DVD and Blu-ray Product Guide

Discs have replaced cassettes. Virtually no new movies are available in VHS videocassette format. All are released in DVD or Blu-ray. DVD and Blu-ray appear similar but the Blu-ray disc (BD) uses a different recording method and stores over 10 times more information than a standard DVD. That allows Blu-ray to offer high-definition quality, significantly higher than a DVD. Blu-ray players cost more than DVD players but the great thing is that Blu-ray players are backward compatible. This means that a Blu-ray player can also be used to play DVD and CD discs.

A standard DVD is a digital disc that's about 5-inches in diameter and about as thin as a dime. It's really compact and is much easier to store. Depending on the recording speed, a DVD can hold over 6 hours. It uses a digital recording method. That means there is no degradation in sound or visual quality even if you've played the disc hundreds of times. It doesn't need rewinding or fast-forwarding; you can go right to the scene you want. Because music CD resembles a DVD, and uses a similar recording method, you can faithfully play CDs on your DVD player. Digital recording is more efficient than analog. Features are available on DVD that aren't even possible on videocassette.

Studios can add special background programs for movies. You can select subtitles in different languages. You may even listen to the film in different languages. Zoom in, out, and around scenes. Select wide-screen or standard presentation options. Most of all, prerecorded DVDs are true digital products that capture and preserve sound and images with the best fidelity and no signal loss, virtually identical in quality to the original version. Some models hold and play more than one DVD or CD (DVD Changer). In addition to stereo sound, many DVDs are also compatible for audio playback through surround sound home-theater audio systems. Most are recorded with 5.1 channel surround capability.

A DVD player for single DVD video or CD audio disc play is quite affordable, with many quality models starting around $50.00. You can even get portable DVD players with built-in screens that can be used in a car, boat, outdoors or indoors. New home-theater surround sound systems feature a DVD player, a radio, a 5.1 channel amplifier, and 5 speakers plus a subwoofer.

Most current DVD players can play DVD and CD discs available commercially and can also play most discs recorded on computers or camcorders. You can play many music, picture, and video files downloaded off the Internet.

New formats of the DVD have already been released to make way for high-definition video. One, developed by Sony, is called Blu-ray. The other, developed by Toshiba, is called HD-DVD. Compared to the DVDs you're accustomed to, they are similar in shape and size. It uses a different recording technology and has a capacity up to 50 GB (billions of bits of information) instead of 4.7GB found on a standard DVD. High-definition requires more information than standard DVD.

Standard (definition) DVD recordings are designed to provide a maximum resolution of 480 (about 720x480). High Definition has two main modes - 720 (typically 1366x720) and 1080 (about 1900x1080).

High-definition DVDs can not be played on standard DVD players. But standard DVD discs may be played on a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player.

There are also affordable home-theater surround sound systems feature a DVD player, a radio, a 5.1 channel amplifier, and 5 speakers plus a subwoofer. Sound systems are priced as low as less than $200 and up to $2000. Typically, one within a $350 to $600 range will please most listeners. A few system even include a Blu-ray player.

Blu-ray gets its name from the different record/playback method it uses. DVD and CD discs are written with a red laser beam. A blue beam is used for Blu-ray. While a standard DVD can hold 4.77 billion bytes of information, a Blu-ray disc holds around 50 billion bytes. Then again, all DVD video recordings are typically 720x480 in resolution. Blu-ray recordings can deliver up to 1920x1080 video resolution. 1920x1080 is considered the optimal high-definition. Most HDTV screens are 1080p. There's an apparent difference in visual quality from a movie on a DVD than the same on a Blu-ray. While both may seem visually fine, the Blu-ray images are much sharper and deliver more colors and depth than the DVD version.

As far as sound is concerned, a DVD is capable of delivering 5.1 channels of surround. A Blu-ray recording can currently deliver up to 7.1 channels of surround sound. Of course, you'd need a compatible sound system to appreciate the difference.

Blu-ray players start selling at around $100 but can rise above $300. There are many features added to some higher priced models. These are hardware based designed to allow interaction with special features available on aq compatible BD (Blu-ray disc). Blu-ray players are backward compatible to play DVD and CD discs, at their respective resolutions.

Yes, most definitely.

While DVD recorder drives have been available for computers over several years, more DVD recorder component drives are available for living-room/home-theater. For computers, recording a DVD is referred as "burning" because computer drives have the ability to record a DVD at an accelerated speed. Home-Theater DVD recorders don't necessarily have that range of ability.

Typically, a home DVD recorder resembles a VHS VCR. Most have a TV tuner so you can record television programs directly from an antenna or a Satellite/Cable source. Most also have timers. Some may not record in a 16:9 widescreen mode.

If you have a large VHS collection, especially personal VHS recordings, you may opt for a combo device consisting of a VHS VCR and a DVD Recorder. It provides an easy way to convert your videocassettes into DVD. Because a DVD is digital media, it is an archival method for storing your precious recordings. Also, as VHS machines gradually become obsolete, it's wiser to convert your VHS recordings to DVD (copy-protected tapes may not transfer to DVD).

At this time, there are no readily available Blu-ray disc recorders. At this point, there are only a few BD recorder drives designed for computers.

No.

Recordings are made in 480i just like a Super-VHS VCR and most standard definition TV models.

Progressive Scan is a technology that's included in most DVD players. Most of the TV that you're accustomed to uses an Interlace system. Progressive is a newer system that brings out more color and sharpness from progressive-encoded DVD recordings.

Most TVs sold in the United States use 110 Volts AC at 60Hz (60 cycles per second). This means that the TV screen turns on and shuts off at a rate of 60 times per second. An image appears on the TV screen 30 times a second (1/30th second). This is so fast that the human eye can't see it. Progressive Scan works with what happens on the surface of your TV screen each time an image appears.

Virtually all standard TVs display about 50% of the visual information each time the image appears for that 1/30th of a second - Interlace (meaning only 1/2-of the TV screen is presented each 1/30th of a second). When 100% of the visual information at each 1/30th of a second (or faster), that's Progressive Scan. This means that the image you see will be brighter, sharper and contain more detail than the image you might see on a standard TV.

Most DVD recordings made since 2000 are progressive-scan capable. To view in Progressive-Scan, you need:

1. A progressive-scan DVD
2. A progressive-scan compatible DVD player with a component-video output or HDMI
3. A digital-compatible TV with a component-video input or HDMI

Progressive-Scan video offers a marked improvement over the standard images produced by a TV. 480p is not HDTV but 720p and 1080p are. Typical DVD players are capable of delivering up to 480p.

The outputs and inputs on DVD players differ from one player to another. Cheaper players tend to have standard RCA plugs for video and audio, just like the type you find on VCRs. Nearly all DVD players have an optional S-Video and component video connection. With audio, you need to make sure that if you want Dolby Digital sound, your receiver is compatible.

Connecting Video

There are a number of different ways to transfer the video signal from your DVD player to your television. Depending on what's available on the back of your player, you can hook your video signal to your television one of three ways: through component video, S-Video or composite video.

Component Video

For the sharpest and most colorful picture possible, higher end DVD players usually have a Component video connection, which presents itself as three separate jacks on the back of a DVD player labeled Y, Pb and Pr. You need component video jacks on either your television set or receiver to see the best possible picture. With component video, information is transferred in its original form from the DVD to your television, giving you the best possible color and resolution. Component video wires are sometimes not included with the sale of your player, so you may need to purchase them separately. Component Video is the minimum connection required for Progressive-Scan video play.

S-Video

After component video, the next best video connection would be through S-Video. The S-Video link is done through a single video wire that looks very different from the standard RCA wires. S-Video separates the black and white video from the color information, providing better color reproduction and less video noise than with standard RF and RCA connections.

Composite Video

This is the type of connection you find with a VCR, which is simply a standard RCA plug for video and audio out. Composite video squeezes video signals into one cable giving you limited color fidelity and resolution.

HDMI

This new connector is found on most DVD players and recorders. It combines both audio and video in a single connection and is engineered to support high-definition video and audio. HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is an all-digital audio/video interface. By delivering crystal-clear, all-digital audio and video via a single cable, HDMI dramatically simplifies cabling and helps provide consumers with the highest-quality home theater experience. HDMI provides an interface between any audio/video source, such as a set-top box, DVD player, or A/V receiver and an audio and/or video monitor, such as a digital television (DTV), over a single cable. Although developed for Digital and HDTV capabilities, it can deliver progressive-scan capabilities for standard TV.

Here's where things get a little messy. Some DVD player manufacturers claim that connecting HDMI to their DVD player makes an upconversion to 720p or, even, 1080p. That simply isn't the case. It may appear slightly better than the 480p connection you'd get using a component-video cable but the source signal is still 480p.

To obtain a high-definition signal from a Blu-ray or HD-DVD player, you must use HDMI.

Because HDMI integrates audio and video connectivity in one cable, connections are neater and simpler. It is capable of delivering up to 7.1 channels surround-sound (where applicable).

In addition to 2-channel stereo, many DVD players have connection ports for 5.1 channels of surround sound that are Dolby Digital or DTS compatible. You need a surround sound compatible audio receiver with 5 speakers and a subwoofer.

There are several home audio systems that come with a DVD player, 5 speakers and a subwoofer. They have very good DVD players and are a easy way to build a home theater system. Most of them are identified as Home Theater in a Box (HTIB). You can find them here: http://www.jr.com/category/audio/audio-systems/home-theater-surround/