Can someone please help me understand what the difference is between Blu-Ray and regular DVD video?

I presently have a DVD player that is like 8 years old. It has 5.1 surround and uses an S-video connection. The picture is comparable to the digital quality I get with Directv. My set is HDTV ready, but I do not presently have HDTV service.

What are the main benefits of Blu Ray? Does one also need HDTV to make it worth going to Blu Ray?

Thanks...

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Buy a PS3 - it comes with Blu-ray - then you can get COD4 and never have/want to watch TV again. Of course you'll need a BIG HDTV.

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Seeing the movie in HD.

Regular DVD plays regular resolution.

To see a move in HD, you had two options...

Rember VHS and Beta? Same think happened for HD movies, two competing and incompatible options.
-- Blu-Ray(sony) and HD-DVD(toshiba)--

Toshiba gave up on HD-DVD, so Blu-Ray looks to be the winner of the HD on disc battle.

On the bright side, that means most movies will be available in one standard HD format, Blu-Ray.

So, regular DVD players plan standard resolution DVDs. Blu-Ray players will play HD resolution.

Seeing the movie in HD.

Generally yes.

Caveat because you can watch HD on newer large flat screen computer monitors. You need 1920 x 1080 resolution for normal HD,
TV broadcast or Blu-Ray might be slightly different.

Monitors with slightly lower resolution should also work, local broadcast HD looks quite good at 1680 x 1050 on a big LCD monitor.


Hal

Hal is right, essentially it's similar to HD-DVD. However, Sony (once again, like the Beta tape in the 80's) put out their own format. They strongarmed the competition but signing exclusive rights with movie studio's so their films are ONLY released in Blu-Ray. So much so that everyone else has given up on the market.

I don't know if Blu-Ray players work on regular tv's, however if you're considering buying an HDTV in the near future, you might as well look into getting a Blu-Ray player. Pretty soon that's going to be the only HD format movies will be released on. Until legally & quickly downloading them becomes popular.

That reminds me of another point -

There's an alphabet soup of different video, audio and video+audio connectors to navigate.

Video out-
Basic - one yellow RCA plug (same connector as some stereo speakers)
S-Video- one plug, looks like an old PS-2 mouse connector
Composite - three RCA plugs, red, green, blue
VGA - connects to TV or computer monitor
DVI - connects to HDTV or computer monitor

Audio out-
RCA - white and red plugs
Digital Coax - orange plug
Digital Optical - little squareish trap door

Video & Audio on the same cable-
Coax Cable - good old "cable tv" cable
HDMI - flat USB looking opening


So, you'll want to consider that you'll have to actually connect the Blu-Ray DVD player to something
- tv or computer monitor,
- and perhaps stereo or other speakers.

And then you get into the maze of cable types and options.

So, take a peek at the back of the TV or computer monitor that you're going to use to watch the movies on.

What type of connections are there, are there more than one?

Same goes for the sound, unless you're going to have the TV play all the sound.

If your TV only has "cable tv" style cable input aka "RF IN", or the RCA plugs (yellow and white and red) then you probably won't see any real difference in the picture quality.


Hal

I may sound like Andy Rooney for this but....

I was content with watching regular analog TV. (as long as the signal was good) The standard resolution it provided was good enough for me, and I'm sure millions of other people. I never heard people complain.

Along came High-Definition TV... Then people were forced into Digital (as is now happening, and will be the only way to view OTA TV once Feb 2009 comes along).

Indeed, Digital does have its advantages, but IMO the programming and overall content lacks punch and depth. I don't spend a lot of time watching TV partly because of all the crap out there. (a.k.a. those rediculous reality shows are one reason) The other reason is I like to enjoy time doing other worthwhile things in life.

Yes, I have a DVD player, and I do enjoy a good movie on occasion, that's why I got an HD Widescreen set.

Now along comes this BlueRay/HD format, and guess what?... I'm not going out to buy one!... WHY?... Because I have enough equipment now as it is. I shucked out $200 for a higher-end DVD player already. I'm not being forced/herded into getting another piece of equipment just because "It's the latest, greatest thing." I simply don't have any more room in the media cabinet.

My 1986 Deluxe VCR that cost $1000 still has a respectable place within the media cabinet, along with all the other stuff bought over the years. And all the hundreds of VHS movies I own will stay a resident of my home too. I'm done with "getting the latest gear..."

I suppose if you've got a huge screen, and are known for having guests over for "Movie Nite", sure, impress them, yourself, spend the money, get BlueRay...someone needs to fuel the economy.

I'm just over being a puppet to New Technology.

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Helpful info and interesting reflections...

Thanks much!

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Peace,

John

My Librarything

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My eBay World

. . . .