What is the difference between Blu-ray and DVD? Availability of Wi-Fi and Ethernet port. Hard surface technology

We have repeatedly heard mentions of Blu-ray technologies, without having an exact idea about the structure and general characteristics of this phenomenon. Why this format has become so widely popular, and what exactly makes it so good that it's worth abandoning the usual DVDs? Let's figure it out.

What is Blu-ray?

Blu-ray (BR) technology is a type of optical media(disks) and is used to store high-definition video and audio files. To fully understand the essence of this technology, you should understand the main nuances:

1. The discs received this name for a reason.

The literal translation of the name “Blu-ray” is blue ray (from the English “Blueray”). This is due to the way such media is read. For CD and DVD discs, in order to obtain information from them, red or infrared radiation. But the blue-violet laser has a shorter wavelength, which makes it possible to significantly increase the focus and “examine” those parts of the disk that the red beam was not able to see.

1. All characteristics have improved significantly.

Due to the possibility of placing it on a disk of the same size (physical) as a DVD more information, managed to achieve Full-HD resolutions. These are films that have impressive clarity, overall quality of the video stream and even sound.

If you have HDTV and good speaker system, it became possible to increase the effect of watching films by new level:

• the quality of details on the screen has improved greatly;
• previously blurred background objects have clear outlines;
• the sound became indistinguishable from the real one: interference and low quality gone into the past;
• the number of FPS (frames per second) was increased from 24 to 60.

With such image quality and video smoothness, Blu-ray instantly became a leader and has no analogues. Even satellite TV High Quality unable to provide content of this level.

1. The disk capacity has increased.

Due to the ability to read previously inaccessible sections of information, a BR disc can store 5 times more data than a DVD and 8 times more if the disc is double-layered.

With all these indicators, the full picture opens up: Blu-ray technology allows you to get the highest quality image and sound in all existing parameters. However, the use of BR technology does not always lead to exclusively benefits.

Advantages and disadvantages

Any thing in our world has its pros and cons, and Blu-ray is no exception. To the list of doubts advantages includes:

• accessibility to posting a large amount of information (up to 4 hours of high-definition video);
• amazing quality of video and audio streams;
• more reliable and accurate reading of information;
• additional interactive features;
• backward compatibility (for Blu-ray players);
• usage modern algorithms coding (increases not only the quality, but also the speed of access to information);
• picture-in-picture function.

These and other advantages of the technology in question are described in this video.

However, there are also some minuses related to this format:

1. Price.

The key disadvantage of Blu-ray technology is its cost in the market. The discs themselves do not differ much in price (compared to HD-DVDs), but BR players are completely the opposite. Due to the fact that you can’t watch Blu-Ray discs on a regular DVD player, manufacturers put very serious price tags on BR players.

1. Number of films.

This technology appeared relatively recently, so although many films are created in Blu-ray quality, their number is still significantly less than in the usual HD-DVD format.

1. Loading time.

Depending on the type of menu (the more complex, the longer), loading a BR disk can take up to 90 seconds. Movies with simple menu load on average in 20 seconds. But this is still a significant minus and the need to dutifully wait for the allotted time in order to switch to the required time period in the film.

1. Lack of backward compatibility.

Blu-ray players can play movies recorded on DVDs and CDs without any problems. But you will never be able to watch a movie in Blu-ray quality on a standard DVD player. The way such a player reads information is simply not suitable for this format.

Therefore, it is not enough to buy a disc - you also need a BR player, and the prices for it, let’s not forget, are very significant.

Features of Blu-ray technology

Despite the identical external components of BR and DVD discs, they have quite a big difference in their characteristics.

What is the difference:

1. Blu– ray discs are much more reliable.

They are made of more durable plastic, increasing scratch resistance several times.

1. Large capacity.

Thanks to the use of a blue beam for reading information instead of red, the volume of disks has increased. A single-layer BR disk can accommodate 25 GB of data, a double-layer one – 50 GB, then 100 GB and 128 GB, respectively.

In 2008, Pioneer announced 20-layer Blu-ray media. According to the staff, this is equivalent to 500 GB of free recording space, which is an impressive value.

1. KVK function.

The key innovation of Blu-ray discs is the ability to view video in picture-in-picture format. Moreover, it is possible to record a television program high resolution(HDTV) in real time, while simultaneously viewing the contents of the disc itself. And if the BR player has access to the Internet, you can download subtitles, additional audio tracks and perform other actions without interrupting the movie.

1. Total quality.

Since there are no analogues to Blu-ray recording, the highest resolution video from other sources will be recorded onto the disc without any loss of quality.

1. Editing entries.

BR technology allows you to change, edit and rearrange information recorded on disk in real time. DVDs can only dream of this. Also this function allows you to create individual playlists.

1. 3D-technology.

Movies in Blu-ray quality may have a 3D effect. This was made possible thanks to a large number space for data recording. Of course, this does not compare to the cinema, but this is the first “real” home 3D, and not a game with red-green filters (3D Anaglyph).

These features of BR discs are not available for DVD media. This is exactly what it does Blu-ray technology so valuable and opens up many paths for subsequent changes and improvements. Even taking into account the disadvantages associated with the cost of players, etc., this technology has received worldwide recognition and continues to develop rapidly.

In contact with

Blu-ray (blue ray) Disc (BD) - format optical disks, used for high-density recording, dubbing and playback and storage of large amounts of digital data, including high-definition video, now replacing the DVD format.

This format was developed by the BDA consortium ( Blu-ray Disc Association) together with a group of leading more than 180 consumer electronics companies, personal computers and media producers from around the world.

The name Blu-ray comes from the underlying technology, which uses a blue-violet laser to read and write data and is a combination of "Blue" (blue-violet laser) and "Ray" (optical beam).

The format offers capacity:
- single layer Blu-ray Disc (BD) can store 23.3 GB (25 GB),
- dual-layer disk can hold 46.6 GB (50 GB),
- a three-layer disk can hold 100 GB,
- four-layer disk can hold 128 GB,
- 16- and 20-layer disks of 400 and 500 GB were also demonstrated.

Like regular CDs and DVDs, Blu-Ray provides a wide range of formats, including ROM/R/RW.

The following Blu-ray formats are supported:
- BD-ROM - read-only HD movies, games, software etc.,
- BD-R - recordable format for HD video recording and storage of computer data,
- BD-RE - rewritable format for HD video recording and computer data storage,
- BD/DVD is a hybrid format that combines Blu-ray and DVD on one disc, so that it can be played in both Blu-ray players and DVD players.

Blu-ray uses file Universal system Disk Format(UDF) 2.50 or 2.60 .

According to the Blu-ray Disc specification, 1x speed is defined as 36 Mbit.

Blu-Ray supports the following video codecs:
- MPEG-2 - extension for HD, for playing DVDs and recording HDTV,
- MPEG-4 AVC, also known as H.264 (High Profile and Main Profile),
- SMPTE VC-1 - standard on Windows based from Microsoft Media Video (WMV) technology.

Blu-Ray also supports audio codecs:
- Linear PCM (LPCM) - up to 8 channels of uncompressed audio,
- Dolby Digital (DD) - format used for DVD, 5.1 channel surround sound,
- Dolby Digital Plus (DD+) - expansion of Dolby Digital, 7.1 channel surround sound,
- Dolby TrueHD - lossless encoding of up to 8 audio channels,
- DTS Digital Surround - format used for DVD, 5.1 channel surround sound,
- DTS-HD High Resolution Audio - expansion of DTS, 7.1-channel surround sound,
- DTS-HD Master Audio - lossless encoding of up to 8 audio channels.

Blu-ray Discs have a hard coating for protection that makes the disc more resistant to scratches and fingerprints than DVDs.
Also Blu-ray has new system error correction that is more reliable and efficient than DVDs.

Part of the Blu-ray format is the Managed Copy (MMC) feature, which allows consumers to make legal copies of their Blu-ray movies that can be streamed over home network.

As with any new technology in the first generation of products, while Blu-ray has high price Due to low production volumes, once Blu-ray components are mass produced, prices are expected to fall.

Answers on questions

BIOS and UEFI What is... System (motherboards) Computer monitors CD, DVD,
Blu-ray discs Mouse, keyboard BP - Power supplies Storage devices - hard drives Random access memory (RAM) Computer Audio MFPs and printers Miscellaneous issues Video cards

The evolution of the optical disk has gone through many stages over the past quarter century. At the moment, its pinnacle is the Blu-ray disc. The choice of players in this format is quite wide, including the possibility of making mistakes. How to prevent this and find a decent BD player among the variety? As always, we will have to delve into the essence of the issue and understand what exactly manufacturers are offering us today.

The best Blu-Ray players: selection tips, models, prices

No matter how hard the creators of the Blu-ray format tried to protect their creation from possible copying and distribution via the Internet, file hosting services around the world are full of compressed and uncompressed copies of discs high definition. But no matter how much PC and media player users predict the imminent oblivion of BD players as a class of equipment, the demand for them is only growing. What's the secret?

Firstly, it's just a more familiar way of watching movies. DVD player Everyone used them and DVDs. Everyone knows perfectly well how to play a purchased disc on a player. Secondly, not everyone is comfortable downloading a movie in HD for several hours, or even several days, but it is not at all burdensome to buy a BD disc. Thirdly, the video quality and menu support that can be obtained on a BD player is only achievable on very good, expensive media players and PCs. Well, fourthly, no digital file does not have the same collectible value as a medium in a beautifully designed package.

The Blu-ray format itself gives us the opportunity to watch high-definition video with a resolution of 1920x1080 and a frame rate similar to 24p film, listen to eight-channel Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD sound in studio quality, and also download subtitles, audio tracks and bonus content from Internet using the BD Live function.

Blu-ray and everything, everything, everything

In addition to playing Blu-ray discs, BD players can read DVDs with conversion of the output signal resolution to 1080p. In addition, almost from the first generations, manufacturers added the ability to work with video of the AVC-HD standard, used in household video cameras. But owners of even more ancient VCDs and SVCDs (if there are any among our readers) will have to put their collection aside, since the discs of this type will not be reproduced.

Blu-Ray players: the best new products

In the first generations of BD players there were problems with audio, read in best case scenario only CD-DA, and any other audio, even MP3, was very often ignored. Today these two formats are a standard set, and in addition, they can be supported WMA files, Ogg and even WAV.

Some developers have gone so far with the expansion of multi-format that they are already trying to compete with media player manufacturers by adding to their devices the ability to read DivX, MPEG4, H264/MKV, WMV9, VC1 video files, including in HD resolution. Unfortunately, this is often accompanied by incomplete compatibility between codecs and containers, and almost always lack of support for suitable media.

Available and inexpensive DVD discs simply do not have enough capacity to record HD content. External drives connected via USB are most often supported only in the FAT32 format, which limits the file size to four gigabytes, which is again completely insufficient for recording long-term Full HD videos. This does not allow multi-format to be fully realized, although on such players you can successfully watch small HD video files, for example, trailers for new films and BD rips in 720p resolution. In a word, Blu-ray media player The player does not replace, as well as vice versa.

BD player LG BD370

Multi-format Blu-ray players are made by many manufacturers, such as LG, BBK, Samsung, Philips, JVC and even Panasonic, which adds DivX-HD support to all its new models. Sony traditionally refrains from excessive democratization of its devices; Pioneer BD players have support for MPEG4, but just like Panasonic, everyone’s favorite codecs H246 and VC1 are not supported. MKV container. Of the entire list, only LG has media support NTFS format, which sets it apart from its competitors. BBK and Samsung also mentioned the possibility of support large files in the future, but have not yet implemented this opportunity.

Network affairs

Availability LAN port haunts some manufacturers. Some use it to develop media player functions. So, for example, a player with DLNA support gets the ability to read multimedia files from your home network, PC or NAS. DLNA technology can be supported by players that are completely different in price and functionality. For multi-format models, this provides an excellent opportunity to bypass the problem of incompatibility with NTFS (as is done by Samsung), and in Sony players, this function allows you to access only network photo archives, completely ignoring other multimedia content.

Another direction in the development of network capabilities is support for various types of Internet services. Today, using a BD player, you can watch YouTube video, photos from Picasa and Flickr. Special software solutions, widgets, display weather forecasts, news, stock reports, etc. on the screen. Players from the same JVC, LG and Samsung are ready to pamper you with this, as well as such masters as Panasonic and Philips. It is quite possible that Sony and BBK will have similar opportunities in the near future.

In addition, some developers are trying to diversify the player’s hardware. The main trend is BD player equipment wireless communication. Some manufacturers make it possible to work with Wi-Fi using a plug-in external USB adapter, while others make Wi-Fi built into the player.

Blu-ray - it sounds!

First of all, BD players are video playback devices, so for a long time the developers paid little attention to the analog audio part. It is understood that the sound is captured digitally via HDMI, and the potential will be determined by the capabilities of the receiver. About a year ago, when Hi-Fi equipment manufacturers began to actively get involved in the production of Blu-ray players, devices with audio preparation, like serious CD players, appeared on the market. So those who want to use a BD player as a Hi-Fi component can turn their attention to the brands Yamaha, Aleks, Onkyo and, oddly enough, some Philips models.

Pioneer and Panasonic BD players have a completely different solution. These companies have created protocols that minimize the jitter that occurs when transmitting data digitally from the player to the receiver via HDMI cable.

As a result, in a rather modest, from a financial point of view, combination of a Pioneer BDP-320 BD player and Pioneer receiver VSX-919AH with a total cost of about 30,000 rubles, you can get exceptional high-quality Hi-Fi sound comparable to a CD + amplifier set of at least the same cost. Similar systems synchronous digital connections are usually used in studio equipment and in ultra-expensive Hi-End audio systems, which fully explains such an outstanding result.

Don't slow down!

The first generations of Blu-ray players had one characteristic feature: The loading time was between one and two minutes, which was considered completely normal. Users got tired of this state of affairs very quickly, so pretty soon the developers reduced this time to 30 seconds. Not so long ago, even more nimble models began to appear, capable of getting out of standby in 5-10, and some even in half a second. There is a catch in such efficiency.

A player located in a really deep standby, which ensures minimal energy consumption, can come out of it in the same half a minute, no less. All super-fast startups are based on the fact that the player does not actually turn off and in standby mode consumes almost the same amount of energy as when turned on. Knowing this, some player manufacturers give you the opportunity to choose between a real and economical standby mode and the ability to quickly turn on.

Ahead of the rest of the planet

3D technology, as the main trend in AV technology, identified in 2010, of course, did not bypass the BD player. Moreover, with the advent of three-dimensionality, all BD players were divided into two types: 2D and 3D. The difference between new and old Blu-ray players is quite simple and obvious - the ability to work in 3D mode.

From a technical point of view, the problem is that to process a 3D image, a special video processor is required, and to transfer 3D video to a visualization tool that supports this format, you need HDMI interface v.1.4. It is clear that there is no talk of using all players released before the advent of 3D. At the same time, 3D players are backwards compatible and cope well with regular 2D content.

The first 3D Blu-rays have just begun to hit the market and a clear picture has not yet emerged. So far, models from Samsung, Panasonic and LG are presented. The first-born from Sony is on the way, a 3D model from Pioneer is expected in the fall, and other brands that have not yet had time to join the new trend will definitely offer something. Compared to conventional models, 3D Blu-ray players with similar functionality are 30-50% more expensive.

To each his own

The distribution of all of the above properties in the variety of players on the market is not clearly linked to class and cost. There are some trends, but there are so many exceptions that it is difficult to formulate any clear rule. For example, budget and mid-range players usually have multi-format capabilities. price category, but exactly the same omnivorousness is demonstrated, for example, by the top-end solution from Philips. The situation is similar with Internet functions. Mostly expensive players lack them, but there are also some budget models that do not have access to global network, for example, VVK BD3000, Toshiba BDX2000, Panasonic DMP-BD45EE, Sony BDP-S360 players.

In principle, a rather unambiguous trend can be called a more modest set or even complete absence additional functions in expensive players. If we're talking about about a device with a price tag of 20 thousand rubles and above, then you don’t even have to think about multimedia and Internet services - everything will be focused only on high-quality work with basic formats and media.

The issue of picture quality is quite clearly tied to cost. Let's not hide it - a BD player costing up to 8-9 thousand rubles is inferior in terms of picture quality to expensive models. But whether this difference will be proportional to the price is up to the buyer to decide, since not everyone is ready to double the cost of a player for the sake of a slight increase in picture clarity. But there are exceptions to this issue. Panasonic BD players, based on the proprietary UniPhier processor, easily compete with models in Blu-ray display quality by one and a half to two times higher price. The situation is similar with Pioneer; even the far from new budget model BDP-120 provides an excellent picture.

As for the ability of a BD player to replace a DVD player, the situation is completely different. There are quite a few budget models, for example, the Toshiba BDX2000 and BBK BD3000 players, which perfectly scale DVDs, significantly increasing detail and overall quality Images. Expensive models display equally excellent DVDs, for example, Yamaha BD-S1900, Philips BDP9500, Denon DVD-1800BT players, and any Pioneer players do an excellent job of playing standard definition.

Choice

If you can easily select a functional set by visiting the official websites of manufacturers and using our catalog of equipment, you can only evaluate the image quality visually. Best option- direct comparison of several players on the same content.

This is not so difficult to implement; just find a store or salon that sells the models you are interested in. The main differences in image quality are the clarity and clarity of the picture. To do this, ask your sales consultants to turn off the image enhancement systems on the TV so that they do not mask possible problems compared players. When viewing, pay attention to the clarity of the image, legibility small parts. Small level digital noise, invisible from a viewing distance can be considered acceptable. The main selection criterion is general impression from viewing, you should definitely choose the player whose picture is most comfortable for you.

For several years now, the Blu-ray format has been the main carrier for multimedia, so the choice of Blu-ray players is quite wide. Let's look at all the nuances so that you can choose a decent BD player.

Blu-ray players have become a staple home theater component in a very short period of time, capable of delivering high-resolution images and uncompressed multi-channel audio. The benefits of Blu-ray Disc players reveal functionality home entertainment system and get maximum pleasure from watching your favorite movies in Full HD and .

Why is a Blu-Ray disc better than a downloaded file from the Internet?

• a simple and familiar way to watch movies on disc;
• there is no need for a wide Internet connection to download a movie in HD or Ultra HD;
• Always best quality video and menu support that are only available on expensive media players;
• collector's value of the media in beautiful packaging.

Currently, the Blu-ray format allows you to watch high-definition videos with a resolution of 1920 × 1080 and 3840 × 2160, and you can also have eight-channel Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD audio in studio quality, not to mention subtitles, audio tracks and bonus content from the Internet using BD Live.

Supports 4K or UtraHD resolution

Many people today purchase premium ones, but do not have an Ultra HD player that would provide them with materials in 4K resolution. Samsung, Sony, LG and Panasonic are launching Blu-ray players that support the UHD format in 2016; we just have to wait for the right discs.

To watch videos on such BD players, you will need a 4K TV that supports the interface. Movie resolution on UHD Blu-ray is up to 3840 × 2160 pixels with a wider color gamut, support for high dynamic range and high frequency frames. Double-layer disks will hold up to 66 GB, three-layer - up to 100 GB. By the way, 4K players will support regular disks Blu-ray. Plus, they are developing the ability to broadcast the contents of discs to several devices on a home network.

Do not confuse Blu-ray player models with the ability to upscale images to 4K resolution with devices that have full UltraHD support and are just appearing on European markets.

In addition to playing Blu-ray discs, BD players can:

• convert standard definition(480i) DVD format in resolution (1080p);
• support sound standards: Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby True HD 7.1, DTS-HR and DTS-Master Audio 7.1, Dolby Digital Plus 5.1, DTS 5.1 and DTS-HD 5.1;
• scale content in Full HD (1080p) to Ultra HD (2160p) resolution;
• play audio in CD-DA, DVD-Audio, MP3, WMA, Ogg and WAV formats;
• play video files MOV, AVCHD, DivX, DivX-HD, AVI, MPEG4, H264/MKV, H265/MKV, WMV9, VC1;
• be equipped with a set of connectors: HDMI, analog, optical and coaxial outputs, Ethernet ports and USB;
• support connecting external drives via USB with support file system NTFS.

Not every player supports all of these high-quality formats. For example, DTS, Dolby Digital and PCM are basic, while the rest are optional. If high-quality sound is very important to you, then you should take this into account when choosing a BD player.

Networking capabilities

Many BD players are equipped with wired (LAN port) and wireless (Wi-Fi) interfaces for accessing the network and are capable of playing multimedia files from a home network, from a PC or. If your player is equipped with such technology, you can watch movies in real time over the network from another device without downloading files. It is worth noting that DLNA technology are able to support BD players of quite different prices and functionality, but be careful with the type of supported files. No less interesting are these networking opportunities Blu-Ray players, such as support for various types of Internet services, up to full functionality.

The LAN port in selected models allows you not only to view Internet content for Blu-ray discs, but also to implement IP control for controllers third party devices, firmware updates and web browser support.

“Smart” TVs, media players and set-top boxes are trying to replace BD players, but true movie connoisseurs prefer to collect film collections not on home servers, but on Blu-ray discs, which is probably why this equipment is still in demand. Blu-ray players are capable of fulfilling the role network device, a professional decoder, and is also one of essential components.

Playing sound

In addition to the main Dolby Digital and DTS formats, Blu-ray discs also support Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio, which allow you to listen to 8-channel uncompressed audio. Some Blu-ray players can decode both of these formats, or send them digitally to an external A/V receiver for decoding.

Of course, BD players are devices for direct video playback, but players from the brands Cambridge Audio, Denon, Marantz, HarmanKardon, Yamaha, Aleks, Onkyo and Philips can be used with Hi-Fi speakers. For example, Blu-Ray players from Pioneer and Panasonic use special protocols that minimize the sound jitter that occurs when digital data is transferred from the player to the receiver via an HDMI cable. Thus, a fairly inexpensive combination of a BD player and receiver can provide high-quality Hi-Fi sound, comparable to a CD + amplifier set.

3D technology

3D technology is also present in many BD players, since the HDMI v1.4 interface required for this is widely used, while 3D players are backward compatible and cope well with regular 2D content. Don't forget that the TV must also have 3D support and you will also need 3D glasses.

The disk standard was developed jointly by Hitachi, LG, Panasonic, Pioneer, Sony, Philips, Samsung, Sharp and Thomson. It has become the default disk standard for storing high-definition content and digital data. But at first there was competitive fight with HD-DVD, a format supported by Toshiba and NEC. Blu-ray was also supported by Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros.

What explains the name of the format?

Format name as "blue beam". This name is justified by the fact that a laser beam is used to read and write to the disk. of blue color. For comparison, when reading and writing DVDs a red beam is used.

The wavelength of the blue laser beam is 405 nanometers. Its focus is more precise than the focus of a red laser beam. As a result, much more information can be stored on the same disk space with a radius of 12 cm. Discs of this format are no different in size and shape from DVDs.

According to the rules in English the word "blue" is: blue. The name Blu-ray lost one letter in order to be able to patent the technology.

Blu-ray format characteristics

Blu-ray uses the same phase change technology as DVD to re-record onto disc. Capacity disk space standard disk Blu-ray is large enough to hold a copy of everything hard drive on a regular computer.

The format originally held 27 gigabytes on one side of the disk and 50 gigabytes on dual-layer disks. Single-sided Blu-ray discs store up to 13 hours of video footage standard format unlike single-sided DVDs, which only hold up to 133 minutes of video.

In July 2008, Pioneer announced that it had developed a way to store up to 500 gigabytes on a 20-layer Blu-ray disc. But these discs are not planned to be released to the market in the near future.

The data transfer rate on Blu-ray discs is 36 megabits per second. This is enough to record high quality video.

Blu-ray media cannot be played on regular CD and DVD players because such devices are not equipped with a special violet-blue laser for reading.

If your Blu-ray player is equipped with a laser DVD reader and CD, it can play discs of all three formats.

Blu-ray players can be purchased from manufacturers such as Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung and Sony. Game console Playstation 3 is also equipped with a Blu-ray driver.

Blu-ray discs differ in image and sound quality. On such media there is a more saturated picture, there is no square effect. The Blu-ray format allows you to output sound to 7 speakers, unlike DVD, which is provided for a maximum of five channels. This is an excellent solution for modern cinemas.