How Does Blu-ray Disc Work

A Blu-Ray disc is a disc-based storage unit engineered to be the next logical step over the current DVD storage format. Each disc can hold 50 GB of data, which is almost ten times higher than the 4.8 GB capacity most DVDs have. For this reason it is ideal for storing high definition video and audio, which is why in the last few years it has become the standard medium for high definition home video releases. Physically, Blu-Rays are the same size and shape as traditional DVDs. The laser used by Blu-Ray players and computer drives to read and write to the data on the discs is blue, which is where the name came from.

Here are some of the advantages to a Blu Ray.

Increased Storage Capacity

* A single-layer Blu-ray disk is about the same size as a standard DVD but it is able to store up to 27 GB of data in excess of two hours of high-definition video or about 13 hours of standard video!

* Double-layer Blu-ray disks have a storage capacity of up to 54 GB and can hold 4.5 hours of high-definition video or more than 20 hours of standard video. Developments suggest that Blu ray disks will soon be able to hold double this amount.

Blu-ray Discs Offer Increased Interactivity

* With the advent of the Blu Ray disk, computer users will have the added advantage of being able to download subtitles and other interactive movie features direct from the Internet. Tasks they will be able to perform include:

* Recording High Definition Television (HDTV) with perfect quality

* Skipping to any place on the disk instantly

* Recording a program while at the same time watching a second program on the disk

* Create a play list

* Editing and re-ordering data stored on the disk.

* Search automatically for an empty space on the disk (to avoid mishaps)

* Access the Web and download features like subtitles.

As was the case with traditional DVDs, Blu-Ray discs are region coded. North America, for example, is in "Region 1." This means that the only discs that can be played on North American Blu-Ray players are ones purchased in North America, or Region 1. Europe is coded as Region 2, which means they wouldn't be able to play a disc purchased in Region 1 and vice versa. This is done primarily as an attempt to stop movie piracy around the world, especially in a case where a movie may make it to home video in Europe or Asia prior to the release in the United States.