Blu-Ray
Blu-ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage medium. Its main uses are high-definition video and data storage. The disc has the same physical dimensions as standard DVDs and CDs.
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue laser (violet-colored) used to read and write this type of disc. Because of the wavelength (405 nanometres), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. A two-layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 gigabytes, almost six times the capacity of a two-layer DVD, or ten and a half times that of a single-layer DVD.
During the format war over high-definition optical discs, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. On February 19, 2008, Toshiba—the main company supporting HD DVD—announced that it would no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders,[2] leading almost all other HD DVD companies to follow suit, effectively ending the format war.
Blu-ray Disc was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion pictures. As of December 21, 2008, more than 890 Blu-ray disc titles are available in Australia, more than 720 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in Japan, more than 1,140 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in the United Kingdom, and more than 1,220 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in the United States.[3][4][5]
Contents [show]
1 History
1.1 Origins
1.2 Blu-ray Disc format finalized
1.3 Launch and sales developments
1.4 Competition from HD DVD
1.5 End of the format war & future prospects
2 Technical specifications
2.1 Laser and optics
2.2 Hard-coating technology
2.3 Recording speed
3 Software standards
3.1 Codecs
3.2 Java software support
3.3 Region codes
3.4 Digital rights management
3.4.1 AACS
3.4.2 BD+
3.4.3 BD-ROM Mark
4 Player profiles
5 Backward compatibility
6 Ongoing development
7 Variants
7.1 Mini Blu-ray Disc
7.2 BD9/BD5 Blu-ray Disc
7.3 AVCREC
7.4 Blu-ray Disc recordable
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Optical media types
Laserdisc (LD), Video Single Disc (VSD)
Compact Disc (CD): Red Book, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, 5.1 Music Disc, SACD, PhotoCD, CD Video (CDV), Video CD (VCD), SVCD, CD+G, CD-Text, CD-ROM XA, CD-i
VCDHD
GD-ROM
MiniDisc (MD) (Hi-MD)
DVD: DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RW DL, DVD+RW DL, DVD-RAM, DVD-D
Ultra Density Optical (UDO)
Universal Media Disc (UMD)
HD DVD: HD DVD-R, HD DVD-RW
Blu-ray Disc (BD): BD-R, BD-RE
High-Definition Versatile Disc (HVD)
High definition Versatile Multilayer Disc (HD VMD)
Standards
Rainbow Books
File systems
ISO 9660
Joliet
Rock Ridge
El Torito
Apple ISO 9660 Extensions
Universal Disk Format (UDF)
Mount Rainier
Further reading
History of optical storage media
High definition optical disc format war
This box: view • talk • edit
A blank rewritable Blu-ray Disc (BD-RE)In 1998, commercial HDTV sets began to appear in the consumer market; however, there was no commonly accepted, inexpensive way to record or play HD content. In fact, there was no medium with the storage required to accommodate HD codecs, except JVC's Digital VHS and Sony's HDCAM.[6] Nevertheless, it was well known that using lasers with shorter wavelengths would enable optical storage with higher density. When Shuji Nakamura invented practical blue laser diodes, it was a sensation, although a lengthy patent lawsuit delayed commercial introduction.[7] Dr. Dave Irvine-Halliday was given the proceeds from the patent lawsuit to continue his ongoing work for the Light Up the World Foundation.
[edit] Origins
Philips and Sony started two projects applying the new diodes: UDO (Ultra Density Optical) and DVR Blue (together with Pioneer), a format of rewritable discs which would eventually become Blu-ray Disc (more specifically, BD-RE).[8] The core technologies of the formats are essentially similar.
The first DVR Blue prototypes were unveiled at the CEATEC exhibition in October 2000.[9] Because the Blu-ray Disc standard places the data recording layer close to the surface of the disc, early discs were susceptible to contamination and scratches and had to be enclosed in plastic cartridges for protection. In February 2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray,[10] and the Blu-ray Disc Association was founded by the nine initial members.
The first consumer devices were in stores on April 10, 2003. This device was the Sony BDZ-S77; a BD-RE recorder that was made available only in Japan. The recommended price was US$3800;[11] however, there was no standard for pre-recorded video and no movies were released for this player.
Blu-Ray
Blu-ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage medium. Its main uses are high-definition video and data storage. The disc has the same physical dimensions as standard DVDs and CDs.
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue laser (violet-colored) used to read and write this type of disc. Because of the wavelength (405 nanometres), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. A two-layer Blu-ray Disc can store 50 gigabytes, almost six times the capacity of a two-layer DVD, or ten and a half times that of a single-layer DVD.
During the format war over high-definition optical discs, Blu-ray Disc competed with the HD DVD format. On February 19, 2008, Toshiba—the main company supporting HD DVD—announced that it would no longer develop, manufacture, or market HD DVD players and recorders,[2] leading almost all other HD DVD companies to follow suit, effectively ending the format war.
Blu-ray Disc was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association, a group representing makers of consumer electronics, computer hardware, and motion pictures. As of December 21, 2008, more than 890 Blu-ray disc titles are available in Australia, more than 720 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in Japan, more than 1,140 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in the United Kingdom, and more than 1,220 Blu-ray Disc titles are available in the United States.[3][4][5]
Contents [show]
1 History
1.1 Origins
1.2 Blu-ray Disc format finalized
1.3 Launch and sales developments
1.4 Competition from HD DVD
1.5 End of the format war & future prospects
2 Technical specifications
2.1 Laser and optics
2.2 Hard-coating technology
2.3 Recording speed
3 Software standards
3.1 Codecs
3.2 Java software support
3.3 Region codes
3.4 Digital rights management
3.4.1 AACS
3.4.2 BD+
3.4.3 BD-ROM Mark
4 Player profiles
5 Backward compatibility
6 Ongoing development
7 Variants
7.1 Mini Blu-ray Disc
7.2 BD9/BD5 Blu-ray Disc
7.3 AVCREC
7.4 Blu-ray Disc recordable
8 See also
9 References
10 External links
Optical media types
Laserdisc (LD), Video Single Disc (VSD)
Compact Disc (CD): Red Book, CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, 5.1 Music Disc, SACD, PhotoCD, CD Video (CDV), Video CD (VCD), SVCD, CD+G, CD-Text, CD-ROM XA, CD-i
VCDHD
GD-ROM
MiniDisc (MD) (Hi-MD)
DVD: DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-R DL, DVD+R DL, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, DVD-RW DL, DVD+RW DL, DVD-RAM, DVD-D
Ultra Density Optical (UDO)
Universal Media Disc (UMD)
HD DVD: HD DVD-R, HD DVD-RW
Blu-ray Disc (BD): BD-R, BD-RE
High-Definition Versatile Disc (HVD)
High definition Versatile Multilayer Disc (HD VMD)
Standards
Rainbow Books
File systems
ISO 9660
Joliet
Rock Ridge
El Torito
Apple ISO 9660 Extensions
Universal Disk Format (UDF)
Mount Rainier
Further reading
History of optical storage media
High definition optical disc format war
This box: view • talk • edit
A blank rewritable Blu-ray Disc (BD-RE)In 1998, commercial HDTV sets began to appear in the consumer market; however, there was no commonly accepted, inexpensive way to record or play HD content. In fact, there was no medium with the storage required to accommodate HD codecs, except JVC's Digital VHS and Sony's HDCAM.[6] Nevertheless, it was well known that using lasers with shorter wavelengths would enable optical storage with higher density. When Shuji Nakamura invented practical blue laser diodes, it was a sensation, although a lengthy patent lawsuit delayed commercial introduction.[7] Dr. Dave Irvine-Halliday was given the proceeds from the patent lawsuit to continue his ongoing work for the Light Up the World Foundation.
[edit] Origins
Philips and Sony started two projects applying the new diodes: UDO (Ultra Density Optical) and DVR Blue (together with Pioneer), a format of rewritable discs which would eventually become Blu-ray Disc (more specifically, BD-RE).[8] The core technologies of the formats are essentially similar.
The first DVR Blue prototypes were unveiled at the CEATEC exhibition in October 2000.[9] Because the Blu-ray Disc standard places the data recording layer close to the surface of the disc, early discs were susceptible to contamination and scratches and had to be enclosed in plastic cartridges for protection. In February 2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray,[10] and the Blu-ray Disc Association was founded by the nine initial members.
The first consumer devices were in stores on April 10, 2003. This device was the Sony BDZ-S77; a BD-RE recorder that was made available only in Japan. The recommended price was US$3800;[11] however, there was no standard for pre-recorded video and no movies were released for this player.