Why Should I Invest in a Blu-ray Disc Player?
The Blu-ray disc format offers up to 6 times the resolution of a DVD for crystal clear high-definition viewing. Blu-ray also offers better sound quality with 7.1 vs. 5.1 channels for unsurpassed sound quality.
The Blu-ray format also stores much more data than a DVD. This means that more data can be stored allowing for greater interactivity without leaving the movie. Internet connectivity can also be added for updating data and creating greater interaction.
I Already Have an Extensive DVD Collection. Do I Have to Get Rid of It and Start Over?
No. Blu-ray disc players will also play your existing DVDs. In fact you will probably get better resolution playing your DVD with a Blu-ray player because most Blu-ray players upscale or "upconvert the picture resulting in better picture quality.
Isn't Blu-ray Relatively New? Won't the Selection of Movies Be Limited?
No. There is already an extensive selection of Blu-ray movies available in all genres (see our movie section). There are several new movies being released every week. In addition, the format war between Blu-ray and HD-DVD is over and HD-DVD will no longer be produced. This means that all of the movie studios support Blu-ray and will release all upcoming titles in the format.
What Do I Need to Play and View Blu-ray Disc High-Definition Movies?
- High-Definition TV with at least 1080p resolution
- HDMI cables (for the best picture quality)
- Blu-ray Disc player
- Blu-ray movies
- Surround sound speaker system (5.1 or 7.1 channel)
What Is a Region Code?
Blu-ray Discs are digitally encoded with a "region code" (A, B, or C, sometimes referred to as 1, 2, or 3), which allows the disc to play only in a Blu-ray player with the same region code. This system is similar to that for DVDs and was developed to enable studios to control various aspects of a title’s release (content, date, price, etc.) according to region. A "region-free" disc is one that can play in all players around the world.
Other Resources for Information
You might visit the following sites for more information on Blu-ray:
