When HDTV was released in 1998, people could barely believe their eyes. There was a time when people thought that any new technologies couldn't make that much of a difference, but suddenly they realized they were wrong. Since then millions have made the switch to HDTV and enjoyed thousands of hours of entertainment. But then something even better came along. High definition players such as Blu-Ray have pushed HDTV to it's limit. Many people knew that the last generation DVD's were going by the wayside, but they had no idea what it would be replaced by.
Though research began in 2000, Sony and its partners didn't release a final commercial product until mid 2006. The name Blu-Ray comes from the blue laser that's used to read data from a Blu-Ray formatted disc. This contrasts with the red laser used to read standard DVD discs. But why is Blu-Ray better than existing DVD formats? Even though Blu-Ray discs and players don't appear any different than standard DVDs, they can store much more data which means clearer picture, better audio, and more special features. DVDs can hold up to 8 gigabytes of data while Blu-Ray discs can hold 50 gigabytes. Quite a difference. The max resolution of a DVD is 720x480 lines whereas Blu-Ray has a max of 1920x1080 (also referred to as full HD). If you've spent $1000 or more on a 1080p television, you're actually not utilizing everything the set can deliver when watching standard DVDs.
In the beginning Blu-Ray players were more expensive than most people could afford. You might have had to pay over one $1000 at that time, but if you were lucky you could find one for $600. But these were not the only high definition players on the market. In fact Toshiba and others fashioned the HD DVD, which could hold 15 gigs. Though this wasn't a match for the Blu-Ray's 50 gig capacity, they did have the advantage of an earlier release and a cheaper price. Would this spell the end of the Blu-Ray player?
But you cannot expect the creator of the highly successful PlayStation 2 to stand by and take this beating. In fact, they did not. They released the Playstation 3 with full Blu-Ray capabilities, making it the cheapest Blu-Ray player on the market. The sales of Blu-Ray movies crushed HD DVD's, and it wasn't long before movie makers chose the superior Blu-Ray format. HD DVD's were rapidly phased out to a point that only a few companies still use them. They have finally gone the way of the Betamax player, and a footnote in the hsitory of multimedia.
Prices have fallen dramatically over the past few years as well. 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 falling. For anyone who enjoys watching movies from home and has already invested in an HDTV, now is a great time to look into adding a Blu-Ray player to your setup. Even those who may be skeptical about Blu-Ray's improvements over DVD owe it themselves to head down to their local electronics store and ask for a Blu-Ray demonstration. The picture clarity and audio fidelity from Blu-Ray is truly outstanding.
Though research began in 2000, Sony and its partners didn't release a final commercial product until mid 2006. The name Blu-Ray comes from the blue laser that's used to read data from a Blu-Ray formatted disc. This contrasts with the red laser used to read standard DVD discs. But why is Blu-Ray better than existing DVD formats? Even though Blu-Ray discs and players don't appear any different than standard DVDs, they can store much more data which means clearer picture, better audio, and more special features. DVDs can hold up to 8 gigabytes of data while Blu-Ray discs can hold 50 gigabytes. Quite a difference. The max resolution of a DVD is 720x480 lines whereas Blu-Ray has a max of 1920x1080 (also referred to as full HD). If you've spent $1000 or more on a 1080p television, you're actually not utilizing everything the set can deliver when watching standard DVDs.
In the beginning Blu-Ray players were more expensive than most people could afford. You might have had to pay over one $1000 at that time, but if you were lucky you could find one for $600. But these were not the only high definition players on the market. In fact Toshiba and others fashioned the HD DVD, which could hold 15 gigs. Though this wasn't a match for the Blu-Ray's 50 gig capacity, they did have the advantage of an earlier release and a cheaper price. Would this spell the end of the Blu-Ray player?
But you cannot expect the creator of the highly successful PlayStation 2 to stand by and take this beating. In fact, they did not. They released the Playstation 3 with full Blu-Ray capabilities, making it the cheapest Blu-Ray player on the market. The sales of Blu-Ray movies crushed HD DVD's, and it wasn't long before movie makers chose the superior Blu-Ray format. HD DVD's were rapidly phased out to a point that only a few companies still use them. They have finally gone the way of the Betamax player, and a footnote in the hsitory of multimedia.
Prices have fallen dramatically over the past few years as well. 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 falling. For anyone who enjoys watching movies from home and has already invested in an HDTV, now is a great time to look into adding a Blu-Ray player to your setup. Even those who may be skeptical about Blu-Ray's improvements over DVD owe it themselves to head down to their local electronics store and ask for a Blu-Ray demonstration. The picture clarity and audio fidelity from Blu-Ray is truly outstanding.
About the Author:
Anna Sussman delves into the complicated world of cable providers to find the offers that deliver the biggest savings for consumers. Anna looks for the lowest Time Warner digital cable rates and discounts on Time Warner bundled services.
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