Abstract: The thrust for an advanced format of data storage on optical disc led to

revolutionary introduction of BLU-RAY DISC. This advances in the race against its

competitors DVD (Digital Video Disc) & AOD (Advanced Optical Disc) in that it has high

storage capacity, advanced security and privacy features and the audio video high quality

output (generally video) of the media files stored on it make’s it quite unique & gives an edge

over the others, letting BD to be widely adaptable in every application possible.

Surprisingly, the necessity for a next generation disc had begun in 1994 even before the

advent of the DVD in the market in 1996. The then scientists predicted the limitations of the

DVD format & begun working on BD even before DVD's release.

This paper essentially is confined with the structure, construction, reading issues &

advantages of the Blu-Ray Disc. To be effective, at every stage the disc is compared with

DVD

The Blu-ray Disc launched in 2006 with broad support from the movie, consumer

electronics, gaming, and computer industries. With the majority of the major motion picture

content committed to the Blu-ray Disc format, people believe that it is well-positioned to

succeed the CD and DVD as the next-generation optical disc standard.

A Blu-ray Disc is a disc capable of storing a data of size of around 50 – 100 GB which is the

most important feature that brought Blu-Ray Disc into the picture. For this reason, the BD-

ROM content protection system must be worldclass in its quality and robustness. This system

must protect intellectual property against unauthorized copying and large-scale

counterfeiting. At the same time, the system must allow customers the flexibility to manage

and enjoy copies of legally purchased content.

The Blu-ray Disc Association and third-party technology partners have developed a unique

BD-ROM content protection system to meet these requirements.

Keywords: Blue-Ray, Blue-Ray Disc Association, Data Capacity, Software standards,

Applications, Future

Introduction: The founding stones for the Blu Ray Disc technology were laid in 2002 by

the Blu Ray Disc Association (BDA) in an attempt to overcome the drawbacks in DVD's.

This attempt has almost reached the zenith & the world now is shortly about to use a disc of

an incredible storage capacity & with almost all the apex features incorporated, that ensures

user security and privacy and enables one to operate the disc in the most efficient and

convenient way ever imagined.

It is the name of a next-generation optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu -ray Disc

Association (BDA).The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of

high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The name Blu-ray is

derived from the underlying technology which utilizes a blue-violet laser to read and write

data. The name is a combination of "Blue" (blue-violet laser) and "Ray" (optical ray).

A Blu-ray Disc can store substantially more data than a DVD, because of the shorter

wavelength (405 nm) of the blue-violet laser (DVDs use a 650-nm-wavelength red laser and

CDs an infrared 780 nm laser), which allows more information to be stored digitally in the

same amount of space.

Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a next-generation optical disc

format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a group of the world's

leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media manufacturers (including Apple,

Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi, Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony,

TDK and Thomson). The format was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback

of high-definition video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers

more than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB on a

single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. This extra capacity combined with the use of

advanced video and audio codecs will offer consumers an unprecedented HD experience.

While current optical disc technologies such as DVD, DVD±R, DVD±RW, and DVD-RAM

rely on a red laser to read and write data, the new format uses a blue-violet laser instead,

hence the name Blu-ray. Despite the different type of lasers used, Blu-ray products can easily

be made backwards compatible with CDs and DVDs through the use of a BD/DVD/CD

compatible optical pickup unit. The benefit of using a blue-violet laser (405nm) is that it has

a shorter wavelength than a red laser (650nm), which makes it possible to focus the laser spot

with even greater precision. This allows data to be packed more tightly and stored in less

space, so it's possible to fit more data on the disc even though it's the same size as a

CD/DVD. This together with the change of numerical aperture to 0.85 is what enables Blu-

ray Discs to hold 25GB/50GB.

Blu-ray is currently supported by more than 170 of the world's leading consumer electronics,

personal computer, recording media, video game and music companies. The format also has

broad support from the major movie studios as a successor to today's DVD format. Seven of

the eight major movie studios have already announced titles for Blu-ray, including Warner,

Paramount, Fox, Disney, Sony, MGM and Lionsgate. The initial line-up is expected to

consist of over 100 titles and include recent hits as well as classics such as Batman Begins,

Desperado, Fantastic Four, Fifth Element, Hero, Ice Age, Kill Bill, Lethal Weapon, Mission

Impossible, Ocean's Twelve, Pirates of the Caribbean, Reservoir Dogs, Robocop, and The

Matrix. Many studios have also announced that they will begin releasing new feature films on

Blu-ray Disc day-and-date with DVD, as well as a continuous slate of catalog titles every

month.

It is currently competing with the HD DVD format for wide adoption as the preferred next

generation optical standard, similar to the videotape format war between VHS and Betamax.

As of 2006, neither format has succeeded in supplanting the present home video standard, the

DVD.

WHY BD?

Early in 1997, a new technology emerged that brought digital sound and video into homes all

over the world almost thrashing out the then conventional CD's. It was called DVD, and it

revolutionized the movie industry. This format ruled the market for over a span of 5 years, but

now is facing some very tight challenges. Here are some reasons why there’s been a rush to

change from the current format of DVD:

SIZE : A single-sided, standard DVD can hold 4.7 GB (gigabytes) of information. That's about

the size of an average two-hour, standard-definition movie with a few extra features. But a high-

definition movie, which has a much clearer image, takes up about five times more bandwidth and

therefore requires a disc with about five times more storage. As TV sets and movie studios make

the move to high definition, consumers are going to need playback systems with a lot more

storage capacity, which a DVD cannot support. Also, more space on a single disc invariably

results in higher disc size. This bulky size of the disc is neither convincing nor convenient.

SECURITY : CSS is toast, thanks to some smart programmers in Europe and some foolish

programmers at the now-defunct Xing Technologies. The group that created the DeCSS software

figured out how to break the encryption by reverse engineering Xing's DVD decryption key,

which wasn't properly protected. The end result is that DVDs can be copied as easily as music

CDs. The market hates the fact that the DVD format is now vulnerable and there's nothing they

can do about it, and are eager for a new format that is much more secure.

QUALITY : The final reason for the change is video quality. DVD video is presented in 480p, or

480 lines per screen, progressive scanned video. High Definition TV (HDTV) is presented in

720p or 1080i. You won't notice any difference without a high definition television, but if you do

have an HDTV set, the improvement in quality is very noticeable. The quality of the video o/p of

the media files on a DVD or a CD is not up to the mark.