Online Blu-ray Tutorial - What is Blu-ray?

As with conventional CDs and DVDs, Blu-ray plans to provide a wide range of formats including ROM/R/RW. The following formats are part of the Blu-ray Disc specification:

• BD-ROM - read-only format for distribution of HD movies, games, software, etc.
• BD-R - recordable format for HD video recording and PC data storage.
• BD-RE - rewritable format for HD video recording and PC data storage.

There's also plans for a BD/DVD hybrid format, which combines Blu-ray and DVD on the same disc so that it can be played in both Blu-ray players and DVD players.

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• What exactly is Blu-ray?

• Why the name Blu-ray?

• Who developed Blu-ray?

• What Blu-ray formats are planned?

• How much data can you fit on a Blu-ray disc?

• How much video can you fit on a Blu-ray disc?

• How fast can you read/write data on a Blu-ray disc?

• What video codecs will Blu-ray support?

• What audio codecs will Blu-ray support?

• Will Blu-ray discs require a cartridge?

• Will Blu-ray require an Internet connection?

• Will Blu-ray down-convert analog outputs?

• Will Blu-ray support mandatory managed copy?

• When will I be able to buy Blu-ray products?

• What will Blu-ray products cost?

• Will Blu-ray replace DVDs?

• Will Blu-ray be backwards compatible with DVD?

• Why should I upgrade from DVD to Blu-ray?

• What is the difference between Blu-ray and DVD?

• Will Blu-ray replace VCRs?

• What about Blu-ray for PCs?