Blu-ray TechnologyBlu-ray Technology

•What is Blu-ray?

•Difference between DVD and Blu-ray

•Will the technology last?

Matthew Werner

Group 7

Background InfoBackground Info

• In 1997, DVDs revolutionized the In 1997, DVDs revolutionized the movie industrymovie industry

• Audio and video quality was far Audio and video quality was far superior to the previous VHSsuperior to the previous VHS

• Now, the Blu-ray technology is Now, the Blu-ray technology is having the same effect on DVDs as having the same effect on DVDs as they did on VHSthey did on VHS

What is Blu-ray?What is Blu-ray?

• Next generation optical discNext generation optical disc

• Developed to enable recording, Developed to enable recording, rewriting, and playback of high-rewriting, and playback of high-definition videodefinition video

How it worksHow it works

• While current optical disc While current optical disc technologies such as DVD rely on a technologies such as DVD rely on a red laser to read and write data, the red laser to read and write data, the new format uses a blue-violet laser new format uses a blue-violet laser instead, hence it’s name Blu-ray instead, hence it’s name Blu-ray

• The discs come in single or double The discs come in single or double layer. Single layer can hold 25GB and layer. Single layer can hold 25GB and double can hold 50GB of data double can hold 50GB of data compared to DVDs holding 4.7GB of compared to DVDs holding 4.7GB of datadata

How it worksHow it works

• The benefit of using a blue-violet laser is The benefit of using a blue-violet laser is that it has a shorter wavelength than a that it has a shorter wavelength than a red laser, which makes it possible to red laser, which makes it possible to focus the laser spot with even greater focus the laser spot with even greater precision. This allows data to be packed precision. This allows data to be packed more tightly and stored in less space, so more tightly and stored in less space, so it's possible to fit more data on the disc it's possible to fit more data on the disc even though it's the same size as a even though it's the same size as a CD/DVD. CD/DVD.

Blu-ray vs. DVD capacityBlu-ray vs. DVD capacity

Will this technology last?Will this technology last?

• It will take time to adjustIt will take time to adjust

• Prices need to become more Prices need to become more consumer-friendlyconsumer-friendly

• Range from $800-$1500Range from $800-$1500

• What will have a very large impact What will have a very large impact on Blu-ray technology is…on Blu-ray technology is…

Playstation 3Playstation 3

• If the PS3 is roughly as successful as If the PS3 is roughly as successful as Sony's past consoles, that would Sony's past consoles, that would mean somewhere around 100 million mean somewhere around 100 million Blu-ray players in homes all over the Blu-ray players in homes all over the world in around five years or so, world in around five years or so, notnot counting standalone players. counting standalone players.

So will Blu-ray last?So will Blu-ray last?

• My opinion is yes. Prices will go My opinion is yes. Prices will go down in the near future for both Blu-down in the near future for both Blu-ray players and HDTVs. Once you ray players and HDTVs. Once you experience it, you will not want to experience it, you will not want to watch another movie or TV show in watch another movie or TV show in standard definition.standard definition.

ReferencesReferences

• http://www.blu-ray.com/info/http://www.blu-ray.com/info/

• http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/blu-ray.htmblu-ray.htm

• http://www.techspot.com/articles/blu-http://www.techspot.com/articles/blu-ray_vs_hddvd/ray_vs_hddvd/

• http://ps3.ign.com/articles/703/70313http://ps3.ign.com/articles/703/703135p1.html5p1.html