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?　

Will DVD soon be Replaced by BD?

DVD seemed to lose its favor over the years; more and more people tend to watch movies online. If for better effects, they usually would prefer Blu-ray movies rather than DVD ones. So people would wonder if DVD would be replaced?　Just the way it took the place of VCD years earlier.

With great improvements in BD technology, digital HD and 3D demand (for better UE), BD’s march to people’s life becomes possible and needful. Back to the BDA’s reference in 2011, BD showed its great possibility to the world’s media industry.

Will DVD be displaced then?

Pros:
It’s just a matter of time; DVDs will be taken over by BD, sooner or later. It’s how technology moves: isn’t DVD the replacement of VHS, VCD back to the late 1990s’, to some extent?　
BD could provide better visual effects, audio and video quality.
BD also possesses larger storage volume of 25 GB which is about 10 times that of DVD.
HD TV and 3D effects requirement are acting as accelerator for BD’s promotion. That’s to say, BD can meet people’s needs for visual enjoyment to the most.
And more and more laptops even do not contain a DVD driver which makes it impossible to view DVD movies in laptop for some.

Cons:
In a general way, BD does takes too much to afford for many people, far more than that of DVD.
Both the disc and the player, which would be a real headache, stop it’s becoming widely-used. Worse still, there are always poor pirated so-called BD disc (could be cheap as DVD or even cheaper) would cause bad impact to BD.
There is lacking of BD movie source, many blockbusters would not be available these days.
Besides, HD online video players, HD TV, are also taking part into this video battle to win its own place. Online 3D and HD videos are becoming easier and easier to obtain.

Since its launch back to 2000, Blu-ray took 3 years for the original model. By the year of 2006, commercial applications began, just for 1 and half years’ time, it beat HD DVD. According to the research data of In-Stat, the selling share in North American of BD and DVD was 38% and 62% separately. Japan, as the birthplace of BD still remains as the biggest consuming market. And till the end of 2010, the number of users from the large video rental company that have chosen BD has reached up to 15%. In-Stat predicted that 2015 would be DVD’s last year when BD rules the markets.

The fact is that newly-risen technology would like to be subtitle to the older one. Or may there exits some tech. else of even more astonishing features than BD? To me, I would most likely to choose affordable ones, and convenient ones. Probably streaming media, online movies would be my personal choices; all I need is just network and laptop. What do you say?　

Movies: DVD or Stream Media Online? Probably BD

Many analysts believe that DVDs are doomed to be disappear, although once as a main media of movies/videos, with the development of digital version movies uploaded online, there's little room for its existence. Worse still, the new risen Blu-ray HD movies also rub salt to the wounds. Sooner or later, DVD will leave us.

DVD collectors may feel disappointed about such result, while the sell of DVDs or the years were going down at a rapid speed. Not just from the stress of Blu-ray, some of the newly-released laptops even do not have a built-in DVD driver which makes it harder for DVD's survival. These somehow force people to watch videos or movies through the modern way-online viewing, what we call streaming media. Continuous, real-time and temporality, these three outstanding features out weight some limitations of streaming media. Viewing online, you need no driver, no waiting, even portable devices like cell phone, pad, or pc, which do have no DVD driver.

One biggest problem of watching through streaming media online is that you have to pay for it. And it allows you to watch it in 24 hours only, otherwise you have to repay it. Besides, it actually costs almost the same as a DVD.

One more thing, people would like the background story that may be embedded at the end of the DVD movies, some even include another end of the movies. After all, you have to wait for months or maybe longer for the movies set online for people to pay and watch.

To some extent, the statistics below could tell something (image from MacRumours)

Personally, I'll choose online movies mostly, however, I prefer the way DVD is, maybe as a collector's choice. It can store your data, and you don't have to worry about the network, or the limitation of certain data stream. What do you think? Will DVDs still be alive years later? Or will BD die as well?