So you're wondering what exactly Blue-Ray is, how it is better than DVD, and how it beat out HD DVD? A Blue-Ray disc is very similar to DVD's, the major difference is that is that it can hold up to 25GB of data, compared to about 4.7GB for a DVD, and up to 50GB on a "dual-layer" disc. So now the question is, why do I care if it can hold up to 50GB? Well you care because 50GB of space means that there is room on the disc to hold very high quality video and more extras features. The great news is that a Blue-Ray disc is the same size as a DVD and Blue-Ray players are capable of playing standard DVD's. That means no need to go through a painful transition like VHS to DVD was.
So now what is the difference between Blue-Ray and HD DVD, and should I be okay with the more expensive Blue-Ray standard winning the battle? As far as the physical discs and the players, not a whole lot, but under the hood, Blue-Ray is vastly superior. Blue-Ray discs can hold 25GB per layer, while HD DVD can only hold 15GB per layer. The extra space of an Blue-Ray disc leaves room for more special features and higher quality video. HD DVD is capable of delivering a 1080i signal, while Blue-Ray can deliver the highest quality HD signal of 1080p. Blue-Ray players are about the only wide-spread products producing a 1080p signal, television broadcasts over the air and through cable are currently limited to 1080i. While Blue-Ray has been seen as the higher priced option, that is rapidly changing. There are now several Blue-Ray players being sold for less than $300, and these players will double as DVD players. They also have the highest quality outputs, HDMI, which delivers all of the quality you were looking for when you purchased your HDTV.
So now the question is, should I buy a Blue-Ray player today? Now is probably a good time to jump into the Blue-Ray market, the standard is now stable and there are plenty of Blue-Ray discs available. Over the next couple of years the prices will continue to come down slowly, but the most rapid price reductions have probably come and gone. Considering the substantial improvement in video quality and the investment you have already made in your HDTV, we think it is a worth while investment if you can afford to spend $200-400.
