What is blu ray quality? Myth busted: Blu-Ray discs are no more expensive than regular DVDs! Technologies and standards

The most modern types discs today - Blu-ray and DVD. What are their features?

Blu-ray Facts

Blu-ray- this is one of the newest recording technologies digital information onto plastic discs using a so-called blue laser beam with a wavelength of 405 nm. This standard was developed in 2006 and soon began to actively spread on the market.

The word Blue is present in the name of the technology in a slightly different form - Blu, since the phrase blue ray the development company - Blu-ray Disc Association - did not have the legal opportunity to register it as a trademark.

Shorter Blu-ray laser wavelength compared to others disk formats allows you to record digital data on a medium using a narrow track - within 0.32 microns. This makes it possible to place data more densely on the disk. As a result, a larger volume of files is written to the media. Thus, a single-layer Blu-ray disc can hold 25 GB of data.

In this case, the total number of layers on the corresponding media can reach several dozen. Thus, a Blu-ray disc can theoretically store hundreds of GB of information. But among the most popular types of media today are single-layer with a capacity of 25 GB, as well as double-layer, on which you can record 50 GB of information.

The specified parameters correspond standard disks, with a diameter of 12 cm. But there are also Blu-ray media of a reduced size - 8 cm. The capacity of their single-layer modifications is 7.8 GB, double-layer - 15.6 GB.

Disposable Blu-ray media is called BD-R. There are also rewritable modifications of discs - BD-RE and BD-RE DL.

One more advantage of Blu-ray technology can be noted - the very high speed of reading files from disks - more than 400 Mbit/s. In turn, the recording speed on Blu-ray media can reach similar values ​​and even exceed them when the drive is rotated by a factor of 12X or more.

In practice, using Blu-ray discs, you can ensure stable playback of video data in a resolution of about 1920 by 1080 pixels with a bitrate within 40 Mbit/s at full support capabilities of codecs such as MPEG-4 AVC.

DVD facts

DVD standard historically predates Blu-ray technology. It was developed in 1996. DVD drives use a red laser with a wavelength of 650 nm. Therefore, the DVD format is objectively inferior to Blu-ray in terms of ensuring recording density on the medium. The laser track width on DVDs is more than twice that of the Blu-ray standard - 0.74 microns. On a single-layer DVD of the classic size - 12 cm - you can store up to 4.7 GB of information, on a double-layer - 8.5. A mini DVD (8 cm in diameter) holds 1.4 GB of data in a single-layer version, as well as 2.8 GB in a double-layer version.

DVD read and write speeds are about 1.32 Mbps based on a 1X drive rotation ratio. Most of the corresponding devices installed on modern PCs can produce an indicator of about 10-12X. But there are also faster modifications of DVD drives that can rotate at a rate of 20X or higher.

In practice, using DVDs, you can ensure stable playback of a video stream in a resolution of about 720 by 480 pixels with a bitrate of 9.8 Mbit/s with full support for codecs such as MPEG-2.

Comparison

The main difference between Blu-ray and DVD is the reduced laser wavelength. As a result, the newer data recording standard has other advantages: high speed writing, reading data, the ability to place a larger volume of files on the disk.

Having determined what the difference is between Blu-ray and DVD, we will record the corresponding conclusions in the table.

The era of CDs is gradually fading into oblivion and becoming history. The latest technological breakthroughs of yesteryear have been Blu-ray discs. What it is and how it works will be discussed in this article.

A little history

The technology is based on the use of a new type of laser for reading. He blue color, hence the name Blu-ray, translated as “blue ray”. This new laser is capable of not only reading, but also writing data onto denser layers, allowing it to accommodate large quantity information in the same area.

Blu-ray technology was officially introduced in 2002. But not all companies decided to join the new standard. For example, Toshiba and NEC announced the creation of their own format- HD DVD.

Over time, both technologies developed in parallel. However, Blu-ray still won in the end.

Blu-ray Specifications

A single-layer disc can hold up to 25 GB, a double-layer disc can hold up to 50 GB, a triple-layer disc can hold up to 100 GB, and a quad-layer disc can hold up to 128 GB. In 2008, Pioneer announced 20-layer disks that can store up to 500 GB of information.

In everyday life, discs of the BD-R, BD-RE standard with one-time and multiple rewrites are most often used.

Disc coating

Many people probably know that on Blu-ray media the data layer is located very close to the edge. This fact greatly influenced the durability of the disks, since any scratch or crack could damage it. In 2004, a new polymer coating appeared that could reliably protect data on Blu-ray discs.

Technologies and standards

As Blu-ray evolved, many standards and related technologies changed. The old reading and writing standards were replaced with new ones.

BD-LIVE

This technology developed by Sony. With its help, interactivity was brought to Blu-ray. It is now possible to access certain content - for example, additional materials for a movie or games. To do this you had to go to specific page in the Internet.

LTH-Type

This approach made it possible to simplify and reduce the cost of producing Blu-ray discs. The idea is to use the same materials as when creating regular CDs. However, it is worth considering that not all Blu-ray players can play them correctly. But the creators have solved this problem too - you just need to update the firmware of your device.

Despite the fact that this type of disc has significantly simplified and made the technology cheaper, there are still some disadvantages - the recording speed has decreased slightly.

BD DL

One of important stages Blu-ray development. The technology made it possible to increase the amount of space available for recording to 50 GB.

BDXL

The use of 3- and 4-layer disks made it possible to increase the volume up to 128 GB. It is worth saying that ordinary Blu-ray players of the BD standard cannot read BDXL, while there is backward compatibility.

3D Blu-ray

With the advent of 3D technology, it became necessary to somehow organize this approach in relation to Blu-ray. This is how the Blu-ray 3D standard appeared, which is backward compatible. At the heart of the technology is a method of compressing both video sequences for each eye, which allows efficient use of disk space without loss of quality.

Programs for Blu-ray

Exists a large number of software for playing Blu-ray standard. They can be viewed without the physical presence of a Blu-ray player, for example on a Windows computer.

Cyberlink PowerDVD 12

This program combines DVD and Blu-ray player, music player, multimedia library storage tool. Available in several different versions depending on possibilities. It is functional, yet simple and clear interface. Can reproduce data from hard drives computer or directly from media. A bit demanding on system resources.

Corel WinDVD Pro 11

Enough popular program to watch videos in different formats. It has the ability to play Blu-ray 3D, DVD and many other formats known today. The program can convert a two-dimensional image into a three-dimensional one. Does not have the most understandable and user-friendly interface, which takes some getting used to. When purchasing the boxed version of the program, the user will receive 3D glasses as a reward.

TotalMedia Theater 5

Like other programs, it is capable of playing a wide range of different video and audio formats. Including Blu-ray with 3D support. Can convert two-dimensional videos and pictures into 3D. The program uses SimHD technology, which can improve the quality of the played video by absorbing noise.

KMPlayer

A good omnivorous multimedia player. Capable of losing big list formats. Reads DVDs and Blu-ray. The GUI and especially the settings are a bit confusing, so for normal operation you need to get used to the controls.

Hardware players

An article about what Blu-ray is would be incomplete without mentioning devices that can play Blu-ray discs directly. Here's a short overview of them.

Samsung BD-J5500

A simple and affordable player for playing Blu-ray discs. Has access to the Internet via Smart TV, has a wide range of supported Blu-ray formats, and is able to read other multimedia files.

The outputs are an HDMI port, as well as a separate coaxial one for audio. There are also USB ports and Ethernet.

As users note in their reviews, the device is very compact, reproduces all declared formats without any problems, and has excellent quality.

Among the negative responses, one can highlight the absence of any indication on the device body. However, some people liked it on the contrary, since nothing shines in the eyes and does not distract from viewing.

LG BP450

Bright representative budget segment Blu-ray players. The resolution of the output signal can vary from 720 to 1080. HDTV technology is used for scaling. There is Internet access via Smart TV. The device supports all known Blu-ray standard formats. You can control the player from using HDMI.

Judging by the reviews left by users, the device is good value price quality.

Sony BDP-S5500

Inexpensive option from famous brand. Screen resolution up to 1080 is supported and Internet access is available. All known Blu-ray formats can be played on this device. In addition to the standard USB and Ethernet ports, you can use Wi-Fi.

Users gave the gadget a good reception and noted that the quality is high despite the low price. In particular, many liked the convenient control panel, automatic system noise reduction, clear sound, support for all known video and audio formats.

Panasonic DMP-BDT460

The price for this device can reach up to 10 thousand rubles. But the device’s hardware is also slightly better than its analogues above.

In particular, the player can play video in 4K format. Has Internet access via Smart TV. In addition, it makes it possible to read data from external drives. For connection there are two HDMI output and one for transmitting the audio channel.

To connect external devices There are USB and Ethernet ports, as well as a built-in Wi-Fi module.

Users rated this device in their reviews. They noted the high quality of playback, 3D support, smooth image in dynamic scenes. However, there were also those who noted a slightly noisy drive, the inability to play some formats from external media, and rare “slowdowns” during operation.

Pioneer BDP-LX88

One of the leading manufacturers of many players has introduced many various functions and technology.

It's worth starting with high resolution playback - 4K. There are many built-in decoders based inside, capable of working with the most different formats sound and video. Therefore, the list of supported files and standards is simply huge - the producers took care of their potential viewers.

The outputs include two HDMI, two stereo audio outputs, one audio optical and one audio coaxial. There are two for reading from flash drives USB port, to connect the Internet via cable - Ethernet. DLNA support will allow you to play media files remotely from other devices.

User ratings are mostly positive. Noted perfect quality video and sound playback. There are no slowdowns or freezes. However, the price may seem high for some, and this is not surprising - the cost of the device starts from 55 thousand rubles.

T+A K8

The cost of this model is slightly less than a million rubles - 833,000. This is due to the fact that the device is simply packed with the most modern technologies and plus, it acts as a receiver, and not just a player.

Image scaling occurs using HDTV. Naturally, the device has support for Smart TV. Resolution can reach up to 1080 pixels. The player is “omnivorous”, that is, it is able to read all known media formats and disc standards.

The output options are HDMI, 7.1 type audio output, coaxial audio output and headphone jack. There is also an audio input. Two USB ports allow you to connect external media and reproduce data from them. The DLNA function will help you play data from other devices wirelessly.

As additional features You can note the presence of FM radio.

As for reviews, there are quite a few of them, apparently, as well as the owners of this model. But those rare ones that are available on the network note the excellent performance of the body and components of the device. All elements are made of high-quality plastic, the controls are intuitive and functional. The sound and video quality is excellent. During playback and operation of the device, no “brakes” or freezes are observed. True, it really confuses many people high price.

Conclusion

The article examined Blu-ray technology in detail: what it is, how it works and what players exist. Despite the fact that at one time it was progressive and breakthrough, now, with the advent of various large-capacity drives on the market, interest in Blu-ray is fading.

Perhaps enthusiasts and collectors in the future will remember Blu-ray and what it is, but people of the new generation will most likely find themselves immediately in the era of solid media and storage drives.

Modern technologies do not stand still. Every day something new and useful is invented and invented. Let's try to figure it out and find out what blu ray means? What are the differences between this format and the good old ones? dvd discs?

In January 2006, at the Consumer Electronics Show, a disc with blu format ray. The new product was able to gain success in the market. It is worth noting that blu ray technology has been developed since 2000. So what does blu ray mean, in other words? in simple words? The name comes from blue (blue) and ray (ray). This is a special technology for densely recording information onto a medium using a short-wave laser of blue color(hence the blue beam). The special laser has a thickness light beam almost half the size of a traditional laser, which is used to “cut” CDs and dvds Recording is carried out on compact and minidiscs with a diameter of 12 cm and 8 cm, respectively.

In order to find out how blu ray differs from dvd you need to compare specifications lasers, permissible amounts of information, codecs and disk compatibility.

We mentioned lasers a little higher, considering the thickness of the beam and the color of the light beam. In addition, it is worth noting the fact that the information on a blu ray disc is placed two to three times denser than in a cd or dvd due to the smaller contact area of ​​the laser with the surface.

Those who like to watch good movies high quality They have known about blu ray for a long time. It was these discs that film studios and record producers chose as the main storage medium, due to the fact that their volume is tens of times larger than traditional DVD discs. What is blu ray quality? This is 25 gigabytes (on a single-layer) or 50 gigabytes (on a double-layer) free space. Here you can place a film with high resolution images, several audio tracks (original, studio translations, comments from film crew members) or something else useful.

If we already touch on the topic of cinema on blu discs ray, then it’s worth mentioning the resolution (size) of the picture. The traditional resolution today is 1080p, which means that the image is 1080 pixels in height. This resolution is also referred to as FullHD. The letter “p” stands for “progressive” – progressive line-by-line scanning of the image.

In addition, film fans have come across the term remux (read as “rimax”) - which means a copy of the original blu ray packaged in a special file container. Some manipulations could have been carried out with such a copy before packaging - additional ones were removed audio tracks, disc menu.

Just recently, movie lovers were given a surprise in the form of the introduction of 3D technology for home use. Blu ray 3d what is it? This the new kind blu ray, which allows you to watch movies while enjoying a three-dimensional picture. To do this, you need to have special glasses and a modern blu-ray disc player, which provides disc reading at a speed of 2X or more. Blu ray 3d players are backward compatible and can play movies in regular 2D format. The film itself in three-dimensional format is a double image - for the right and left eyes separately, which are simultaneously processed by the player. Consequently, both the computational need and the video signal flow rate increase. If traditional blu ray video has a video signal flow rate of up to 40 Mbit per second, then blu ray 3d has a speed of up to 60 Mbit per second.

Player market

Today there is relative calm on the Blu-ray player market. Models produced in 2011-2012 are in demand, and their prices have dropped significantly since that time and have become available to the average consumer. Special attention I would like to devote Samsung models E360K and Sony SR550. Traditional players with a microphone jack and a fairly affordable price of 30-40 dollars are suitable for most. If someone wants to completely immerse themselves in the atmosphere of cinema, let them choose a model with a 3D effect from 2014-2015. They are more expensive, but the viewing experience will bring many times more emotions.

The Birth of Blu-Ray Technology
While almost all major technology companies united to create the DVD format, some of the companies that participated in the project spent money on the creation of Blu-Ray. DVD creation, and the other part of the company went into developing HD-DVD. To be more precise, 9 people participated in the development of Blu-Ray large companies: LG, SONY, HITACHI, SAMSUNG, SHARP, THOMSON, MATSUSHITA, PIONEER and PHILIPS. And the instigator of this project is the company SONY.

Development of this format began already in 2003, but 2006 can be considered significant, when in January at the Consumer Electronics Show ( CES), the commercial launch of the Blu-Ray format was announced. It was also created Blu-ray Disc Founders Association, whose responsibilities include promoting the product on the market and issuing licenses to manufacturing companies. This association includes companies such as SONY and DELL. And JVC, SONY, TDK, SAMSUNG, etc. are now producing products.

How is Blu-Ray different from DVD?
Much different! To many! Okay, let's go in order. First of all, this is an increase in the amount of data on Blu-Ray. Blu-Ray has a track width of 0.32 microns, while DVD has a track width of 0.78. But not only this contributed to the increase in the size of data on the disk, but also the fact that in Blu-Ray technologies began to use an improved data encoding system, a blue laser (which is why it is called Blu-Ray, Blue-Ray- the “error” here is intentional and is associated with the patenting of the name) with a short wavelength of 405 nanometers(nm), while the red DVD laser reached 635 nm. As a result of all these technological innovations, Blu-Ray discs have increased in size to 27 GB, and doubled to 54 GB. What has nanotechnology come to?

But new technologies have brought us not only a record increase in the volume of data on the disk, but also a significant improvement in the quality of reading and writing data, by increasing the numerical aperture to 0,85 , using a high-quality two-lens system, reducing the thickness of the protective layer of the disc to 0.1 mm, and before it was 0.6 mm. Plus, Blu-Ray discs have been developed by TDK to protect them from external influences and scratches, Durabis. This system so powerful that scratch the disk with a screwdriver and nothing will happen to it. Try driving a truck over it again... and then collect it. In addition, it is possible to use paper napkins to clean the disc, while CDs and DVDs are damaged from this.

What's new in the anti-piracy copy protection system?
Yes all! A system has appeared BD+, which allows you to do dynamic change encryption schemes, due to the lack of which the protection system for DVDs and CSS paid with numerous hacks. A ROM-Mark(watermark), protection system for drives, flashed into ROM during production. So if the drive doesn't have this special sign, then the disc simply will not play on it. HP-developed technology Mandatory Managed Copy, on the contrary, allows you to make legal copies of videos in a protected format. The disk zoning system is now divided into only 3 zones: 1 - North America, South America, Japan and East Asia; 2 - Europe and Africa; 3 - India, China, Russia and other countries.

For the future.
Scientists of glorious companies Warner, in order to avoid a war of formats, they are developing a disc with three layers, on one layer of which there is Blu-Ray, under it there is a layer with HD-DVD, and on the other side of the disc there is a layer with DVD. Just like layered cake! And developers from TDK have already developed a prototype disk with four layers and a size of 100 GB, and are working on a disk with eight layers and a size of 200 GB.

Thank you for your patience and attention, I hope you found my article interesting. See you again!

By appearance Blue-ray is similar to a regular CD; the same thickness of 1.2 mm and the same diameter of 12 cm. The main difference from conventional CDs and DVDs is the memory capacity; Up to 25 GB of information can be placed on the first single-layer products, and up to 50 on double-layer products. Moreover, if we're talking about oh, then this will be HD (High Definity) content. Today Blue-ray has already appeared with a memory capacity of 100, 128 GB.

Features of Blue-ray technology

To read information in the described system, not a red laser is used, but a blue one. This replacement was caused by the fact that the blue wave has a shorter length, which made it possible to increase the memory capacity by 5 times compared to classic DVDs. The technology involves the use of a laser beam with a wavelength of 405 nm. This made it possible to narrow the recording track to 0.32 µm, resulting in increased recording density.

The second feature of the technology is the reduction of the protective layer from 0.6 to 0.1 mm, which made it possible to carry out the read (write) operation in a more correct mode. The standard diameter of today's Blue-ray disc is the same 120 mm with a memory of 27 GB. For portable devices developers offer products with a diameter of 30 mm and a memory capacity of 1 GB.

Modern Blue-ray formats

The cheapest option is the read-only Blue-ray ROM standard. The second option - BD-R (Blue-ray recordable) can be used for recording only once. This is the most popular product for recordable players. The main purpose of such disks is to preserve and distribute information.

BD-R can be single- or double-layer: production is based on sputtering technology, just like RW discs. The pinnacle of blue ray technology is the BD-RE (Blue-ray Writable) series discs, which can withstand up to 1000 rewrites. These disks use working layers that change their phases. Such material has proven itself well in the creation of DVD-RW and CD-RW: given the new technology, all that remains is to adjust the system to the new blue wavelength. BD-RE storage media, due to the possibility of repeated rewriting, are an economically advantageous purchase.

Obviously, Blue-ray cannot be played on a player designed for viewing (listening) to files on CD or DVD media. Therefore, today manufacturers offer universal systems, capable of accepting both regular CDs and those created using Blue-ray technology.