Entertainment Technology

Archive for the ‘Blue Ray Technology’ Category

The capacity of the blu-ray technology is very much higher than the HD-DVD recording capacity. DVD forum backs the High definition DVD but on the other hand the companies that support bluray format are larger in number. Blu-ray disks have more ability to store data per layer than the High definition DVD disk. Recording and transfer speed of blu-ray technology is faster because its NA value is higher. At rotation speed of 10,000 (RPM) results in blu-ray drive (12x) that is equivalent to HD-DVD (9x).

So higher speed rotation is required by the High definition DVD so that it can reach up to the bluray disk format’s transfer speed. Internal structure of DVD & HD DVD is different from that of blu-ray disc. The inside layers of the disks is different but have the same disk thickness. So the development of the hybrid disks is very much easier as the thickness of the blu-ray data layer is 0.1mm. Bluray single sided disk can incorporate dual-layer 8.5GB DVD9 disk and disk (double sided) is required in high definition DVD. Blu-ray disk players’ process all the associated elements of audio in the disk player for implementing the interactive characteristics of BD live & Bonus view.

This processing model is similar to which was utilized for video on the DVD disks. This processing model involves the decoding of main video. Afterwards menus or sub-titles are overlaid to the main video and then the complete presentation of video as output. The output can be in base band digital signals (High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), Digital Visual Interface DVI) or analog signals (component, composite). The decoded sound tracks from the blu-ray disk and the elements of audio that are downloaded or streamed through internet or either internally generated by the blu-ray player are decoded in the form of Pulse code modulation digital signals. PCM (pulse code modulation) is a format that is used by the disk players for mixing and performing the internal operations of audio processing. Button sounds, streaming commentary and the secondary audio are blended with primary sound track 7.1 or 5.1 from the disk in mixing stage. This results in complete presentation of audio as anticipated by the creator of the content.

As the decoding system is built in these HD-formats, so its complete playback capability is enabled with audio/video receivers of next version and also with the previous generation receivers (audio/video) that were not equipped with decoders of Dolby True-HD & Digital plus. Bluray players depending on their model can output the sound tracks that are decoded internally as analog signal (multi channel) through analog connections, PMI (Pulse code modulation) signal through HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface or as signal (Dolby Digital) through digital or coaxial connection. Most of the bluray disk players provide all of these three choices.

High Definition Multimedia Interface is capable of transferring signals of both video & audio. Therefore one cable is needed in order to connect the A/V receiver and the disk player. Connection through the High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) enables the complete post processing DSP application features of the A/V receiver like the “bass management”, “Dolby pro-logic II-z” or “Dolby pro-logic II-x” capability of channel expansion (5.1 to 7.1 to 9.1) and the distance settings of the speaker. The users can fully enjoy the HD-audio through the analog multi-channel output when the blu-ray player is connected to audio/video receiver having analog inputs of multi-channel. Post processing of DSP (digital signal processing) to input signals (analog) is not applied by some A/V receivers.

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In the present age of technological advancements, a lot of innovative electronics products have been introduced. Blu-ray is a third generation technology that gives a lot of facilities to the users. The Blu-ray discs are gaining popularity these days and they are able to compete with the other optical media storage devices. These discs have much more storage capacities than the traditional CDs and DVDs. The leading consumer electronics group, Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) has developed these storage media.

Blu-ray discs are popular because one can store a huge amount of data in them. The storage capacity of a single-layer disc is up to 25 GB where as a dual-layer product can hold up to 50 GB of memory space. The high definition movies can be saved in these discs and one can watch them with great ease. In fact, a Blu-ray storage product is able to hold around six times more information than any other media. Blu-ray movies have an edge over the HD DVD films. These can store and play the movies of up to 1080 pixels resolution.

Blue Ray Movies feature high quality videos and therefore provide an exciting experience to the users. The DVDs which are available today do not support the high definition video files. One can not store more than 2 -3 movies in them. Therefore, the Blu-ray discs have an edge over the DVDs because of their value-added features. Moreover, these are more resistant to scratches and dust particles. Such movies can be encoded with a number of codecs. A separate codec is used for each movie. The type of codec is decided by the studio or the company that has developed the film.

The video formats which are supported by Blu-ray discs are MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, SMPTE VC-1, etc. The HD audio formats are supported by these devices. However, it depends on the movie studios to decide the audio formats that has to be used in the film. Some of the popular formats are LPCM, DD, DTS-HD, etc. The large storage capacity gives the choice of including a lot of special features in the discs. Some of the features are menus, video graphics, summary, etc. These value-added benefits bring lot of enjoyment to the viewers. One can directly go to the menu system without stopping the movie. Also, the viewers can see the director of the film discussing the scene when it is being played in the background. They can also update the contents given in the movie through internet and download extras from different websites that provide such facility.

The latest Blu-ray movies can be found from many places. These include movie stores, super markets, CDs/DVDs shops and many others. The online websites also provide the Blu-ray films to the viewers. One can find all the hit movies on these portals at reasonable prices. Many innovative schemes and deals are also offered on these portals that makes shopping much more cost-effective for the users. Some of the latest Blu-ray films are “The Orphanage”, “Predator”, “Juno”, “One Missed Call”, etc. The viewers can watch them on their DVD players sitting in the home. These movies can be downloaded from a number of websites like Torrentfreak.com, Blu-ray.com, Amazon.co.uk, etc. One has to get himself registered with any of these sites before downloading the movie.

The latest Blu-ray movies discs have got huge response from the viewers worldwide. Some of them have become so popular that they were out of stock within few days of their launch. For example, “Mission Impossible” was a movie that did not have very good sales before the release of its Blu-ray disc version. The new version saw a record sale and became more popular with passage of time. Overall, it is quite clear that the future of Blue-ray movies is very bright and promising. These have brought a new revolution in the entertainment industry and people wait for the arrival of such products.

In February 2008, Toshiba decided to pull the plug on the HD-DVD format. This ended the format war that was predicted to last much longer. Now manufacturers have the unenviable task of educating the consumer about Blu-ray and convincing them that it is a worthwhile purchase. When DVD hit the market in 1997, it was exciting. Here was a disc the size of a CD which you didn’t have to rewind like VHS, had superior video quality and could hold extras. But with that came the additional cost. DVD players were expensive, the discs were expensive and it took some time for consumers to make the change. Blu-ray doesn’t quite have the same novelty factor. So why should you upgrade?

First, here is a little technical information about the Blu-ray disc. Blu-ray has the same physical size and appearance of a DVD. A Blu-ray disc is read by a blue (violet) laser in the drive which has a shorter wavelength than the red laser used with CDs and DVDs. Also, the disc has much smaller, tightly packed pits which allows more capacity to be crammed into the same sized space. The BD25 disc has 25GB capacity can hold up to four times the amount of content of a standard DVD-R or four hours of high definition video. The BD50 has 50GB capacity. This format is set to be the main choice for movie studios.

The home entertainment market is driving the promotion of Blu-ray discs. High definition television is growing in popularity and Blu-ray can deliver hours of high definition video. The increased capacity on the disc means more creative authoring options and more scope for interactivity and extras. Increased interactivity such as split screens with director’s commentary and cast interviews and menu overlays will allow you to access your extras without interrupting the movie. Future Blu-ray players will also have networking capabilities which would allow you to connect to the internet and access information on the film or whatever extras that the studios have developed. Also, Blu-ray offers robust content protection which is good for both movie producers and software companies.

The downsides: As of May 2008, the players which offer internet connectivity are not on the market and the current players on the market are not upgradeable. The cost of Blu-ray players and discs are prohibitive especially in the current world financial climate. I remember buying a DVD player for $800 USD only to almost weep when it was selling for $100 two years later. Recent research has forecast that almost 30 million homes will have Blu-ray technology by the end of 2008 mainly due to the PS3. However, it will not be until 2013 when the numbers of standalone players surpass that of the PS3. It seems that Blu-ray is now in the realm of early adopters, enthusiasts and gamers. As with a lot of new technology, it might be a few years before consumers jump on board after the technology and pricing has settled. My advice, wait a few more years.