Comparison between BD and DVD

Just as DVD meant a five to ten time increase in storage capacity compared to CD, Blu-ray Disc will increase DVD capacity by five to ten times. This is due, among other reasons, to the usage of a blue instead of a red laser and improved lens specifications, allowing for a much smaller focus laser beam which enables the recording of much smaller and higher density pits on the disc.

Due to the fact that the data layer on a Blu-ray Disc is placed much "closer" to the laser lens than in DVD (or even the HD-DVD proposal), there is less distortion resulting in significantly improved tolerances. Hence, more precision and ultra high storage densities are made possible.

As a result of Blu-ray Disc being manufactured as a single substrate disc comparable to CD, but unlike DVD (and the HD-DVD proposal), the manufacturing process does not involve the bonding of two substrates, resulting in less production material, a shorter production time and hence lower production costs per disc.

Blu-ray Disc has the same physical characteristics as DVD and CD, and like its predecessors, it also does not require a cartridge. This makes it possible to create Blu-ray Disc products that are backwards compatible with CD and DVD, allowing for a seamless transition to the new technology. Likewise, the technology is perfectly suitable for integration in small form factor equipment, like notebook computers.

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US Movie Rental Reviews: DVD and BD are still with us Temporarily

Previously, we've discussed about how long it would last before DVD and even BD disc disappear in our movie/video viewing experiences. As more and more US consumers adopt subscription streaming supported by Netflix or other services, the fact is that the majority feature-length movies are still rented on physical discs-DVD/BD or others.

As in streaming movie fields, Netflix actually surged past Apple in 2011 to be the largest US online movie service, but which still did change DVD and BD discs’ leading place in movie rental domain, when Netflix tried to separate its physical DVD rental from online services.

According to the leading market research company, The NPD Group, people are renting fewer movies as in the transition period of shifting from physical DVD/BD disc to streaming movies.

From the data of NDP’s report, we can see that DVDs and Blu-ray discs from Kiosks, brick-and-mortar retailers and Netflix Movies by mail reached 62% of the movie rental orders for the first half year of 2012. The rest amount of 32% was shared by subscription streaming, pay TV VOD, and Internet VOD. But the overlook picture of the movie rental is: figure of physical discs has declined by 17% while digital streaming movies increased by 5% during the past few years as a whole market trend.

Comments from expert (Russ Crupnick, senior vice president, industry analysis for The NPD Group.): “The movie-rental market is clearly undergoing a sea change, as consumers become better equipped to access on-demand and streamed movies and are more comfortable with available delivery options,” Crupnick said. “Even so renting physical discs from now-ubiquitous kiosks in grocery stores and other venues have taken the lead as the most popular movie-rental method in the U.S.” 

So we can tell, to some extent, physical discs of DVD and BD would be with us for the next few years probably. But as the analysts showed us, DVD and BD are losing their priority gradually. No matter what formats or ways that would be, good news is that it’s becoming more and more convenient. As users, just enjoy your movies. DVD collectors or BD lovers, what do you say?