarce.

Sony had one huge trick up their sleeve that quite potentially saved Blu-Ray from a Betamax destiny. Sony incorporated a Blu-Ray player into their long awaited PlayStation 3 and sold the whole device for a little less than many stand alone players were going for at the time. Soon after, Blu-Ray started making strides until soon it outsold HD DVD 2-to-1 by late 2007. More and more Hollywood studios began to commit to the Blu-Ray standard exclusively, starting with Warner Brothers in early 2008. Shortly after Toshiba stopped making HD DVD players and recorders. By years end rental companies Netflix and Blockbuster, as well as major shops, announced they would no longer carry HD DVD films. Currently all major studios release their movies on Blu-Ray. A couple have continued to produce HD DVD and Blu-Ray releases simultaneously.

Costs have fallen seriously during the last few years also. Many name brand Blu-Ray players from companies like Panasonic and LG can easily be found between $150 and $250. Blu-Ray disc recorders are in the $200 - $400 range and dropping just as fast. For anyone that likes viewing movies from home and has invested in an HDTV, now is a wonderful time to look into adding a Blu-Ray player to your home entertainment system. Even those that could be skeptical about Blu-Ray's enhancements over DVD owe it themselves to go down to their local electronics store and ask for a Blu-Ray demonstration. The picture clearness and audio fidelity from Blu-Ray is really outstanding.

 

Comcast Cable High Speed Internet Discounts

 

comcastcable deals, comcast cable tv offers, comcastcable deals, comcast internet, comcast phone, high speed internet, broadband internet, cable tv, hd, movies,on-demand, cable tv, broadband internet, phone, comcast, comcastcable, comcast cable tv, comcast bundle, comcast triple play, comcast bundles, cable tv, internet, phone, television, movies, hbo, cinemax




Leave a Reply.