Blu-ray Disc Technology

Gatik Mithbavkar ( 107 ) Kiran Shetty ( 112 ) Ajinkya Marathe ( 129 )

CONTENTS

Introduction Evolution Blu-Ray technology Disc Characteristics DVD v/s Blu-ray Disc Enhancements Current Uses Of Blu-Ray Disc Future War

INTRODUCTION
The name Blu-ray Disc is derived from the blue laser (violet-colored) used to read and write this type of disc. The first blue laser was developed in 1996 by Shuji Nakamura (Nichia Corporation). In 2002, an alliance was formed, called the Blu-ray Disc Association, including the likes of Sony, Samsung, Sharp, Hewlett-Packard, and Royal Phillips.

Evolution

VHS: analog DVD: digital BD: high-definition Enables recording, rewriting, and playback of highdefinition video. Capable of storing information that the DVD and CD are not capable of holding.

Blu-ray Technology

Because of the wavelength(405 nanometres), substantially more data can be stored on a Blu-ray Disc than on the DVD format, which uses a red (650 nm) laser. Because of the greatly compact data Blu-ray can hold almost 5 times more data than a single layer DVD. Close to 25 GB!

Blu-ray Technology (contd.)

Just like a DVD Blu-ray can also be recorded in Dual-Layer format. This allows the disk to hold up to 50 GB!!

Because the polycarbonate layer of the Blu-ray disc is so much larger than a DVD because the recording layer is so much smaller it can have even more than two layers.

Blu-ray Technology
Writing Data

Blu-ray uses a combination of two lenses to greatly shrink the laser to write the data. This allows for higher rate data transfer close to 36 mbps. It could record 25 GB of data in half an hour.

Disc Characteristics

Single layer: 25 GB. Dual layer: 50 GB. Diameter: 120 mm. Thickness: 1.2 mm. Center hole diameter: 150 mm. It allows multi-layer platforms and high-speed recording. BD-R and BD-RE: recordable formats (RE: rewritable; R: recordable once)

DVD vs Blu-ray

Blu-ray disc use blue lasers format rather than red. Both have the same options for video and audio compression. Blu-ray offers significantly more storage space -50 GB on a dual-layer disc versus DVD's 5GB.

DVD vs Blu-ray (CONTD.)

DVD is less expensive than Blu-ray disc.

DVDs can be produced on existing equipment, and Blu-ray discs can't. DVD players hit the market on April 18, 2000. The first Blu-ray player hit the U.S. market in June, 2006.

Enhancements

Error rates increased in reading and writing after the original BD suffered scratches and fingerprints For protection, the prototype BD was enclosed in a case. The case increased the size of the disc drive.

CURRENT USE OF BLU-RAY DISC

In late 2008 Blu-Ray got an enormous boost through movies like The Dark Knight 20th Century Fox's Hitman, up to 14% of total disc sales were from Blu-ray. According to Singulus Technologies AG, Blu-ray is being adopted faster than the DVD format was at the same period of development.

Future

Expect the BD to become more prevalent once the HDTV market establishes its presence.

Audio and video will reach higher qualities with larger storage space.
Look for BD with more than two layers as the technology is further refined.

WAR!!

In summary it is hard to tell which media format will win this format war. It all depends on which format consumers can get more cheaply, more quickly, with more movies available for it. Blu-Ray is technologically superior. However, the VHS and Betamax war shows that the technologically superior product does not always win.

Thank You