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Frequently Asked Questions
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Blu-ray
What is Blu-ray?
Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD) is the name of a next-generation optical disc format. The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs.
Why the name Blu-ray?
The name Blu-ray is derived from the underlying technology, which utilizes a blue-violet laser to read and write data. The name is a combination of "Blue" (blue-violet laser) and "Ray" (optical ray). According to the Blu-ray Disc Association the spelling of "Blu-ray" is not a mistake, the character "e" was intentionally left out so the term could be registered as a trademark.
The correct full name is Blu-ray Disc.
The correct shortened name is Blu-ray, not Blu-Ray (incorrect capitalization) or Blue-ray (incorrect spelling)
The correct abbreviation is BD, not BR or BRD (wrong abbreviation)
Will Blu-ray require an Internet connection?
No, you will not need an Internet connection for basic playback of Blu-ray movies. The Internet connection will only be needed for value-added features such as downloading new extras, watching recent movie trailers, web browsing, etc. It will also be required to authorize managed copies of Blu-ray movies that can be transferred over a home network.
Will Blu-ray replace DVDs?
That's Sony’s expectation who developed Blu-ray. The Blu-ray format has received broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to today's DVD format.
However, the two formats (Blu-ray and DVD) will most likely co-exist for quite some time until HDTVs become more widespread.
Will Blu-ray be backwards compatible with DVD?
Yes, several leading consumer electronics companies (including Sony, Panasonic, Philips, Samsung, Pioneer, Sharp and LG) have already demonstrated products that can read/write CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs using a BD/DVD/CD compatible optical head, so you don't have to worry about your existing DVD collection becoming obsolete. In fact, most of the Blu-ray players coming out will support upscaling of DVDs to 1080p/1080i, so your existing DVD collection will look even better than before. While it's up to each manufacturer to decide if they want to make their products backwards compatible with DVD, the format is far too popular to not be supported. The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) expects every Blu-ray Disc device to be backward compatible with DVDs.
What is firmware?
Just as computers require software to run, a Blu-ray player requires firmware to run. Firmware is a type of computer program that resides inside the hardware device and makes it possible to play movies and access other features.
Purpose of firmware
The great thing about firmware is that it can be easily updated, so even though a Blu-ray player might not support a feature when it is released that feature might be added later as long as the hardware can support it. Firmware updates can also fix problems with existing features and offer other improvements.
Hardware problems
If you experience any problems with your hardware, whether it's a player or anything else, the first thing you should do is to make sure that you have the latest firmware installed. If not, then it's very likely that a firmware update will solve your problem.
Limitations of firmware
Unfortunately some features can't be added with a firmware update because they also require a hardware upgrade, but as long as the current hardware can support the new features, all that is needed is a firmware update.
How do I upgrade my firmware?
If you have a PlayStation 3 as your Blu-ray player and it’s connected to the internet, the firmware is automatically upgraded for you. If you have another brand, you can search the internet for your make and model of Blu-ray player to find the latest firmware upgrade then burn a CD of that upgrade. If you don’t have the internet, let us know, and we can help you with this.
For more information, visit www.Blu-raydisc.com
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