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Blu-Ray and Hi-Def TV: A Matchless Combo

When HD sets first started showing up in the marketplace about 10 years ago folks were amazed at the clarity HDTV delivered over standard television sets. Since then millions of men and women have bought new TVs to enjoy wide screen flicks with DVDs and high definition cable and satellite broadcasts. While many people still haven't made the jump, a recent technology discovery has made even HDTV fans take notice. Developed by Sony, Blu-Ray has pushed TV quality to a new level. Just a couple years gone, nobody knew what format would become the successor to DVD, but now Blu-Ray has won and I'll tell you why you should consider adding Blu-Ray to your home entertainment system.

Though research began almost ten years ago, Sony and its partners failed to present a final commercial product until mid 2006. The name Blu-Ray comes from the blue laser that is used to read information from a Blu-Ray formatted disc. This conflicts with the red laser used to scan standard DVD discs. Yet why is Blu-Ray better than current DVD formats? Even though Blu-Ray discs and players don't appear any different than standard DVDs, they can save much more info that means sharper picture, improved audio, and more special extras. DVDs can hold up to eight gigabytes of info while Blu-Ray discs can hold 50 gbs.. Huge difference. The max resolution of a DVD is 720x480 lines whereas Blu-Ray has a max of 1920x1080 (also called full high definition). If you have spent $1000 or more on a 1080p TV, you're essentially not exploiting everything the TV can deliver when viewing regular DVDs.

Originally costs for Blu-Ray players were well above what a typical user needed to pay. Prices between $700 and $1000 were common for first generation Blu-Ray players. And, there had been another competing standard on the market that created a lot of perplexity. Toshiba and NEC introduced their own DVD follow-up device with the delivery of the HD DVD format. HD DVD, with enough space for 15 gigs, was a step up over standard DVDs but didn't meet the specs of Blu-Ray. But HD DVD did have some marketplace influence. First, they made it to store shelves three months before Blu-Ray. Second, HD DVD devices where a little less expensive to make and were sold less expensive as a consequence. Finally, HD DVD had more picture studios on board at launch than Sony did which meant more flicks were initially available while Blu-Ray remained rare.

Sony had one big trick up their sleeve that quite potentially saved Blu-Ray from a Betamax fate. Sony incorporated a Blu-Ray player into their highly anticipated PlayStation 3 and sold the whole device for a bit less than many stand alone players were going for at the time. Soon after, Blu-Ray started making strides till soon it outsold HD DVD 2-to-1 by late 2007. More and more Hollywood studios started to commit to the Blu-Ray standard solely, beginning with Warner Brothers in early 2008. Straight after Toshiba stopped making HD DVD players and recorders. By years end rental corporations Netflix and Blockbuster, as well as major stores, announced they would no longer carry HD DVD films. Now all major studios release their films on Blu-Ray. A couple have continued to produce HD DVD and Blu-Ray releases concurrently.

Prices have fallen dramatically during the last few years too. Many big name brand Blu-Ray players from corporations like Panasonic and LG can easily be found between $150 and $250. Blu-Ray disc recorders are in the $200 - $400 range and dropping just as fast. For anyone who likes watching movies from home and has already invested in a high definition television, now is a wonderful time to have a look at adding a Blu-Ray player to your setup. Even those who may be skeptical about Blu-Ray's enhancements over DVD owe it themselves to head down to their local home entertainment store and ask for a Blu-Ray demonstration. The picture clarity and audio fidelity from Blu-Ray is truly outstanding.

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