Upgrading your entertainment system? DVD players have long since replaced video cassette players when it comes to watching movies at home and set top boxes and digital tuners will become the norm with the current national roll out of digital TV. Meanwhile, the introduction of 3D TVs is poised to take living room entertainment to a whole new level.

Blu Ray Player Toshiba

One of the most advanced technologies in digital entertainment has already been around for a number of years. Blu-ray discs were first introduced to the consumer market in 2003 as the advanced form of digital information storage. Seven years onwards, their popularity has increased but the bluray is still a comparative minority to standard DVD players - December polls suggest that 1 in 10 Australian households own a bluray player and consumer understanding of the technology was remarkably low.

Blu Ray Player Toshiba

Blu ray discs - understanding the difference

Blu ray players were made available on the Australian market over two years ago, and is now gathering steam as the high definition image player of choice. The main difference between blu ray discs and standard DVDs is the image quality - blu-ray discs offer a maximum resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, while DVD is limited to a 720 x 480 resolution. Beyond pixel resolution, Blu-ray also uses better video-compression methods for sharper contrast and more vibrant colours. Audio quality is also improved and blu ray offers unique interactive features such as pop-up menu displays and picture-in-picture commentary.

The major drawback to upgrading to blu ray is the price. The machines themselves cost quite a bit more than the average DVD player (which are now priced as low as 0). The media itself also tends to be more expensive, the average blu-ray movie can cost around 4 times that of a DVD and many older titles are also not yet available in this format. Many users have also noticed considerable differences in loading time for blu ray media.

If you are considering upgrading to bluray, one of the advantages is backwards compatibility - every bluray player is capable of playing back standard DVDs, so you won't have to replace your entire video collection.

What about HD DVD?

For a brief period of time, Toshiba had introduced another high definition format, the HD DVD. What resulted was a "format war" over which type of media would become the standard for HD media. However, in 2008, Toshiba officially pulled out of the "war: and announced that it would discontinue HD DVD production. This has cleared the way for bluray to be the preferred high definition media of choice and most new release titles are available as both blu ray & DVDs.

DVD vs Blu ray*

DVD

Maximum Resolution: 720 x 480 px

Storage Capacity: 4.7 GB (single layer), 8.5 GB (dual layer)

Media titles available (2008): 90,000 plus

Media prices (retail): and up

Blu-ray

Maximum Resolution: 1920 x 1080 px

Storage Capacity: 25 GB (single layer), 50 GB (dual layer)

Media titles available (2008): 1000

Media prices (retail): -

*Source: Cnet.com

Blu Ray Vs DVD - Understanding the Difference

Blu Ray Player Toshiba

CD Playback

Oct 29, 2011 06:51:58

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>> Click here to update Cheapest prices for Sony BDP-S301 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player BD/DVD/CD Playback <<

Sony BDP-S301 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player BD/DVD/CD Playback Feature

Full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema Video Output
DVD Upscaling to 1080p via HDMI
BRAVIA Theatre Sync (HDMI-CEC)
BD/DVD/CD playback(4) and AVC-HD with x.v.Color output
Multi-channel Linear PCM & Dolby Digital Plus Decoding

Sony BDP-S301 1080p Blu-ray Disc Player BD/DVD/CD Playback Overview

When it comes to appreciating the resolution gains of HDTV screens, standard DVD just doesn't make it. What you need is Blu-Ray high-definition discs. With the Sony BDP-S301, your high-definition home-theater system can output video in ultra-high-def 1080p resolution for extraordinary depth and detail with compatible TVs. Display images at 24 frames per second for your favorite movies. The S301 also has a built-in decoding for Dolby Digital Plus for richer, more dynamic sound. Use Bravia Theatre Sync HDMI-CEC to control your compatible Bravia TV and AV systems with just one remote. See and hear a whole new world of high definition with the incredible BDP-S301 Blu-ray Disc Player. It is also backward compatible and can play DVD and CD discs at their original, respective resolutions. Full HD 1080/60p and 24p True Cinema Video Output Standard DVD Upscaling to 1080p via HDMI connectivity Bravia Theatre Sync HDMI-CEC Cinema Tuned Picture Presets Uncompressed Multi Channel Linear PCM Audio Output Dolby Digital Plus decoding capability to experience surround sound through your home-theater audio system Dolby Digital and dts 5.1 channel Output Multi Channel 192KHz/24bit Audio D/A Converters Analog-to-Digital Converter - 192KHz/24bit Popup Menus for simple control and use Quick Set Up FL Display has selectable Off and Dimmer modes MP3 and JPEG Playback from DVD+R/+RW, DVD-R/-RW MP3 Player - Content must be in DVD+R/+RW/-R/-RW format / CDR and CDRW Outputs - HDMI Connection, Component Video (Y/Pb/Pr), S-Video, Composite Video, Optical Audio, Coaxial Audio Digital & 2-Channel Analog Audio Dimensions - 17 x 3 1/8 x 14 7/8-inches (430 x 79 x 375mm)