How does DVD compare with Blu-ray Disc (BD)?
The Blu-ray Disc (BD) format, released in 2006, was developed by most of the same companies that developed DVD. It’s the next generation “HD” version of DVD, where HD means both high definition (better video and audio) and high density (more storage capacity). BDs come in 25- and 50-Gbyte capacities, which can easily hold hours of high-definition video at resolutions of 1280×720 or 1920×1080 with multichannel audio tracks in compressed or uncompressed format. The interactivity of DVD has been significantly extended for BD, with menus that can pop up over the video as it plays. A version of the Java programming language is built into every BD player, so BDs can include games and other sophisticated programs. There is also an Internet-connected version, called BD-Live. BD-Live discs require a BD-Live player to work. Jim has been working on a BD FAQ for several years now but hasn’t found time to get it into shape to post. In the meantime you can buy his book, Blu-ray Disc Demystified, or
