What is the Difference Between Blu Ray and HD DVD?

As optical technology advances, chances are that you are confused by what is Blu ray and HD DVD, what exactly is the difference between HD DVD and Blu ray, and which is better, Blu ray or HD DVD - all these bring with the necessity for us to understand new devices and how they function. Here I intend to show you how these new technologies work, how they differ from each other so as to help you make an informed decision about which is better for you.

Blu ray vs. HD DVD

Apart from Blu ray discs look exactly the same as HD DVDs in size and shape, both of them employ Blue Laser technology (which has a much shorter wavelength than the red laser technology used in current DVD). They enables a disc the size of a current DVD disc (but, which much greater storage capacity than a standard DVD) to hold an entire film at HDTV resolution or allow the consumer to record two hours of high definition video content. However, there are many differences in capacity, codecs, data transfer rate, security and so on.

Let's figure out the different specification of Blu ray and HD DVD firstly.

In addition to what I have mentioned above, neither format is compatible with the other. Following I'll give you the difference between Blu ray format and HD DVD format.

Blu ray Format Support
Blu ray is supported on the hardware side by Apple, Denon, Hitachi, LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), Pioneer, Philips, Samsung (also supports HD DVD), Sharp, Sony, and Thomson (Note: Thomson also supported HD DVD).

On the software side, Blu ray is supported by Lions Gate, MGM, Miramax, Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Studios, New Line, and Warner. However, as the result of the discontinuation of HD DVD, Universal, Paramount, and Dreamworks are now on board with Blu ray. If you want to copy Blu ray DVD, you need special software called Blu ray ripper.

HD DVD Format Support
HD DVD has been supported on the hardware side by NEC, Onkyo, Samsung (also supports Blu ray) Sanyo, Thomson (Note: Thomson also supported Blu ray), and Toshiba.

On the software side, HD DVD has been supported by BCI, Dreamworks, Paramount Pictures, Studio Canal, and Universal Pictures, and Warner (only until May 2008 - at which time it will be Blu ray exclusive). Microsoft had also lent its support to HD DVD, but no longer, as Toshiba has ended HD DVD support.

NOTE: However, all HD DVD hardware and software support will be discontinued and shift to Blu ray by mid 2008. If, you intend to copy HD DVD to hard drive, you can use DVD Ripper.

Which is better, Blu ray or HD DVD?

Blu ray discs are more expensive, but hold more data. That's all. At this moment, which one is better is simply a matter of opinion since each technology is varied enough to argue its purpose to the industries for which they were intended.

Can I play a Blu-Ray disc with a HD DVD player?
Blu Ray Players - Play Blu ray and regular DVDs
HD Players - Plays hd and regular DVDs
Upconverting Players - Plays regular DVDs and upconverts the quality
Regular DVD players - only play regular DVDs