Blu-ray#Blu-ray 3D

File:schouhamerimmink.jpg received a personal Emmy award for his pioneering contributions to the DVD and the Blu-ray Disc.]]

The information density of the DVD format was limited by the wavelength of the laser diodes used. Following protracted development, blue laser diodes operating at 405 nanometers became available on a production basis, allowing for the development of a denser storage format that could hold higher-definition media, with prototype discs made with diodes at a slightly longer wavelength of 407 nanometers in October 1998.{{cite web |url=https://www.nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com/Database/98_Oct/29/New.03.gwif.html |title=Sony Unveils Prototype 20GB Rewritable Optical Disk |date=October 29, 1998 |website=Nikkei Business Daily |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19991113134100/https://www.nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com/Database/98_Oct/29/New.03.gwif.html |archive-date=November 13, 1999 |url-status=dead |access-date=October 30, 2019 }} Sony commenced two projects in collaboration with Panasonic, Philips, and TDK,{{Cite web|url=https://inlatest.com/20101102199/bluray-emmy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111116205548/https://inlatest.com/20101102199/bluray-emmy|url-status=dead|title="Panasonic, Sony, Philips and TDK Awarded Emmy For Blu-ray Contribution"|archive-date=November 16, 2011}} applying the new diodes: UDO (Ultra Density Optical),{{cite web |url=https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/200011/00-54E1/ |title=Sony Develops Next Generation Optical Disk Storage System For the Data Server Market |date=November 1, 2000 |publisher=Sony |access-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702092709/https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/200011/00-54E1/ |archive-date=July 2, 2011 |url-status=live }} and DVR Blue (together with Pioneer),{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/31062/new_highcapacity_dvd_to_hold_225gb.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100601063200/https://www.pcworld.com/article/31062/new_highcapacity_dvd_to_hold_225gb.html |archive-date=June 1, 2010 |title=New High-Capacity DVD to Hold 22.5GB |date=October 5, 2000 |last=Williams |first=Martyn |work=PCWorld |access-date=June 15, 2011}} a format of rewritable discs that would eventually become Blu-ray Disc (more specifically, BD-RE). The core technologies of the formats are similar. The first DVR Blue prototypes were unveiled by Sony at the CEATEC exhibition in October 2000.{{cite web |url=https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=4922 |title=Sony Shows 'DVR-Blue' Prototype |access-date=October 17, 2007 |date=October 11, 2000 |work=CD R Info |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070926232228/https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=4922 |archive-date=September 26, 2007 |url-status=live }} A trademark for the "Blue Disc" logo was filed on February 9, 2001.{{cite web |url=https://www.trademarkia.com/blue-disc-b-76207670.html |title=Blue Disc B{{snd}}Trademark by Blu-ray Disc Association Universal City, CA{{snd}}Serial Number: 76207670 |access-date=September 19, 2010 |work=Trademarkia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717083125/https://www.trademarkia.com/blue-disc-b-76207670.html |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |url-status=live }} On February 19, 2002, the project was officially announced as Blu-ray Disc,{{cite web |first=Barry |last=Fox |url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1952.html |title=Replacement for DVD unveiled |access-date=October 17, 2007 |date=February 19, 2002 |work=New Scientist |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815201040/https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1952.html |archive-date=August 15, 2007 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |date=May 20, 2002 |url=https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/200205/02-0520E/ |title=Disclosure of Specifications for Large Capacity Optical Disc Recording Format Utilizing Blue-Violet Laser "Blu-ray Disc" Begins |access-date=March 16, 2009 |publisher=Sony |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603135543/https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press_Archive/200205/02-0520E/ |archive-date=June 3, 2009 |url-status=live}} and Blu-ray Disc Founders was founded by the nine initial members.

The first consumer device arrived in stores on April 10, 2003: the Sony BDZ-S77, a US$3,800 BD-RE recorder that was made available only in Japan.{{cite web |first=Maxim |last=Liadov |url=https://www.pricenfees.com/digit-life-archives/sony-bdz-s77-recorder-review |title=Sony BDZ-S77 Recorder Review |access-date=October 19, 2007 |work=Pricenfees |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202062709/https://www.pricenfees.com/digit-life-archives/sony-bdz-s77-recorder-review |archive-date=February 2, 2017 |url-status=live}} However, there was no standard for pre-recorded video, and no movies were released for this player. Hollywood studios insisted that players be equipped with digital rights management before they would release movies for the new format, and they wanted a new DRM system that would protect more against unauthorized copying than the failed Content Scramble System (CSS) used on DVDs. On October 4, 2004, the name Blu-ray Disc Founders was officially changed to the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), and 20th Century Fox joined the BDA's Board of Directors.{{cite web |title=Fox trots towards Blu-ray |url=https://www.itworld.com/041004foxbluray |access-date=March 16, 2009 |date=October 4, 2002 |publisher=ITworld |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090602061415/https://www.itworld.com/041004foxbluray |archive-date=June 2, 2009 |url-status=live}} The Blu-ray Disc physical specifications were completed in 2004.{{cite web |first=Martyn |last=Williams |date=August 5, 2004 |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/117242/article.html |title=New Blu-ray Details Emerge |access-date=October 17, 2007 |work=PCWorld |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150717172217/https://www.pcworld.com/article/117242/article.html |archive-date=July 17, 2015 |url-status=live}}

The recording layer on which the data is stored lies under a {{val|0.1|ul=mm}} protective layer and on top of a {{val|1.1|u=mm}} substrate made of polycarbonate plastic, compared to {{val|0.6|u=mm}} on either side on DVDs. Sony also announced in April 2004 a version using paper as the substrate developed with Toppan Printing, with up to 25{{nbs}}GB storage.{{cite press release |title=TOPPAN and Sony Successfully Develop 25GB Paper Disc |date=April 15, 2004 |publisher=Sony |url=https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/200404/04-0415E/ |accessdate=April 15, 2008}}.{{Cite conference |conference=Optical Data Storage Topical Meeting, 2004, Monterey, California, US |date=September 9, 2004 |title=A 25-GB paper disc based on the blu-ray structure |last=Yamasaki |first=Takeshi |author2=Toshiro Kinoshita |author3=Masayuki Taniguchi |author4=Tomomi Yukumoto |editor=B. V. K. Vijaya Kumar |editor2=Hiromichi Kobori |pages=21–27 |volume=5380 |journal=Proceedings of SPIE |doi=10.1117/12.557516 |s2cid=110365697}}

In January 2005, TDK announced that it had developed an ultra-hard yet very thin polymer coating called Durabis for Blu-ray Discs; this was a significant technical advance because a far tougher protection was desired in the consumer market to protect bare discs against scratching and damage compared to DVD, given that Blu-ray Discs technically required a much thinner layer for the denser and higher-frequency blue laser.{{cite web |url=https://www.physorg.com/news2615.html |title=Exclusive TDK Durabis Coating Technology Makes Cartridge-Free, Ultra-Durable Blu-ray Discs a Reality |access-date=October 18, 2007 |date=January 9, 2005 |work=Phys.Org |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217100437/https://www.physorg.com/news2615.html |archive-date=December 17, 2007 |url-status=live }} Cartridges, originally used for scratch protection, were no longer necessary and were scrapped. The BD-ROM specifications were finalized in early 2006.{{cite web |last=Smith |first=Tony |title=Blu-ray Disc developers complete specification |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/06/blu-ray_spec_done/ |url-status=live |date=January 6, 2006 |access-date=October 17, 2007 |work=The Register |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103013400/https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/01/06/blu-ray_spec_done/ |archive-date=November 3, 2007 }}

Advanced Access Content System Licensing Administrator (AACS LA), a consortium founded in 2004,{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2004/07/64212 |title=Can Odd Alliance Beat Pirates? |access-date=October 19, 2007 |first=Katie |last=Dean |date=July 15, 2004 |magazine=Wired |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218001722/https://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2004/07/64212 |archive-date=December 18, 2008 |url-status=live }} had been developing the DRM platform that could be used to distribute movies to consumers while preventing copying. However, the final AACS standard was delayed,{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/id,123924-page,1/article.html |title=Toshiba Hints at HD DVD Delay |access-date=October 19, 2007 |first=Martyn |last=Williams |date=December 14, 2005 |work=PCWorld |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071005171717/https://www.pcworld.com/article/id%2C123924-page%2C1/article.html |archive-date=October 5, 2007 |url-status=live }} and then delayed again when an important member of the Blu-ray Disc group voiced concerns.{{cite web |url=https://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/69559 |title=AACS copy protection for Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD delayed again |access-date=October 19, 2007 |first=Craig |last=Morris |date=February 14, 2006 |work=Heise |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102222432/https://www.heise.de/english/newsticker/news/69559 |archive-date=November 2, 2007 }} At the request of the initial hardware manufacturers, including Toshiba, Pioneer, and Samsung, an interim standard was published that did not include some features, such as managed copy, which would have let end users create copies limited to personal use.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/id,124961-page,1/article.html |title=Burning Questions: No Copying From First High-Def Players |access-date=October 19, 2007 |first=Melissa J. |last=Perenson |date=March 21, 2006 |work=PCWorld |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071009194043/https://www.pcworld.com/article/id,124961-page,1/article.html |archive-date=October 9, 2007 |url-status=live }}

The first BD-ROM players (Samsung BD-P1000) were shipped in mid-June 2006, though HD DVD players beat them to market by a few months.{{cite web |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/toshiba-starts-selling-hd-dvd-players-in-japan |title=Toshiba Starts Selling HD DVD Players in Japan |access-date=October 17, 2007 |date=March 31, 2006 |work=Fox News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106045339/https://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,189960,00.html |archive-date=November 6, 2007 |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1977327,00.asp |title=Samsung Ships the First Blu-ray Player |access-date=October 17, 2007 |first=Dan |last=Costa |date=June 15, 2006 |magazine=PC Magazine |archive-date=December 6, 2012 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20121206041806/https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,1977327,00.asp |url-status=live }} The first Blu-ray Disc titles were released on June 20, 2006: 50 First Dates, The Fifth Element, Hitch, House of Flying Daggers, Underworld: Evolution, xXx (all from Sony), and MGM's The Terminator.[https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Sony/Disc_Announcements/Sony_Rearranges_Blu-ray_Release_Schedule/107 Sony Rearranges Blu-ray Release Schedule] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100607073853/https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Sony/Disc_Announcements/Sony_Rearranges_Blu-ray_Release_Schedule/107 |date=June 7, 2010}}. High-Def Digest, June 15, 2006. The earliest releases used MPEG-2 video compression, the same method used on standard DVDs. The first releases using the newer VC-1 and AVC formats were introduced in September 2006.[https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Warner/Disc_Announcements/Full_Specs_in_for_Warners_Sept_26_Lineup_Studio_to_Go_VC-1_for_Blu-ray/209 Full Specs in for Warner's September 26 Lineup; Studio to Go VC-1 for Blu-ray?] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070909072308/https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Warner/Disc_Announcements/Full_Specs_in_for_Warners_Sept_26_Lineup_Studio_to_Go_VC-1_for_Blu-ray/209 |date=September 9, 2007 }}, BLU-RAY NEWS, High-Def Digest, August 30, 2006. The first movies using 50{{nbs}}GB dual-layer discs were introduced in October 2006.

{{cite web |url=https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/click.html |title=Click: Blu-ray Disc review |access-date=September 15, 2007 |date=October 10, 2006 |last=Bracke |first=Peter M. |work=High-Def Digest |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914020236/https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/click.html |archive-date=September 14, 2007 |url-status=live }} The first audio-only albums were released in May 2008.[https://www.2l.no/pages/album/068.html Trondheimsolistene – in folk style] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927155016/https://www.2l.no/pages/album/068.html |date=September 27, 2011 }}, 2L the Nordic sound website May 2008, Trondheim Soloists Wiki[https://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/272252/htf-blu-ray-audio-review-nine-inch-nails-ghosts-i-iv HTForum] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928044856/https://www.hometheaterforum.com/forum/thread/272252/htf-blu-ray-audio-review-nine-inch-nails-ghosts-i-iv |date=September 28, 2011 }} web review, [https://ghosts.nin.com/main/order_options Ghosts I-IV Deluxe Edition Package (HALO Twenty Six DE)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817054254/https://ghosts.nin.com/main/order_options |date=August 17, 2011 }} NIN order site May 1, 2008 Ghosts I-IV Wiki

By June 2008, over 2,500 Blu-ray Disc titles were available in Australia and the United Kingdom, with 3,500 in the United States and Canada.{{Cite news |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?show=nowavailable |title=Now Available |publisher=Blu-ray.com |access-date=October 22, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081018221407/https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/movies.php?show=nowavailable |archive-date=October 18, 2008 |url-status=live }} In Japan, over 3,300 titles had been released as of July 2010.{{Cite news |url=https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/bdhdship/ |title=Blu-ray/HD DVD releases in Japan |publisher=AV Watch |access-date=August 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828181018/https://www.watch.impress.co.jp/av/docs/bdhdship/ |archive-date=August 28, 2008 }}

{{main|High-definition optical disc format war}}

The DVD Forum, chaired by Toshiba, was split over whether to develop the more expensive blue laser technology. In March 2002 the forum approved a proposal, which was endorsed by Warner Bros. and other motion picture studios. The proposal involved compressing high-definition video onto dual-layer standard DVD-9 discs.{{cite web |url=https://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020301S0091 |title=Picture's fuzzy for DVD |access-date=October 19, 2007 |first=Junko |last=Yoshida |date=March 1, 2002 |work=EE Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080828181414/https://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20020301S0091 |archive-date=August 28, 2008 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20011212S0060 |title=Forum to weigh Microsoft's Corona as DVD encoder |access-date=October 19, 2007 |first=Junko |last=Yoshida |date=December 12, 2001 |work=EE Times |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040405161852/https://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20011212S0060 |archive-date=April 5, 2004 |url-status=live }} In spite of this decision, however, the DVD Forum's Steering Committee announced in April that it was pursuing its own blue-laser high-definition video solution. In August, Toshiba and NEC announced their competing standard, the Advanced Optical Disc.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/id,104570-page,1/article.html |title=Toshiba, NEC Share Details of Blue-Laser Storage |access-date=October 18, 2007 |date=August 29, 2002 |work=PCWorld |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106000320/https://www.pcworld.com/article/id%2C104570-page%2C1/article.html |archive-date=November 6, 2007 }} It was finally adopted by the DVD Forum and renamed HD DVD the next year,{{cite web |url=https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1044249/dvd-forum-backs-toshiba-nec-format |title=DVD Forum backs Toshiba-NEC format |access-date=October 18, 2007 |date=November 28, 2003 |work=The Inquirer |publisher=Incisive Financial Publishing Limited |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729231421/https://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1044249/dvd-forum-backs-toshiba-nec-format |archive-date=July 29, 2014 |url-status=dead}} after being voted down twice by DVD Forum members who were also Blu-ray Disc Association members—a situation that drew preliminary investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice.{{cite web |url=https://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6458096.html |title=Opinion: Trust's worth |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070804053736/https://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6458096.html |archive-date=August 4, 2007 |date=July 6, 2007 |last=Sweeting |first=Paul}}

HD DVD had a head start in the high-definition video market, as Blu-ray Disc sales were slow to gain market share. The first Blu-ray Disc player was perceived as expensive and buggy, and there were few titles available.{{cite web |url=https://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/samsung-bd-p1000/4505-6463_7-31799185.html#more |title=Samsung BD-P1000 Review |access-date=October 18, 2007 |first=David |last=Katzmaier |date=June 30, 2006 |work=CNET |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021072645/https://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/samsung-bd-p1000/4505-6463_7-31799185.html#more |archive-date=October 21, 2007 |url-status=live }}

The Sony PlayStation 3, which contained a Blu-ray Disc player for primary storage, helped support Blu-ray.{{cite news |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=/connected/2008/02/23/dlclaud123.xml |title=Blu-ray Wins{{snd}}Telegraph |date=February 23, 2008 |newspaper=The Telegraph (UK) |access-date=February 23, 2008 |location=London |first=Claudine |last=Beaumont |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080226094151/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/connected/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fconnected%2F2008%2F02%2F23%2Fdlclaud123.xml |archive-date=February 26, 2008 }} Sony also ran a more thorough and influential marketing campaign for the format.{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7252506.stm |title=How the PS3 led Blu-ray's triumph |work=BBC News |first=Will |last=Smale |date=February 19, 2008 |access-date=February 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225164245/https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7252506.stm |archive-date=February 25, 2008 |url-status=live }} AVCHD camcorders were also introduced in 2006. These recordings can be played back on many Blu-ray Disc players without re-encoding but are not compatible with HD DVD players. By January 2007, Blu-ray Discs had outsold HD DVDs,{{cite web |last=Prange |first=Stephanie |url=https://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?article_id=10323 |url-status=dead |title=Blu-ray Tips Scales |date=February 23, 2007 |access-date=October 18, 2007 |work=Home Media Magazine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071114230056/https://www.homemediamagazine.com/news/html/breaking_article.cfm?article_id=10323 |archive-date=November 14, 2007 }} and during the first three quarters of 2007, BD outsold HD DVD by about two to one. At CES 2007, Warner proposed Total Hi Def—a hybrid disc containing Blu-ray on one side and HD DVD on the other, but it was never released.

On June 28, 2007, 20th Century Fox cited Blu-ray Discs' adoption of the BD+ anticopying system as key to their decision to support the Blu-ray Disc format.{{cite web |url=https://www.bdplusllc.com/news |title=BD+ Technologies Launches Content Protection Licensing Program |publisher=BD+ Technologies, LLC |date=June 28, 2007 |access-date=March 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090307122915/https://bdplusllc.com/news |archive-date=March 7, 2009 |url-status=live }}{{cite magazine |url=https://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/02/how-crypto-won.html |title=How Crypto Won the DVD War |magazine=Wired |first=Ryan |last=Singel |date=February 26, 2008 |access-date=February 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080301215043/https://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/02/how-crypto-won.html |archive-date=March 1, 2008 |url-status=live }}

On January 4, 2008, a day before CES 2008, Warner Bros., the only major studio still releasing movies in both HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc format, announced that it would release only in Blu-ray after May 2008.{{cite web |last=Carnoy |first=David |title=Warner goes Blu-ray exclusively, delivering crushing blow to HD DVD |url=https://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9840585-1.html |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc |access-date=January 4, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081004154257/https://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-9840585-1.html |archive-date=October 4, 2008 |url-status=live }} This effectively included other studios that came under the Warner umbrella, such as New Line Cinema and HBO—though in Europe, HBO's distribution partner, the BBC, announced it would continue to release product on both formats while keeping an eye on market forces. This led to a chain reaction in the industry, with major American retailers such as Best Buy, Walmart, and Circuit City and Canadian chains such as Future Shop dropping HD DVD in their stores. Woolworths, then a major European retailer, dropped HD DVD from its inventory.{{cite web |last=Bangeman |first=Eric |title=Consumers, analysts, retailers give HD DVD the cold shoulder |url=https://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2008/01/consumers-analysts-retailers-give-hd-dvd-the-cold-shoulder.ars |url-status=live |website=Ars Technica |date=January 29, 2008 |access-date=October 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218090829/https://arstechnica.com/hardware/news/2008/01/consumers-analysts-retailers-give-hd-dvd-the-cold-shoulder.ars |archive-date=February 18, 2011 }} Major DVD rental companies Netflix and Blockbuster said they would no longer carry HD DVD.

Following these new developments, on February 19, 2008, Toshiba announced it would end production of HD DVD devices,{{cite news |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7252172.stm |title=Toshiba drops out of the HD DVD war |access-date=February 19, 2008 |work=BBC News |date=February 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080223090011/https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7252172.stm |archive-date=February 23, 2008 |url-status=live }} allowing Blu-ray Disc to become the industry standard for high-density optical discs. Universal Studios, the sole major studio to back HD DVD since its inception, said shortly after Toshiba's announcement: "While Universal values the close partnership we have shared with Toshiba, it is time to turn our focus to releasing new and catalog titles on Blu-ray Disc."{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bluray20feb20,0,5286548.story?page=2 |title=Blu-ray winner by KO in high-definition war |access-date=February 22, 2008 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=February 20, 2008 |first1=Dawn C. |last1=Chmielewski |first2=Bruce |last2=Wallace |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080324113847/https://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bluray20feb20%2C0%2C5286548.story?page=2 |archive-date=March 24, 2008 |url-status=dead }} Paramount Pictures, which started releasing movies only in HD DVD format during late 2007, also said it would start releasing on Blu-ray Disc. Both studios announced initial Blu-ray lineups in May 2008. With this, all major Hollywood studios supported Blu-ray.{{Cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN2118265320080221 |title=All Hollywood studios now lined up behind Blu-ray |publisher=Reuters (the Hollywood Reporter) |access-date=February 21, 2008 |date=February 21, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225172909/https://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN2118265320080221 |archive-date=February 25, 2008 |url-status=live }}

{{update|date=April 2018}}

File:Blu-ray 200GB.png

Although the Blu-ray Disc specification has been finalized, engineers continue to work on advancing the technology. By 2005, quad-layer (100{{nbs}}GB){{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2005-05-19-tdk-announces-100gb-blu-ray-disc.html|title=TDK announces 100GB Blu-ray disc|website=Engadget|date=May 19, 2005 |access-date=September 3, 2020|archive-date=September 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914232947/https://www.engadget.com/2005-05-19-tdk-announces-100gb-blu-ray-disc.html|url-status=live}} discs had been demonstrated on a drive with modified optics{{cite web |url=https://www.tdk.com/procommon/press/article.asp?site=con&recid=3 |title=TDK Announces 100GB Blue Laser Disc Technology |publisher=TDK |access-date=September 27, 2007 |year=2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106052909/https://www.tdk.com/procommon/press/article.asp?site=con&recid=3 |archive-date=November 6, 2007}} and standard unaltered optics.{{cite web |url=https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=19493 |title=Hitachi Demos Four-Layer Blu-ray Disc Playback |publisher=cdrinfo.xom |access-date=September 27, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011095546/https://cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=19493 |archive-date=October 11, 2007 |url-status=live }} Hitachi stated that such a disc could be used to store 7{{nbs}}hours of {{nowrap|32 Mbit/s}} video (HDTV) or 3{{nbs}}hours and 30{{nbs}}minutes of {{nowrap|64 Mbit/s}} video (ultra-high-definition television). In April 2006, TDK canceled plans to produce 8-layer 200{{nbs}}GB Blu-ray Discs.{{cite web |title=TDK: Ok, we're done with the 200GB recordable Blu-Ray |url=https://www.engadget.com/2006-04-28-tdk-ok-were-done-with-the-200gb-recordable-blu-ray.html |website=Engadget |date=April 28, 2006 |access-date=September 3, 2020 |archive-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411071754/https://www.engadget.com/2006-04-28-tdk-ok-were-done-with-the-200gb-recordable-blu-ray.html |url-status=live }} In August 2006, TDK announced that it had created a working experimental Blu-ray Disc capable of holding 200{{nbs}}GB of data on a single side, using six 33{{nbs}}GB data layers.{{cite press release |title=TDK Announces Blue Laser Disc Technology to Support 200{{nbs}}GB Capacity |url=https://www.tdk.com/procommon/press/article.asp?site=con&recid=127 |publisher=TDK |date=August 31, 2006 |access-date=November 27, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061216235637/https://www.tdk.com/procommon/press/article.asp?site=con&recid=127 |archive-date=December 16, 2006 |url-status=dead }} In 2007, Hitachi was reported to have plans to produce 200{{nbs}}GB discs by 2009.{{cite web |title=Hitachi to produce 200GB Blu-ray disc in 2009 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-05-19-hitachi-to-produce-200gb-blu-ray-disc-in-2009.html |website=Engadget |date=May 20, 2007 |access-date=September 3, 2020 |archive-date=September 15, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915010725/https://www.engadget.com/2007-05-19-hitachi-to-produce-200gb-blu-ray-disc-in-2009.html |url-status=live }}

Behind closed doors at CES 2007, Ritek revealed that it had successfully developed a high-definition optical disc process that extended the disc capacity to ten layers, increasing the capacity of the discs to 250{{nbs}}GB. However, it noted the major obstacle was that current read/write technology did not allow additional layers.{{cite web |url=https://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5656 |title=Three HD Layers Today, Ten Tomorrow |access-date=April 24, 2007 |date=January 10, 2007 |last=Yam |first=Marcus |work=DailyTech |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070515105730/https://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=5656 |archive-date=May 15, 2007 |url-status=dead }} JVC developed a three-layer technology that allows putting both standard-definition DVD data and HD data on a BD/(standard) DVD combination.{{cite web |last=Kallender |first=Paul |title=JVC Develops Dual Blu-ray-DVD Disc |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/119057/article.html |publisher=IDG News Service |access-date=December 28, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131203022749/https://www.pcworld.com/article/119057/article.html |archive-date=December 3, 2013 |url-status=live }} This would have enabled the consumer to purchase a disc that can be played on DVD players and can also reveal its HD version when played on a BD player.{{cite web |url=https://www.jvc-victor.co.jp/english/press/2004/bd-dvd.html |title=Blu-ray/ DVD Combo ROM Disc Technology |year=2006 |access-date=May 30, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060818093830/https://www.jvc-victor.co.jp/english/press/2004/bd-dvd.html |archive-date=August 18, 2006}} Japanese optical disc manufacturer Infinity announced the first "hybrid" Blu-ray Disc/(standard) DVD combo, to be released on February 18, 2009. This disc set of the TV series Code Blue featured four hybrid discs containing a single Blu-ray Disc layer (25{{nbs}}GB) and two DVD layers (9{{nbs}}GB) on the same side of the disc.{{cite web |last=Lim |first=Daniel |url=https://www.slashgear.com/worlds-first-hybrid-blu-ray-dvd-disk-title-released-in-japan-1927170/ |title=World's first hybrid Blu-ray / DVD disk title released in Japan |date=December 19, 2008 |access-date=June 15, 2011 |work=Slashgear.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308184752/https://www.slashgear.com/worlds-first-hybrid-blu-ray-dvd-disk-title-released-in-japan-1927170/ |archive-date=March 8, 2013 |url-status=live }}

In January 2007, Hitachi showcased a 100{{nbs}}GB Blu-ray Disc, consisting of four layers containing 25{{nbs}}GB each.{{cite web |url=https://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20070111/126348/ |title=Hitachi Demonstrates 4 Layer BD Playback Using 'Standard Drive' |date=January 11, 2007 |last=Harada |first=Mamoru |work=Techon.nikkebp.co.jp |access-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011202814/https://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20070111/126348/ |archive-date=October 11, 2011 |url-status=live }} It claimed that, unlike TDK's and Panasonic's 100{{nbs}}GB discs, this disc would be readable on standard Blu-ray Disc drives that were currently in circulation, and it was believed that a firmware update was the only requirement to make it readable by then-current players and drives.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/126871/hitachi-showcases-100gb-bluray-disc.html |title=Hitachi showcases 100GB Blu-ray disc |date=October 3, 2007 |last=Turton |first=Stuart |work=PC Pro |access-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603085737/https://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/126871/hitachi-showcases-100gb-bluray-disc.html |archive-date=June 3, 2009 |url-status=dead }} In October 2007, they revealed a 100{{nbs}}GB Blu-ray Disc drive.{{cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2007-10-03-hitachis-100gb-blu-ray-disc-drive.html|title=Hitachi's 100GB Blu-ray disc drive|website=Engadget|date=October 3, 2007 |access-date=September 3, 2020|archive-date=September 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200914235312/https://www.engadget.com/2007-10-03-hitachis-100gb-blu-ray-disc-drive.html|url-status=live}} In December 2008, Pioneer unveiled a 400{{nbs}}GB Blu-ray Disc (containing 16 data layers, 25{{nbs}}GB each) compatible with current players after a firmware update. Its planned launch was in the 2009–10 time frame for ROM and 2010–13 for rewritable discs. Ongoing development was underway to create a 1{{nbs}}TB Blu-ray Disc.{{cite web |url=https://digitimes.com/news/a20081201PD212.html |title=Pioneer showcases 16-layer 400GB optical disc |access-date=June 13, 2011 |last1=Hwang |first1=Adam |last2=Hsu |first2=Jimmy |location=Taipei |work=Digitimes.com |date=December 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130128152112/https://digitimes.com/news/a20081201PD212.html |archive-date=January 28, 2013 |url-status=live }} In October 2009, TDK demonstrated a 10-layer 320{{nbs}}GB Blu-ray Disc.{{cite web|url=https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Trends/TDK/TDK_Creates_320GB_10_Layer_Blu-ray_Disc/3550|title=TDK Creates 320GB, 10 Layer Blu-ray Disc | High-Def Digest|website=www.highdefdigest.com|access-date=September 3, 2020|archive-date=September 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200915000649/https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Trends/TDK/TDK_Creates_320GB_10_Layer_Blu-ray_Disc/3550|url-status=live}}

At CES 2009, Panasonic unveiled the DMP-B15, the first portable Blu-ray Disc player, and Sharp introduced the LC-BD60U and LC-BD80U series, the first LCD HDTVs with integrated Blu-ray Disc players. Sharp also announced that it would sell HDTVs with integrated Blu-ray Disc recorders in the United States by the end of 2009. Set-top box recorders were not being sold in the U.S. for fear of unauthorized copying. However, personal computers with Blu-ray recorder drives were available.

On January 1, 2010, Sony, in association with Panasonic, announced plans to increase the storage capacity on their Blu-ray Discs from 25{{nbs}}GB to 33.4{{nbs}}GB via a technology called i-MLSE (maximum likelihood sequence estimation). The higher-capacity discs, according to Sony, would be readable on existing Blu-ray Disc players with a firmware upgrade.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3977 |title=FSony, Panasonic Propose Blu-ray Capacity Increase |work=Blu-ray.com |date=January 4, 2010 |access-date=January 8, 2010 |last=Dreuth |first=Josh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108131041/https://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=3977 |archive-date=January 8, 2010 |url-status=live }} This technology was later used on BDXL discs.{{cite web|title=BD-R white paper, 5th ed, October 2010 |url=https://blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/BD-R_physical_specifications-18326.pdf|access-date=April 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190307041548/https://blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/BD-R_physical_specifications-18326.pdf|archive-date=March 7, 2019|url-status=live}}

On July 20, 2010, the research team of Sony and Japanese Tohoku University announced the joint development of a blue-violet laser,{{cite web |url=https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201007/10-0720E/index.html |title=Joint development of the world's first blue-violet ultrafast pulsed semiconductor laser |access-date=July 20, 2010 |date=July 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726184228/https://www.sony.net/SonyInfo/News/Press/201007/10-0720E/index.html |archive-date=July 26, 2010 |url-status=live }} to help create Blu-ray Discs with a capacity of 1{{nbs}}TB using only two layers (and potentially more than 1{{nbs}}TB with additional layering). By comparison, the first blue laser was invented in 1996, with the first prototype discs coming four years later.

File:4K Blu Ray early Best Buy release.jpg. A 4K Blu-ray Disc player was also released.]]

On January 7, 2013, Sony announced that it would release "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray Disc titles sourced at 4K and encoded at 1080p.{{cite news |title=Sony to launch 4K digital distribution network this summer, 'mastered in 4K' Blu-ray Discs |author=Richard Lawler |publisher=Engadget |url=https://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/sony-4k-distribution-service/ |date=January 7, 2013 |access-date=May 30, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518220934/https://www.engadget.com/2013/01/07/sony-4k-distribution-service/ |archive-date=May 18, 2013 |url-status=live }} "Mastered in 4K" Blu-ray Disc titles can be played on existing Blu-ray Disc players and have a larger color space using xvYCC.{{cite web |title=Sony 'mastered in 4K' Blu-rays a mixed blessing |author=Seamus Byrne |website=CNET |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/sony-mastered-in-4k-blu-rays-a-mixed-blessing/ |date=May 1, 2013 |access-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510102430/https://www.cnet.com.au/sony-mastered-in-4k-blu-rays-a-mixed-blessing-339344100.htm |archive-date=May 10, 2013 |url-status=live }} On January 14, 2013, Blu-ray Disc Association president Andy Parsons stated that a task force was created three months prior to conduct a study concerning an extension to the Blu-ray Disc specification that would add the ability to contain 4K UHD video.{{cite magazine |title=Blu-ray looks ahead to 4K |author=Melissa J. Perenson |magazine=PC World |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/2024919/blu-ray-looks-ahead-to-4k.html |date=January 14, 2013 |access-date=January 17, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116164353/https://www.pcworld.com/article/2024919/blu-ray-looks-ahead-to-4k.html |archive-date=January 16, 2013 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs being researched by the BDA |author=Gareth Halfacree |publisher=expertreviews.co.uk |url=https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/blu-ray-players/1297180/ultra-hd-blu-ray-discs-being-researched-by-the-bda |date=January 16, 2013 |access-date=January 17, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130118042748/https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/blu-ray-players/1297180/ultra-hd-blu-ray-discs-being-researched-by-the-bda |archive-date=January 18, 2013 }}

On August 5, 2015, the BDA announced it would commence licensing the Ultra HD Blu-ray video format starting on August 24, 2015. The Ultra HD Blu-ray format delivered support for high dynamic range video that significantly expanded the range between the brightest and darkest elements, an expanded color range, a high frame rate of up to 60 frames per second for a smoother motion appearance, an increase of the supported resolution to {{resx|3840×2160}} for a more detailed picture, object-based sound formats, and an optional "digital bridge" feature. New players were required to play this format, and they became able to play all three of DVDs, traditional Blu-rays, and the new format. New Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs hold up to 66{{nbs}}GB and 100{{nbs}}GB of data on dual- and triple-layer discs, respectively.{{cite web |title=Blu-ray Disc Association to Commence Licensing of Ultra HD Blu-ray |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150805005853/en/Blu-ray-Disc-Association-Commence-Licensing-Ultra-HD |website=Business Wire |date=August 5, 2015 |publisher=agent@blu-raydisc.info |access-date=August 6, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150808232012/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150805005853/en/Blu-ray-Disc-Association-Commence-Licensing-Ultra-HD |archive-date=August 8, 2015 |url-status=live }}

Blu-ray's physical and file system specifications are publicly available on the BDA's website.{{Cite web|url=https://blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/TechnicalWhitePapers/General.aspx|title=General|website=blu-raydisc.com|access-date=April 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211093008/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/TechnicalWhitePapers/General.aspx|archive-date=February 11, 2020|url-status=live}}

{{update|date=April 2018}}

According to Media Research, high-definition software sales in the United States were slower in the first two years than DVD software sales. 16.3 million DVD software units were sold in the first two years (1997–1998) compared to 8.3 million high-definition software units (2006–2007).{{cite news |url=https://www.movieweb.com/news/NECoxHEGdHLwGG |title=High-Definition Sales Far Behind Standard DVD's First Two Years |work=MovieWeb |publisher=Watchr Media |date=February 20, 2008 |access-date=June 15, 2011 |last=Gallagher |first=Brian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090910063438/https://www.movieweb.com/news/NECoxHEGdHLwGG |archive-date=September 10, 2009 |url-status=live }} One reason given for this difference was the smaller marketplace (26.5 million HDTVs in 2007 compared to 100 million SDTVs in 1998). Former HD DVD supporter Microsoft did not make a Blu-ray Disc drive for the Xbox 360.{{cite news |url=https://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9893090-7.html |title=Report: Microsoft says no Blu-ray for Xbox 360 |work=CNET News |date=March 18, 2008 |access-date=March 31, 2008 |archive-date=September 7, 2008 |last=Ricciuti |first=Mike |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907201725/https://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9893090-7.html }} The 360's successor Xbox One features a Blu-ray drive, as does the PS4, with both supporting 3D Blu-ray after later firmware updates.{{cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |url=https://www.engadget.com/2014/07/23/ps4-blu-ray-3d/ |title=PS4 will add Blu-ray 3D support next week |work=Engadget |publisher=AOL Inc. |date=July 23, 2014 |access-date=July 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724073349/https://www.engadget.com/2014/07/23/ps4-blu-ray-3d/ |archive-date=July 24, 2014 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |last=Lawler |first=Richard |url=https://www.engadget.com/2014/07/18/xbox-one-august-update-friend-feed-blu-ray-3d/ |title=Xbox One's next update makes it easier to keep up with friends, and play Blu-ray 3D |publisher=Engadget.com |date=July 23, 2014 |access-date=July 24, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140724073404/https://www.engadget.com/2014/07/18/xbox-one-august-update-friend-feed-blu-ray-3d/ |archive-date=July 24, 2014 |url-status=live }}

Shortly after the "format war" ended, Blu-ray Disc sales began to increase. A study by the NPD Group found that awareness of Blu-ray Disc had reached 60% of households in the United States. Nielsen VideoScan sales numbers showed that for some titles, such as 20th Century Fox's Hitman, up to 14% of total disc sales were from Blu-ray, although the average Blu-ray sales for the first half of the year were only around 5%. In December 2008, the Blu-ray Disc version of Warner Bros.' The Dark Knight sold 600,000 copies on the first day of its launch in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.{{Cite news |url=https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/High-Def_Disc_Sales/Warner/Disc_Sales:_Dark_Knight_Tops_600K_On_Release_Day/2324 |title=Disc Sales: 'Dark Knight' Tops 600K On Release Day |publisher=High-Def Digest |date=December 11, 2008 |access-date=February 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090224095546/https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/High-Def_Disc_Sales/Warner/Disc_Sales:_Dark_Knight_Tops_600K_On_Release_Day/2324 |archive-date=February 24, 2009 |url-status=live }} A week after the launch, The Dark Knight BD had sold over 1.7 million copies worldwide, making it the first Blu-ray Disc title to sell over a million copies in the first week of release.{{Cite news |url=https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Warner/Disc_Sales/Disc_Sales:_Dark_Knight_Blu-ray_Breaks_1M_First-Week_Barrier/2341 |title=Disc Sales: 'Dark Knight' Blu-ray Breaks 1M First-Week Barrier |publisher=High-Def Digest |date=December 17, 2008 |access-date=February 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219231528/https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Warner/Disc_Sales/Disc_Sales:_Dark_Knight_Blu-ray_Breaks_1M_First-Week_Barrier/2341 |archive-date=February 19, 2009 |url-status=live }}

According to Singulus Technologies AG, Blu-ray was adopted faster than the DVD format was at a similar period in its development. This conclusion was based on the fact that Singulus Technologies received orders for 21 Blu-ray dual-layer replication machines during the first quarter of 2008, while 17 DVD replication machines of this type were made in the same period in 1997.{{Cite news |url=https://www.infoniac.com/hi-tech/blu-ray-is-being-adopted-much-faster-than-dvd.html |title=Blu-ray is Being Adopted Much Faster Than DVD 11 Years Ago |publisher=InfoNIAC.com |date=June 9, 2008 |access-date=June 9, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610182003/https://infoniac.com/hi-tech/blu-ray-is-being-adopted-much-faster-than-dvd.html |archive-date=June 10, 2008 |url-status=live }} According to GfK Retail and Technology, in the first week of November 2008, sales of Blu-ray recorders surpassed DVD recorders in Japan.{{cite web |url=https://www.xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20081210121641_Sales_of_Blu_Ray_Disc_Recorders_Leave_Behind_Sales_of_DVD_Recorders_in_Japan.html |title=Sales of Blu-ray Disc Recorders Leave Behind Sales of DVD Recorders in Japan |work=xbitlabs.com |date=December 10, 2008 |access-date=January 16, 2009 |last=Shilov |first=Anton |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218173208/https://xbitlabs.com/news/multimedia/display/20081210121641_Sales_of_Blu_Ray_Disc_Recorders_Leave_Behind_Sales_of_DVD_Recorders_in_Japan.html |archive-date=December 18, 2008 }} According to the Digital Entertainment Group, the number of Blu-ray Disc playback devices (both set-top box and game console) sold in the United States had reached 28.5 million by the end of 2010.

Blu-ray faces competition from video on demand{{cite news |first1=Matt |last1=Richtel |first2=Brad |last2=Stone |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/technology/05bluray.html |title=Blu-ray's Fuzzy Future |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 5, 2009 |access-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111204081300/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/technology/05bluray.html |archive-date=December 4, 2011 |url-status=live }} and from new technologies that allow access to movies on any format or device, such as Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem or Disney's Keychest.Ryan Nakashima. [https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091214/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_blu_christmas Hollywood hopes an ensemble cast boosts Blu-ray] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091223072040/https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091214/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_blu_christmas |date=December 23, 2009 }}. Associated Press. December 14, 2009. Retrieved December 14, 2009. Some commentators suggested that renting Blu-ray would play a vital part in keeping the technology affordable while allowing it to move forward.{{Cite news |url=https://www.choosedvdrental.co.uk/dvd-rental-guide/articles/which-dvd-rental-sites-offer-blu-ray-rental.html |title=U.S. Which UK DVD Rental Sites Offer Blu-ray Rental? |work=choosedvdrental.co.uk |date=January 7, 2009 |access-date=October 28, 2009 |last=Kukiewicz |first=Julia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090909233813/https://www.choosedvdrental.co.uk/dvd-rental-guide/articles/which-dvd-rental-sites-offer-blu-ray-rental.html |archive-date=September 9, 2009 |url-status=live }} In an effort to increase sales, studios began releasing films in combo packs with Blu-ray Discs and DVDs, as well as digital copies that can be played on computers and mobile devices. Some are released on "flipper" discs with Blu-ray on one side and DVD on the other. Other strategies are to release movies with the special features only on Blu-ray Discs and none on DVDs.

Blu-ray Discs cost no more to produce than DVD discs.{{Cite web |last=Watson |first=Stephanie |date=October 16, 2004 |title=How Blu-ray Discs Work |url=https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/blu-ray2.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191220124440/https://electronics.howstuffworks.com/blu-ray2.htm |archive-date=December 20, 2019 |access-date=April 21, 2020}} However, reading and writing mechanisms are more complicated, making Blu-ray recorders, drives and players more expensive than their DVD counterparts.{{Cite web |last=Silva |first=Robert |date=January 4, 2021 |title=What You Need to do Before You Buy a Blu-ray Player |url=https://www.lifewire.com/blu-ray-disc-player-information-1846364 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208065450/https://www.lifewire.com/blu-ray-disc-player-information-1846364 |archive-date=December 8, 2019 |access-date=April 21, 2020}}{{Cite web |url=https://www.pctechguide.com/blu-ray/blu-ray-disks-bd-blue-laser-optical-disk-technology |title=Blu-ray Disks (BD) – blue laser optical disk technology |date=September 21, 2011 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150510113350/https://www.pctechguide.com/blu-ray/blu-ray-disks-bd-blue-laser-optical-disk-technology |archive-date=May 10, 2015 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Heinzman |first=Andrew |date=July 19, 2019 |title=Are DVD and Blu-Ray Players Still Worth Buying? – Review Geek |url=https://www.reviewgeek.com/18327/are-dvd-and-blu-ray-players-still-worth-buying/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190711143508/https://www.reviewgeek.com/18327/are-dvd-and-blu-ray-players-still-worth-buying/ |archive-date=July 11, 2019 |access-date=April 21, 2020}} Adoption is also limited due to the widespread use of streaming media.{{Cite web |date=February 20, 2013 |title=Why Blu-ray is Still Better Than Streaming Today – HomeTheaterReview |url=https://hometheaterreview.com/why-blu-ray-is-still-better-than-streaming-today/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105134934/https://hometheaterreview.com/why-blu-ray-is-still-better-than-streaming-today/ |archive-date=November 5, 2019 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |website=HomeTheaterReview}}{{Cite web |last=Marterello |first=John |date=March 13, 2019 |title=The State of Streaming Video vs. Blu-ray Discs |url=https://www.macobserver.com/analysis/state-of-streaming-video-blu-ray/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20220508122300/https://www.macobserver.com/analysis/state-of-streaming-video-blu-ray/ |archive-date=May 8, 2022 |access-date=May 8, 2022 |website=The Mac Observer}}{{Cite web |last=Suderman |first=Peter |date=December 27, 2016 |title=Why DVDS and Blu-rays remain essential in the age of streaming |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2016/12/27/14057894/physical-media-essential-streaming-dvd-bluray-netflix |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304050647/https://www.vox.com/culture/2016/12/27/14057894/physical-media-essential-streaming-dvd-bluray-netflix |archive-date=March 4, 2020 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |website=Vox}}{{Cite web |last=Whitten |first=Sarah |date=November 8, 2019 |title=The death of the DVD: Why sales dropped more than 86% in 13 years |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/08/the-death-of-the-dvd-why-sales-dropped-more-than-86percent-in-13-years.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329212906/https://www.cnbc.com/2019/11/08/the-death-of-the-dvd-why-sales-dropped-more-than-86percent-in-13-years.html |archive-date=March 29, 2020 |access-date=April 21, 2020 |website=CNBC}} Blu-ray Discs are used to distribute PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X games, and the aforementioned game consoles can play back regular Blu-ray Discs.

In the mid-2010s, the Ultra HD Blu-ray format was released which is an enhanced variant of Blu-ray compatible with the 4K resolution. Ultra HD Blu-ray discs and players became available in the first quarter of 2016, having a storage capacity of up to 100{{nbs}}GB.{{cite web|url=https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/blurayplayers/ultra-hd-blu-ray-players-probably-wont-arrive-until-2016|title=Ultra HD Blu-ray Players Probably Won't Arrive Until 2016|publisher=Consumer Reports|last=Wilcox|first=James K.|date=October 9, 2015|access-date=December 27, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151227192652/https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/blurayplayers/ultra-hd-blu-ray-players-probably-wont-arrive-until-2016|archive-date=December 27, 2015|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2015/11/11/9713580/4k-uhd-blu-rays-announced-release-date|title=The first 4K Blu-rays are coming early next year, but they all really suck|first=Chris|last=Welch|date=November 11, 2015|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161210132043/https://www.theverge.com/2015/11/11/9713580/4k-uhd-blu-rays-announced-release-date|archive-date=December 10, 2016|url-status=live}}

By December 2017, the specification for an 8K Blu-ray format was also completed. However, this specification was for Japan only so that it could be used by Japanese public broadcasters like NHK to broadcast in 8K resolution for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.

The Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD), described in the ECMA-377 standard, was in development by the Holography System Development (HSD) Forum using a green writing/reading laser (532{{nbs}}nm) and a red positioning/addressing laser (650{{nbs}}nm). It was to offer MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC (H.264), HEVC (H.265), and VC-1 encoding, supporting a maximum storage capacity of 6{{nbs}}TB.{{cite web |url=https://www.optware.co.jp/english/what_040823.htm |title=What's New |date=August 23, 2004 |access-date=October 9, 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041009144100/https://www.optware.co.jp/english/what_040823.htm |archive-date=October 9, 2004 }} No systems conforming to the Ecma International HVD standard have been released.{{cite web |url=https://news.cnet.com/Maxell+focuses+on+holographic+storage/2100-1015_3-5973868.html |date=November 28, 2005 |work=CNET News.com |title=Maxell focuses on holographic storage |access-date=May 28, 2007 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120722154516/https://news.cnet.com/Maxell-focuses-on-holographic-storage/2100-1015_3-5973868.html |archive-date=July 22, 2012 |url-status=live }} The company responsible for HVD went bankrupt in 2010, making any releases unlikely.{{Cite web |title=Holographic storage bites the dust |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/holographic-storage-bites-the-dust/ |access-date=June 22, 2022 |website=ZDNet |language=en |archive-date=January 2, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220102163310/https://www.zdnet.com/article/holographic-storage-bites-the-dust/ |url-status=live }}

A boutique Blu-ray label or specialty Blu-ray label is a home video distributor that releases films on Blu-ray or 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format, characterized by a specific or niche target market{{cite web|url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/blu-ray/the-best-boutique-blu-ray-distributors-who-arent-c|title=The Best Boutique Blu-ray Distributors (Who Aren't Criterion)|last=Kozak|first=Oktay Ege|date=December 5, 2017|website=Paste|access-date=June 26, 2023}} and collectable features like "limited edition" or "special edition" releases,{{cite web|url=https://screenanarchy.com/2023/06/crowdfund-this-boutique.html|title=Crowdfund This: Boutique, New Doc Chronicles The Rise of Specialty Distributors|last=Mack|first=Andrew|date=June 6, 2023|website=Screen Anarchy|access-date=June 26, 2023}} deluxe slipcases or packaging, and other materials. Examples of boutique Blu-ray labels include the American Genre Film Archive (AGFA),{{cite web|url=https://www.cbr.com/best-boutique-blu-ray-brands/|title=10 Best Boutique Blu-Ray Brands|last=Jarvis|first=Henry|date=August 12, 2022|website=CBR.com|access-date=June 26, 2023}} Arrow Films, Canadian International Pictures,{{cite web|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/article-one-year-into-bucking-digital-trends-boutique-blu-ray-distributor/|title=One year into bucking digital trends, boutique Blu-ray label keeps fighting for Canadian cinema|last=Hertz|first=Barry|date=January 5, 2023|website=The Globe and Mail|access-date=June 26, 2023|url-access=subscription}} The Criterion Collection,{{cite news|last=DeFore|first=John|date=August 19, 2009|title=In Stores This Week: DVDs|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/austin-american-statesman/127131208/|newspaper=Austin-American Statesman|location=Austin, Texas|page=D2|access-date=June 26, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}} Kino Lorber,{{cite news|last=Marsh|first=Calum|date=July 13, 2019|title=Saturday Feature: 'Those with loaded guns and those who dig'|url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/national-post/127116919/|newspaper=National Post|location=Toronto, Ontario, Canada|page=WP7|access-date=June 26, 2023|via=Newspapers.com}} Severin Films, Shout! Factory, Twilight Time,{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/20/movies/homevideo/the-big-heat-and-walking-tall-are-out-on-dvd.html|title=Idealistic Lawmen Taking Crime Very Personally|last=Kehr|first=Dave|author-link=Dave Kehr|date=May 18, 2012|website=The New York Times|access-date=June 26, 2023}} Vinegar Syndrome, and the Warner Archive Collection.

Boutique Blu-ray labels, which are popular among collectors and enthusiasts of film and physical media, have been credited as a factor in a "Blu-ray renaissance" dating back to at least 2018, with some consumers choosing to purchase films on physical formats in an age of digital streaming.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/story/blu-ray-resurgence-collectors/|title=Streaming Isn't Everything, and Blu-rays Are Back to Prove It|last=Raferty|first=Brian|date=December 12, 2018|magazine=Wired|access-date=June 26, 2023}} Reasons some consumers prefer Blu-rays to streaming include higher video quality, the tactile nature of owning a film physically, elaborate packaging, bonus features, and the desire to own or watch films that are not available in streaming services' libraries.

File:Comparison disk storage.svg

File:Comparison CD DVD HDDVD BD.svg

While a DVD uses a 650{{nbs}}nm red laser, Blu-ray Disc uses a 405{{nbs}}nm blue laser diode. Although the laser is called blue, its color is actually in the violet range. The shorter wavelength can be focused to a smaller area, thus enabling it to read information recorded in pits that are less than half the size of those on a DVD, and can consequently be spaced more closely, resulting in a shorter track pitch, enabling a Blu-ray Disc to hold about five times the amount of information that can be stored on a DVD. The lasers are GaN (gallium nitride) laser diodes that produce 405{{nbs}}nm light directly, that is, without frequency doubling or other nonlinear optical mechanisms.{{cite web |title=3. Laser Diodes for Blu-ray Discs |url=https://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/laserdiodewld/tec/index03.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100316175723/https://www.sony.net/Products/SC-HP/laserdiodewld/tec/index03.html |archive-date=March 16, 2010 |url-status=dead |website=sony.net}} CDs use 780{{nbs}}nm near-infrared lasers.

The minimum "spot size" on which a laser can be focused is limited by diffraction and depends on the wavelength of the light and the numerical aperture of the lens used to focus it. By decreasing the wavelength, increasing the numerical aperture from 0.60 to 0.85, and making the cover layer thinner to avoid unwanted optical effects, designers can cause the laser beam to focus on a smaller spot, which effectively allows more information to be stored in the same area.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/BD-ROMwhitepaper20070308-15270.pdf |title=White paper, Blu-ray Disc, 1.C Physical Format Specifications for BD-ROM, 5th Edition |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |date=March 2007 |access-date=September 27, 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110928104732/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/BD-ROMwhitepaper20070308-15270.pdf |archive-date=September 28, 2011}} For a Blu-ray Disc, the spot size is 580{{nbs}}nm.{{cite web |title=Influence of Pit-Shape Variation on the Decoding Performance for Two-Dimensional Optical Storage (TwoDOS) |url=https://ese.wustl.edu/~jao/magneticpubs/icc_pits_paper.pdf |first1=Naveen |last1=Singla |first2=Joseph A. |last2=O’Sullivan |access-date=September 25, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111011091430/https://www.ese.wustl.edu/~jao/magneticpubs/icc_pits_paper.pdf |archive-date=October 11, 2011 }} This allows a reduction of the pit size from 400{{nbs}}nm for DVD to 150{{nbs}}nm for Blu-ray Disc, and of the track pitch from 740{{nbs}}nm to 320{{nbs}}nm. See compact disc for information on optical discs' physical structure. In addition to the optical improvements, Blu-ray Discs feature improvements in data encoding that further increase the amount of content that can be stored.{{Cite thesis |title=Design and Analysis of Parity-Check-Code-Based Optical Recording Systems |chapter-url=https://alexandria.tue.nl/extra2/200710217.pdf |first=Kui |last=Cai |year=2007 |access-date=September 18, 2011 |chapter=Introduction |pages=1–16 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415043836/https://alexandria.tue.nl/extra2/200710217.pdf |archive-date=April 15, 2012}}

Given that the Blu-ray Disc data layer is closer to the surface of the disc compared to the DVD standard, it was found in early designs to be more vulnerable to scratches.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/general_bluraydiscformat-15263.pdf |title=White paper, Blu-ray Disc Format, General |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Founders |access-date=April 16, 2009 |date=August 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612042130/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/general_bluraydiscformat-15263.pdf |archive-date=June 12, 2009 |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/White%20Paper%20BD-ROM_Part1_9th_20150806_clean.pdf |title=White Paper Blu-ray Disc Format, 1.C Physical Format Specifications for BD-ROM |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190531020530/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/White%20Paper%20BD-ROM_Part1_9th_20150806_clean.pdf |archive-date=May 31, 2019 |url-status=live}} The first discs were therefore housed in cartridges for protection, resembling Professional Discs introduced by Sony in 2003. Using a cartridge would increase the price of an already expensive medium, and would increase the size of Blu-ray Disc drives, so designers chose hard-coating of the pickup surface instead. TDK was the first company to develop a working scratch-protection coating for Blu-ray Discs, naming it Durabis. In addition, both Sony's and Panasonic's replication methods include proprietary hard-coat technologies. Sony's rewritable media are spin-coated, using a scratch-resistant acrylic and antistatic coating.{{Cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/White_Paper_General_5th_20180216.pdf |title=White Paper Blu-ray Disc Format, General, 5th Edition |access-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-date=April 11, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200411062740/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/White_Paper_General_5th_20180216.pdf |url-status=dead }} Verbatim's recordable and rewritable Blu-ray Discs use their own proprietary technology, called Hard Coat.{{cite web |url=https://www.verbatim.com/subcat/optical-media/blu-ray/ |title=Blank Blu-ray Media: Blu ray Recordable (BD-R, BD-R LTH) / Rewritable (BD-RE) Discs, Blu-ray DVD |publisher=Verbatim |access-date=February 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140221223047/https://www.verbatim.com/subcat/optical-media/blu-ray/ |archive-date=February 21, 2014 |url-status=live }} Colloidal silica-dispersed UV-curable resins are used for the hard coating, given that, according to the Blu-ray Disc Association, they offer the best tradeoff between scratch resistance, optical properties, and productivity.

The Blu-ray Disc specification requires the testing of resistance to scratches by mechanical abrasion. In contrast, DVD media are not required to be scratch-resistant, but since development of the technology, some companies, such as Verbatim, implemented hard-coating for more expensive lines of recordable DVDs.

The table shows the speeds available. Even the lowest speed (1×) is sufficient to play and record real-time 1080p video; the higher speeds are relevant for general data storage and more sophisticated handling of video. BD discs are designed to cope with at least 5,000 rpm of rotational speed.

The usable data rate of a Blu-ray Disc drive can be limited by the capacity of the drive's data interface. With a USB 2.0 interface, the maximum exploitable drive speed is {{nowrap|288 Mbit/s}} or {{nowrap|36 MB/s}} (also called 8× speed).{{cite web |url=https://www.everythingusb.com/hi-speed-usb.html#8 |title=USB 2.0, Hi-Speed USB FAQ |date=February 2007 |publisher=Everythingusb.com |access-date=February 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222052158/https://www.everythingusb.com/hi-speed-usb.html#8 |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |url-status=live }} A USB 3.0 interface (with proper cabling) does not have this limitation,{{cite web |url=https://www.everythingusb.com/superspeed-usb.html |title=SuperSpeed USB 3.0 FAQ |publisher=Everythingusb.com |date=November 17, 2008 |access-date=February 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090430173405/https://www.everythingusb.com/superspeed-usb.html |archive-date=April 30, 2009 |url-status=live }} nor do even the oldest version of Serial ATA (SATA, {{nowrap|150 MB/s}}){{cite web |url= https://storusint.com/pdf/storage_protocols/sata/serialata10a.pdf |title= Serial ATA: High Speed Serialized AT Attachment |date= January 7, 2003 | access-date = February 21, 2016 |publisher= Serial ATA Working Group |website= www.serialata.org |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20190307041317/https://storusint.com/pdf/storage_protocols/sata/serialata10a.pdf |archive-date= March 7, 2019 |url-status= live |df= mdy-all }} nor the latest Parallel ATA ({{nowrap|133 MB/s}}) standards. Internal Blu-ray drives that are integrated into a computer (as opposed to physically separate and connected via a cable) typically have a SATA interface.{{cite web |url=https://www.computershopper.com/components/howto/how-to-install-a-blu-ray-burner |title=How To Install A Blu-ray Burner |publisher=ComputerShopper.com |access-date=February 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140220184209/https://www.computershopper.com/components/howto/how-to-install-a-blu-ray-burner |archive-date=February 20, 2014 |url-status=live }}

More recent half-height Blu-Ray writers have reached writing speeds of up to 16× (constant angular velocity) on single-layer BD-R media, while the highest reading speeds are 12×, presumably to prevent repeated physical stress on the disc. Slim type drives are limited to 6× speeds (constant angular velocity) due to spacial and power limitations.{{Cite web|url=https://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/discontinued|archive-url=https://archive.today/20200711193519/https://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/discontinued|archive-date=July 11, 2020|url-status=dead|title=View All Discontinued LG Burners & Drives|website=LG USA|access-date=August 11, 2020}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.tsstodd.com/manual-2/|title=Manual|access-date=August 11, 2020|archive-date=September 4, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180904033921/https://www.tsstodd.com/manual-2/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Computer/ch.Computer+Drives.Archived|title=Computer Drives|website=Pioneer Electronics USA|access-date=August 11, 2020|archive-date=July 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210715215100/https://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Computer/ch.Computer+Drives.Archived |url-status=dead}}

The Blu-ray format has a write verification feature, similar to that of DVD-RAM, but brings this feature to a write-once disc for the first time. If activated, the correctness of the written data is verified immediately after being written so unreadable data can be written again. In this case, the writing speed is halved because half of the disc rotations are for writing only. "Write verification" is not an official term for the feature, only a description for what it does. The feature may be activated by default, as is the case in the disc writing utility growisofs. Deactivating write verification may be desirable to save time when mass-producing physical copies of data, since errors are unlikely to occur on physically undamaged media.[http://fy.chalmers.se/~appro/linux/DVD+RW/Blu-ray/ Blu-ray Disc notes for dvd+rw-tools] – Defect management comes with a performance penalty: most units will typically record at about 1/2 of the advertised media speed. This is because such units will spend every second revolution verifying the newly recorded data for defects. growisofs allows for SRM recordings without spare area through "undocumented" -use-the-force-luke=spare:none option[https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E88353_01/html/E37839/xorriso-1.html xorriso - man pages section 1: User Commands] – "Formatting activates Defect Management which tries to the expense of half speed even with flawless media."

{{Main article|Optical disc#Surface error scanning}}

The quality and data integrity of optical media can be determined by measuring the rate of errors, of which higher rates may be an indication for deteriorating media, low-quality media, physical damage such as scratches, dust, and/or media written using a defective optical drive.

Errors on Blu-Ray media are measured using the so-called LDC (Long Distance Codes) and BIS (Burst Indication Subcodes) error parameters, of which rates below 13 and 15 respectively can be considered healthy.

Not all vendors and models of optical drives have error scanning functionality implemented.{{cite web |title=Blu-Ray Writing Quality Tests Vol 2 |url=https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Print.aspx?ArticleId=25532 |website=www.cdrinfo.com |publisher=CDR info |access-date=August 1, 2020 |date=June 19, 2009 |archive-date=January 7, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107203123/https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/Reviews/Print.aspx?ArticleId=25532 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Blu-ray Disc (BD) – InfoTip Kompendium |url=https://kompendium.infotip.de/blu-ray-disc-bd.html |website=kompendium.infotip.de |language=de |access-date=August 11, 2020 |archive-date=May 2, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150502085423/https://kompendium.infotip.de/blu-ray-disc-bd.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=White paper Blu-ray Disc Format |url=https://www.disc-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Blu-Ray-1-PhysicalFormatSpecs-BD-RE-1.065KB.pdf |access-date=August 11, 2020 |date=August 2004 |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Founders |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140224135715/https://www.disc-group.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Blu-Ray-1-PhysicalFormatSpecs-BD-RE-1.065KB.pdf |archive-date=February 24, 2014 |url-status=live }}

File:Blu-ray keep case.jpg

Pre-recorded Blu-ray Disc titles usually ship in packages similar to, but slightly smaller (18.5{{nbs}}mm shorter and 2{{nbs}}mm thinner: 135{{nbs}}mm × 171.5{{nbs}}mm × 13{{nbs}}mm{{cite web |url=https://www.cd-info.com/packaging/blu-ray-cases/index.html |title=Blu-ray Case Information |publisher=cd-info.com |access-date=November 22, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705045622/https://www.cd-info.com/packaging/blu-ray-cases/index.html |archive-date=July 5, 2013 |url-status=live }}) and more rounded than, a standard DVD keep case, generally with the format prominently displayed in a horizontal stripe across the top of the case (translucent blue for Blu-ray video discs, clear for Blu-ray 3D video releases, red for PlayStation 3 Greatest Hits Games, transparent for regular PlayStation 3 games, transparent dark blue for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 games, transparent green for Xbox One and Xbox Series X games and black for Ultra HD Blu-ray video releases). Warren Osborn and The Seastone Media Group, LLC created the package that was adopted worldwide following the Blu-ray versus HD DVD market adoption choice.{{cite web |url=https://www.google.com.ar/patents/US20060124479 |title=Blu-ray Case Patent |publisher=cd-info.com |access-date=June 18, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619020028/https://www.google.com.ar/patents/US20060124479 |archive-date=June 19, 2015 |url-status=live }} Because Blu-ray cases are smaller than DVD cases, more Blu-rays than DVDs can fit on a shelf.

"Blu-ray Disc Read-Only Memory", or BD-ROM, is the technical term used for standard, factory-pressed Blu-ray discs. The content of these discs is written once and cannot be modified, and they can't be created by consumer optical disc recorders.

The "Mini Blu-ray Disc" (also, "Mini-BD" and "Mini Blu-ray") is a compact {{convert|8|cm|in|adj=mid|-diameter}} variant of the Blu-ray Disc that can store 7.8{{nbs}}GB of data in its single-layer configuration, or 15.6{{nbs}}GB on a dual-layer disc.{{cite web |title=Blu-ray Disc – The Scoop |url=https://www.acronova.com/blog/blu-ray-disc/ |publisher=Acronova Technologies Inc |access-date=September 13, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160120110802/https://www.acronova.com/blog/blu-ray-disc/ |archive-date=January 20, 2016 |url-status=live }} It is similar in concept to the MiniDVD and Mini CD. Recordable (BD-R) and rewritable (BD-RE) versions of Mini Blu-ray Disc have been developed specifically for compact camcorders and other compact recording devices.{{cite web |url= https://www.verbatim.com.au/en_AU/newsroom/verbatim-to-launch-world-s-first-mini-blu-ray-media |title= Verbatim to Launch World's First Mini BD Media |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130424094148/https://www.verbatim.com.au/en_AU/newsroom/verbatim-to-launch-world-s-first-mini-blu-ray-media |archive-date= April 24, 2013 |df= mdy-all }}

{{Main|Blu-ray Disc recordable}}

"Blu-ray Disc recordable" (BD-R) refers to two optical disc formats that can be recorded with an optical disc recorder. BD-Rs can be written to once, whereas Blu-ray Disc Recordable Erasable (BD-REs) can be erased and re-recorded multiple times. The current practical maximum speed for Blu-ray Discs is about 12× ({{nowrap|54 MB/s}}).{{cite web|title=Blu-ray FAQ|url=https://www.blu-ray.com/faq|access-date=April 21, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004150831/https://www.blu-ray.com/faq/|archive-date=October 4, 2006|url-status=live}}{{rp|at=1.7}} Higher speeds of rotation (5,000+ rpm) cause too much wobble for the discs to be written properly,{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cldCAQAAIAAJ&q=bluray+disc+writing+at+high+speeds+of+rotation|title=Japanese Journal of Applied Physics: Regular papers & short notes|date=2007|publisher=Publication Board, Japanese Journal of Applied Physics|language=en|access-date=October 17, 2020|archive-date=March 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312170911/https://books.google.com/books?id=cldCAQAAIAAJ&q=bluray+disc+writing+at+high+speeds+of+rotation|url-status=live}}{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TvdRAAAAMAAJ&q=bluray+disc+writing+at+high+speeds+of+rotation|title=Optical Data Storage|date=2006|publisher=Optical Society of America|isbn=978-0-8194-6357-9|language=en|access-date=October 17, 2020|archive-date=March 12, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312170914/https://books.google.com/books?id=TvdRAAAAMAAJ&q=bluray+disc+writing+at+high+speeds+of+rotation|url-status=live}} as with the 24× ({{nowrap|33.2 MB/s}}) and 56× ({{nowrap|8.2 MB/s}}, 11,200 rpm) maximum speeds, respectively, of standard DVDs and CDs. Since September 2007, BD-RE is also available in the smaller 8{{nbs}}cm Mini Blu-ray Disc size.[https://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20070803/137462/ Hitachi First in Industry to Release Blu-ray Disc Camcorder] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070810093717/https://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20070803/137462/ |date=August 10, 2007 }} Naoki Asakawa, Nikkei Electronics, Nikkei Business Publications, August 3, 2007.

On September 18, 2007, Pioneer and Mitsubishi codeveloped BD-R LTH ("Low to High" in groove recording), which features an organic dye recording layer that can be manufactured by modifying existing CD-R and DVD-R production equipment, significantly reducing manufacturing costs.{{cite web |url=https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=21422 |title=Pioneer and Mitsubishi Develop Low cost BD-R Discs Using Organic Recording Layers |publisher=CDRInfo.com |access-date=March 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080225121648/https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=21422 |archive-date=February 25, 2008 |url-status=live }} In February 2008, Taiyo Yuden, Mitsubishi, and Maxell released the first BD-R LTH Discs,[https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=22521 Taiyo Yuden, Mitsubishi and Maxell Release First LTH BD-R Discs] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080227195919/https://cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=22521 |date=February 27, 2008}} cdrinfo.com and in March 2008, Sony's PlayStation 3 officially gained the ability to use BD-R LTH Discs with the 2.20 firmware update.[https://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/13371.cfm PS3 firmware update v2.20 available{{snd}}added support for LTH BD-R] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080329190941/https://www.afterdawn.com/news/archive/13371.cfm |date=March 29, 2008}} afterdawn.com In May 2009 Verbatim/Mitsubishi announced the industry's first 6X BD-R LTH media, which allows recording a 25{{nbs}}GB disc in about 16 minutes.[https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS108367+21-May-2009+BW20090521 Verbatim/MKM certified BD-R LTH type media makes performance leap to 6X] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120913151416/https://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS108367+21-May-2009+BW20090521 |date=September 13, 2012 }} reuters.com Unlike with the previous releases of 120{{nbs}}mm optical discs (i.e. CDs and standard DVDs), Blu-ray recorders hit the market almost simultaneously with Blu-ray's debut.

The BD9 format was proposed to the Blu-ray Disc Association by Warner Home Video as a cost-effective alternative to the 25/50{{nbs}}GB BD-ROM discs. The format was supposed to use the same codecs and program structure as Blu-ray Disc video but recorded onto less expensive 8.5{{nbs}}GB dual-layer DVD. This red-laser media could be manufactured on existing DVD production lines with lower costs of production than the 25/50{{nbs}}GB Blu-ray media.{{cite web |url=https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=16769 |title=BD9 Licensing Further Delays The Launch of Blu-ray Burners |access-date=October 18, 2007 |date=April 11, 2006 |work=cdrinfo.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071106044010/https://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.aspx?NewsId=16769 |archive-date=November 6, 2007 |url-status=live }}

Usage of BD9 for releasing content on "pressed" discs never caught on. With the end of the format war, manufacturers ramped production of Blu-ray Discs and lowered prices to compete with DVDs. On the other hand, the idea of using inexpensive DVD media became popular among individual users. A lower-capacity version of this format that uses single-layer 4.7{{nbs}}GB DVDs has been unofficially called BD5. Both formats are being used by individuals for recording high-definition content in Blu-ray format onto recordable DVD media.{{cite web |url=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=134402 |title=Quick Blu-ray content (BD, BD-5 and BD-9) authoring guide (PS3+PowerDVD) |access-date=February 19, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080304141526/https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=134402 |archive-date=March 4, 2008 |url-status=live }}

{{cite web |url=https://www.hdtvtotal.com/module-pagesetter-viewpub-tid-1-pid-1051.html |title=Mini Blu-ray Disc: Guide for mini-Blu-ray-Disc Authoring |access-date=August 19, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080712175755/https://www.hdtvtotal.com/module-pagesetter-viewpub-tid-1-pid-1051.html |archive-date=July 12, 2008 |url-status=usurped }} Despite the fact that the BD9 format has been adopted as part of the BD-ROM basic format, none of the existing Blu-ray player models explicitly claim to be able to read it. Consequently, the discs recorded in BD9 and BD5 formats are not guaranteed to play on standard Blu-ray Disc players. AVCHD and AVCREC also use inexpensive media like DVDs, but unlike BD9 and BD5 these formats have limited interactivity, codec types, and data rates. As of March 2011, BD9 was removed as an official BD-ROM disc.

{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/White_Paper_General_3rd_Dec%202012_20121210.pdf |title=White Paper Blu-ray Disc Format General, 3rd Edition |access-date=October 9, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313161841/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/White_Paper_General_3rd_Dec%202012_20121210.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2013 |url-status=live }}

{{Main|Blu-ray Disc recordable}}

File:Sony BD-R XL 128GB.jpg]]

The BDXL format for recordable Blu-ray discs allows 100{{nbs}}GB and 128{{nbs}}GB write-once discs,{{cite web |url=https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Trends/BDXL/BDXL_Spec_Upgrades_Blu-ray_Storage_to_128GB/4493 |title=BDXL Spec Upgrades Blu-ray Storage to 128GB |access-date=April 6, 2010 |date=April 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119034002/https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Industry_Trends/BDXL/BDXL_Spec_Upgrades_Blu-ray_Storage_to_128GB/4493 |archive-date=November 19, 2010 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.dailytech.com/Bluray+Disc+Association+Unveils+128GB+Specification/article18059.htm |title=Blu-ray Disc Association Unveils 128GB Specification |access-date=April 6, 2010 |date=April 6, 2010 |last=McGlaun |first=Shane |work=DailyTech.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201223314/https://www.dailytech.com/Bluray+Disc+Association+Unveils+128GB+Specification/article18059.htm |archive-date=December 1, 2011 |url-status=dead }} and 100{{nbs}}GB rewritable discs for commercial applications. The BDXL specification was finalised in June 2010.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r3-spec.php|title=Format Specification – R3 Format Specification (BDXL™)|website=www.blu-raydisc.info|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190812082057/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r3-spec.php|archive-date=August 12, 2019|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.engadget.com/2010/06/25/128gb-bdxl-blu-ray-disc-specification-finalized-and-fabulous/|title=128GB BDXL Blu-ray Disc specification finalized... and fabulous!|website=Engadget|date=June 25, 2010 |language=en|access-date=November 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191108161851/https://www.engadget.com/2010/06/25/128gb-bdxl-blu-ray-disc-specification-finalized-and-fabulous/|archive-date=November 8, 2019|url-status=live}} BD-R 3.0 Format Specification (BDXL) defined a multi-layered disc recordable in BDAV format with the speed of 2× and 4×, capable of 100/128{{nbs}}GB and usage of UDF2.5/2.6.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r3-spec.php |title=R3 Format Specification (BDXL) |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=June 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630000927/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r3-spec.php |archive-date=June 30, 2010 |url-status=live }} BD-RE 4.0 Format Specification (BDXL) defined a multi-layered disc rewritable in BDAV with the speed of 2× and 4×, capable of 100{{nbs}}GB and usage of UDF2.5 as file system.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/re4-spec.php |title=RE4 Format Specification (BDXL) |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=June 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628045310/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/re4-spec.php |archive-date=June 28, 2010 |url-status=live }}

Although the 66{{nbs}}GB and 100{{nbs}}GB BD-ROM discs used for Ultra HD Blu-ray use the same linear density as BDXL, the two formats are not compatible with each other, therefore it is not possible to use a triple layer BDXL disc to burn an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc playable in an Ultra HD Blu-ray player, although standard 50{{nbs}}GB BD-R dual-layer discs can be burned in the Ultra HD Blu-ray format.

The IH-BD (Intra-Hybrid Blu-ray) format includes a 25{{nbs}}GB rewritable layer (BD-RE) and a 25{{nbs}}GB write-once layer (BD-ROM), designed to work with existing Blu-ray Discs.

Blu-ray Disc specifies the use of Universal Disk Format (UDF) 2.50 as a convergent-friendly format for both PC and consumer electronics environments. It is used in the latest specifications of BD-ROM, BD-RE, and BD-R. In the first BD-RE specification (defined in 2002), the BDFS (Blu-ray Disc File System) was used. The BD-RE 1.0 specification was defined mainly for the digital recording of high-definition television (HDTV) broadcast television. The BDFS was replaced by UDF 2.50 in the second BD-RE specification in 2005, to enable interoperability among consumer electronics, Blu-ray recorders, and personal computer systems. These optical disc recording technologies enabled PC recording and playback of BD-RE.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/re1-spec.php |title=RE1 Format Specification |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=June 11, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701055209/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/re1-spec.php |archive-date=July 1, 2010 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/re2-spec.php |title=RE2 Format Specification |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=June 11, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701011949/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/re2-spec.php |archive-date=July 1, 2010 |url-status=live }} BD-R can use UDF 2.50/2.60.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r3-spec.php |title=R3 Format Specification (BDXL) |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100630000927/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r3-spec.php |archive-date=June 30, 2010 |url-status=live }}

The Blu-ray Disc application for recording of digital broadcasting has been developed as System Description Blu-ray Rewritable Disc Format Part 3 Audio Visual Basic Specifications (BDAV). The requirements related to the computer file system have been specified in System Description Blu-ray Rewritable Disc Format part 2 File System Specifications version 1.0 (BDFS). Initially, the BD-RE version 1.0 (BDFS) was specifically developed for recording of digital broadcasts using the Blu-ray Disc application (BDAV application). But these requirements are superseded by the Blu-ray Rewritable Disc File System Specifications version 2.0 (UDF) (a.k.a. RE 2.0) and Blu-ray Recordable Disc File System Specifications version 1.0 (UDF) (a.k.a. R 1.0). Additionally, a new application format, BDMV (System Description Blu-ray Disc Prerecorded Format part 3 Audio Visual Basic Specifications) for High Definition Content Distribution was developed for BD-ROM. The only file system developed for BDMV is the System Description Blu-ray Read-Only Disc Format part 2 File System Specifications version 1.0 (UDF) which defines the requirements for UDF 2.50. All BDMV application files are stored under a "BDMV" directory.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/assets/Downloadablefile/BD-ROM-AV-WhitePaper_100604%281%29-15916.pdf |title=White paper, Blu-ray Disc Format, 2.B Audio Visual Application, Format Specifications, for BD-ROM Version 2.4, May 2010 |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073400/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/assets/Downloadablefile/BD-ROM-AV-WhitePaper_100604(1)-15916.pdf |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/bdj_gem_application_definition-15496.pdf |title=Application Definition, Blu-ray Disc Format, BD-J Baseline Application and Logical Model Definition for BD-ROM, March 2005 |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073443/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/bdj_gem_application_definition-15496.pdf |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.aacsla.com/specifications/AACS_Spec_BD_Recordable_Final_0.951.pdf |title=Advanced Access Content System (AACS) Blu-ray Disc Recordable Book, Revision 0.951 |date=September 28, 2009 |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707072304/https://www.aacsla.com/specifications/AACS_Spec_BD_Recordable_Final_0.951.pdf |archive-date=July 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

• BDAV or BD-AV (Blu-ray Disc Audio/Visual):{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/docs/Spec_Info/AllBooksDec2009.pdf |title=Blu-ray: All Books: As of December 2009 |access-date=June 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721185754/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/docs/Spec_Info/AllBooksDec2009.pdf |archive-date=July 21, 2011 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/3_filesystem-15265.pdf |title=White Paper: Blu-ray Disc Format: 3. File System Specifications for BD-RE, R, ROM, August 2004 |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110124052542/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/3_filesystem-15265.pdf |archive-date=January 24, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r1-spec.php |title=R1 Format Specification |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100702101618/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r1-spec.php |archive-date=July 2, 2010 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/docs/Spec_Info/Specification%20Book%20Chart.pdf |title=Blu-ray: All Books: As of June 2010 |access-date=June 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721185802/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/docs/Spec_Info/Specification%20Book%20Chart.pdf |archive-date=July 21, 2011 |url-status=live }} a consumer-oriented Blu-ray video format used for audio/video recording (defined in 2002).
• BDMV or BD-MV (Blu-ray Disc Movie):{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ikxuL2aX9cAC&q=bd-mv%20dvd%20demystified&pg=PT347 |title=DVD Demystified: BD-MV |author1=Jim Taylor |author2=Mark R. Johnson |author3=Charles G. Crawford |access-date=June 10, 2010 |isbn=9780071423960 |date=November 21, 2005 |publisher=McGraw Hill Professional |archive-date=March 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230312170918/https://books.google.com/books?id=ikxuL2aX9cAC&q=bd-mv%20dvd%20demystified&pg=PT347 |url-status=live }} a Blu-ray video format with menu capability commonly used for movie releases.
• BDMV Recording specification (defined in September 2006 for BD-RE and BD-R).{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/BD-RE_Part3_V3.0_WhitePaper_080406-15915.pdf |title=White Paper: Blu-ray Disc Rewritable Format: Audio Visual Application Format Specifications for BD-RE Version 3.0 |date=March 2008 |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073756/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/BD-RE_Part3_V3.0_WhitePaper_080406-15915.pdf |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}
• RREF (Realtime Recording and Editing Format): a subset of BDMV designed for real-time recording and editing applications.
• HFPA (High Fidelity Pure Audio): A high definition audio disc using the Blu-ray format

Audio, video, and other streams are multiplexed and stored on Blu-ray Discs in a container format based on the MPEG transport stream. It is also known as BDAV MPEG-2 transport stream and can use the filename extension .m2ts.Videohelp.com [https://www.videohelp.com/hd What is Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD?] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060430113104/https://www.videohelp.com/hd |date=April 30, 2006 }}, Retrieved on July 26, 2009. Blu-ray Disc titles authored with menus are in the BDMV (Blu-ray Disc Movie) format and contain audio, video, and other streams in BDAV container.AfterDawn.com [https://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/bd-mv.cfm Glossary – BD-MV (Blu-ray Movie) and BDAV container] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201115516/https://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/bd-mv.cfm |date=December 1, 2007 }}, Retrieved on July 26, 2009.AfterDawn.com [https://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/bdav.cfm Glossary – BDAV container] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20121209014907/https://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/term.cfm/bdav |date=December 9, 2012}}, Retrieved on July 26, 2009. There is also the BDAV (Blu-ray Disc Audio/Visual) format, the consumer oriented alternative to the BDMV format used for movie releases. The BDAV format is used on BD-REs and BD-Rs for audio/video recording. BDMV format was later defined also for BD-RE and BD-R (in September 2006, in the third revision of BD-RE specification and second revision of BD-R specification).{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r2-spec.php |title=R2 Format Specification |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100826230858/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/r2-spec.php |archive-date=August 26, 2010 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/re3-spec.php |title=RE3 Format Specification |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=June 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100701011954/https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format-spec/re3-spec.php |archive-date=July 1, 2010 |url-status=live }}

Blu-ray Disc employs the MPEG transport stream recording method. That enables transport streams of digital broadcasts to be recorded as they are broadcast, without altering the format.Blu-ray Disc Association (March 2008) [https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/BD-RE_Part3_V2.1_WhitePaper_080406-15271.pdf BD-RE – Audiovisual Application Format Specification for BD-RE 2.1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090206111829/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/BD-RE_Part3_V2.1_WhitePaper_080406-15271.pdf |date=February 6, 2009 }} (PDF), [https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/TechnicalWhitePapers/BDRE.html Technical White Papers – BD RE] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090506111157/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/TechnicalWhitePapers/BDRE.html |date=May 6, 2009 }}, Retrieved on July 28, 2009. It also enables flexible editing of a digital broadcast that is recorded as is and where the data can be edited just by rewriting the playback stream. Although it is quite natural, a function for high-speed and easy-to-use retrieval is built in.Blu-ray Disc Association (August 2004) [https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/general_bluraydiscformat-15263.pdf Blu-ray Disc Format, White paper] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090612042130/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/general_bluraydiscformat-15263.pdf |date=June 12, 2009}} (PDF) Page 22, Retrieved on July 28, 2009. Blu-ray Disc Video use MPEG transport streams, compared to DVD's MPEG program streams. An MPEG transport stream contains one or more MPEG program streams, so this allows multiple video programs to be stored in the same file so they can be played back simultaneously (e.g., with the "picture-in-picture" effect).

The BD-ROM specification mandates certain codec compatibilities for both hardware decoders (players) and movie software (content).{{cite web|url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/2b_bdrom_audiovisualapplication_0305-12955-15269.pdf |title=White paper Blu-ray Disc Format – 2.B Audio Visual Application Format Specifications for BD-ROM |page=15 |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |date=March 2005 |access-date=July 26, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221051302/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/Assets/Downloadablefile/2b_bdrom_audiovisualapplication_0305-12955-15269.pdf |archive-date=December 21, 2008 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/TechnicalWhitePapers/BDROM.html |title=Technical White Papers{{snd}}BD ROM |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association |access-date=January 19, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100110063557/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/TechnicalWhitePapers/BDROM.html |archive-date=January 10, 2010 |url-status=live }} Windows Media Player does not come with all of the codecs required to play Blu-ray Discs.{{cite web |url=https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-pictures/windows-7-media-player-will-not-play-back-bluray/36f826cd-db66-45e7-bfad-1ad7f37f42af |title=Microsoft Community |publisher=Microsoft |work=microsoft.com |access-date=October 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016004928/https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-pictures/windows-7-media-player-will-not-play-back-bluray/36f826cd-db66-45e7-bfad-1ad7f37f42af |archive-date=October 16, 2015 |url-status=live }}

Originally, BD-ROMs stored video up to {{resx|1920×1080}} pixel resolution at up to 60 (59.94) fields per second. Currently, with UHD BD-ROM, videos can be stored at a maximum of {{resx|3840×2160}} pixel resolution at up to 60 (59.94) frames per second, progressively scanned. While most current Blu-ray players and recorders can read and write {{resx|1920×1080}} video at the full 59.94p and 50p progressive format, new players for the UHD specifications will be able to read at {{resx|3840×2160}} video at either 59.94p and 50p formats.

For video, all players are required to process H.262/MPEG-2 Part 2, H.264/MPEG-4 Part 10: AVC, and SMPTE VC-1.{{cite web |url=https://www.pcworld.com/article/117681/bluray_disc_to_support_mpeg4_vc1.html |title=Blu-ray Disc To Support MPEG-4, VC-1 |access-date=June 15, 2011 |last=Williams |first=Martyn |date=September 2, 2004 |website=Pcworld.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090122085518/https://www.pcworld.com/article/117681/bluray_disc_to_support_mpeg4_vc1.html |archive-date=January 22, 2009 |url-status=live }} BD-ROM titles with video must store video using one of the three mandatory formats; multiple formats on a single title are allowed. Blu-ray Disc allows video with a bit depth of 8-bits per color YCbCr with 4:2:0 chroma subsampling.{{cite news |title=HDMI Enhanced Black Levels, xvYCC and RGB |first=Clint |last=DeBoer |publisher=Audioholics |url=https://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/calibrate-your-system/hdmi-black-levels-xvycc-rgb |date=April 16, 2008 |access-date=June 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511115215/https://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/calibrate-your-system/hdmi-black-levels-xvycc-rgb |archive-date=May 11, 2013 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Digital Color Coding |publisher=Telairity |url=https://www.telairity.com/assets/downloads/Digital%20Color%20Coding.pdf |access-date=June 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140107171831/https://www.telairity.com/assets/downloads/Digital%20Color%20Coding.pdf |archive-date=January 7, 2014 |url-status=dead }} The choice of formats affects the producer's licensing/royalty costs as well as the title's maximum run time, due to differences in compression efficiency. Discs encoded in MPEG-2 video typically limit content producers to around two hours of high-definition content on a single-layer (25{{nbs}}GB) BD-ROM. The more-advanced video formats (VC-1 and MPEG-4 AVC) typically achieve a video run time twice that of MPEG-2, with comparable quality. MPEG-2, however, does have the advantage that it is available without licensing costs, as all MPEG-2 patents have expired.

MPEG-2 was used by many studios (including Paramount Pictures, which initially used the VC-1 format for HD DVD releases) for the first series of Blu-ray Discs, which were launched throughout 2006.[https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?ReleaseDate=2006 Statistics Page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073221/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?ReleaseDate=2006 |date=July 8, 2011 }}. Blu-rayStats.com. Retrieved on December 22, 2010. Modern releases are now often encoded in either MPEG-4 AVC or VC-1, allowing film studios to place all content on one disc, reducing costs and improving ease of use. Using these formats also frees a lot of space for storage of bonus content in HD (1080i/p), as opposed to the SD (480i/p) typically used for most titles. Some studios, such as Warner Bros., have released bonus content on discs encoded in a different format than the main feature title. For example, the Blu-ray Disc release of Superman Returns uses VC-1 for the feature film and MPEG-2 for some of its bonus content.{{cite web |url=https://www.thehdroom.com/news/Superman_Returns_Review_Blu-ray/2505 |title=Superman Returns Review (Blu-ray) |access-date=October 27, 2011 |last=Fitzgerald |first=Shawn |date=April 23, 2008 |work=TheHDRoom |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111018095148/https://thehdroom.com/news/Superman_Returns_Review_Blu-ray/2505 |archive-date=October 18, 2011 |url-status=live }} Today{{When|date=May 2021}}, Warner and other studios typically provide bonus content in the video format that matches the feature.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}

For audio, BD-ROM players are required to implement Dolby Digital (AC-3), DTS, and linear PCM. Players may optionally implement Dolby Digital Plus and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio as well as lossless 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound formats Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.{{cite web |url=https://www.twice.com/article/CA6323699.html |work=TWICE.com |title=1st HD DVD Players To Decode All Mandatory, Optional Audio Codecs |access-date=June 15, 2011 |last=Palenchar |first=Joseph |date=April 10, 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090409074432/https://www.twice.com/article/CA6323699.html |archive-date=April 9, 2009}} BD-ROM titles must use one of the mandatory schemes for the primary soundtrack. A secondary audiotrack, if present, may use any of the mandatory or optional codecs.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}

The Blu-ray specification defines a maximum data transfer rate of {{nowrap|54 Mbit/s}}, a maximum AV bitrate of {{nowrap|48 Mbit/s}} (for both audio and video data), and a maximum video bit rate of {{nowrap|40 Mbit/s}}. In contrast, the HD DVD standard has a maximum data transfer rate of {{nowrap|36 Mbit/s}}, a maximum AV bitrate of {{nowrap|30.24 Mbit/s}}, and a maximum video bitrate of {{nowrap|29.4 Mbit/s}}.{{cite web |url=https://www.videohelp.com/hd |title=What is Blu-ray Disc and HD DVD? |access-date=February 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060430113104/https://www.videohelp.com/hd |archive-date=April 30, 2006 }}

{{Main|BD-J}}

At the 2005 JavaOne trade show, it was announced that Sun Microsystems' Java cross-platform software environment would be included in all Blu-ray Disc players as a mandatory part of the standard.{{cite web |last1=Foote |first1=Bill |last2=Moll |first2=Erik |title=Java Technology Goes to the Movies: Java Technology in Next-Generation Optical Disc Formats |publisher=2005 JavaOne conference, Session TS-7091 |url=https://www.jovial.com/slides/2005_TS-7091_Foote_Moll_DF.pdf |access-date=September 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110819034100/https://jovial.com/slides/2005_TS-7091_Foote_Moll_DF.pdf |archive-date=August 19, 2011 |url-status=live }} Java is used to implement interactive menus on Blu-ray Discs, as opposed to the method used on DVD-video discs. DVDs use pre-rendered MPEG segments and selectable subtitle pictures, which are considerably more primitive and rarely seamless. At the conference, Java creator James Gosling suggested that the inclusion of a Java virtual machine, as well as network connectivity in some BD devices, will allow updates to Blu-ray Discs via the Internet, adding content such as additional subtitle languages and promotional features not included on the disc at pressing time.

{{cite web |url=https://news.cnet.com/Java-to-appear-in-next-gen-DVD-players/2100-1046_3-5766409.html |title=Java to appear in next-gen DVD players |last1=Shankland |first1=Steven |date=June 26, 2005 |website=CNET |access-date=September 18, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303050003/https://news.cnet.com/Java-to-appear-in-next-gen-DVD-players/2100-1046_3-5766409.html |archive-date=March 3, 2012 |url-status=live }}

This Java version is called BD-J and is built on a profile of the Globally Executable MHP (GEM) standard; GEM is the worldwide version of the Multimedia Home Platform standard.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}

The BD-ROM specification defines four Blu-ray Disc player profiles, including an audio-only player profile (BD-Audio) that does not require video decoding or BD-J. All of the video-based player profiles (BD-Video) are required to have a full implementation of BD-J.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}

On November 2, 2007, the Grace Period Profile was superseded by Bonus View as the minimum profile for new BD-Video players released to the market.{{cite web |url=https://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6495668.html |title=Blu-ray Disc Assn. promotes new Bonus View |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081218181606/https://www.videobusiness.com/article/CA6495668.html |archive-date=December 18, 2008 |last=Ault |first=Susanne |date=October 7, 2007}} When Blu-ray Disc software not authored with interactive features dependent on Bonus View or BD-Live hardware capabilities is played on Profile 1.0 players, it is able to play the main feature of the disc, but some extra features may not be available or will have limited capability.{{cite web |url=https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/High-Def_FAQ:_Blu-ray_Profiles_Explained/1186 |title=High-Def FAQ: Blu-ray Profiles Explained |first=Joshua |last=Zyber |publisher=highdefdigest.com |date=November 23, 2007 |access-date=December 18, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222023739/https://www.highdefdigest.com/news/show/Joshua_Zyber/High-Def_FAQ:_Blu-ray_Profiles_Explained/1186 |archive-date=December 22, 2007 |url-status=live }}

The biggest difference between Bonus View and BD-Live is that BD-Live requires the Blu-ray Disc player to have an Internet connection to access Internet-based content. BD-Live features have included Internet chats, scheduled chats with the director, Internet games, downloadable featurettes, downloadable quizzes, and downloadable movie trailers.{{cite web |url=https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1219/tinkerbell.html |title=Tinker Bell (Blu-ray) |first=Peter |last=Bracke |publisher=highdefdigest.com |date=October 28, 2008 |access-date=February 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217003551/https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1219/tinkerbell.html |archive-date=February 17, 2009 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1437/hellboyii.html |title=Hellboy II: The Golden Army (Blu-ray) |first=Joshua |last=Zyber |publisher=highdefdigest.com |date=November 11, 2008 |access-date=February 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218115030/https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1437/hellboyii.html |archive-date=February 18, 2009 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1738/kungfupanda.html |title=Kung Fu Panda (Blu-ray) |first=Kenneth |last=Brown |publisher=highdefdigest.com |date=November 9, 2008 |access-date=February 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090202054142/https://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1738/kungfupanda.html |archive-date=February 2, 2009 |url-status=live }} While some Bonus View players may have an Ethernet port, it is used for firmware updates and is not used for Internet-based content.{{cite web |url=https://www.docs.sony.com/release/specs/BDPBX1_mksp.pdf |title=Sony BDP-BX1 player specifications |date=August 5, 2009 |access-date=February 10, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716104611/https://www.docs.sony.com/release/specs/BDPBX1_mksp.pdf |archive-date=July 16, 2011 |url-status=dead }} In addition, Profile 2.0 also requires more local storage in order to handle this content.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

Profile 1.0 players are not eligible for Bonus View or BD-Live compliant upgrades and do not have the function or capability to access these upgrades, with the exception of the latest players and the PlayStation 3. Internet is required to use.{{cite web |url=https://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9808376-1.html |title=Blu-ray Profile 1.0, 1.1, 2.0 explained—Ask the Editors |work=CNET |last=Moskovciak |first=Matthew |date=September 9, 2008 |access-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102113729/https://crave.cnet.com/8301-1_105-9808376-1.html |archive-date=November 2, 2007 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/samsungs-already-awesome-hd-disc-hybrid-bd+up5000-upgraded-to-profile-11-bye-bye-format-bitching-314480.php |title=Samsung's Already Awesome HD Disc Hybrid BD-UP5000 Upgraded to Profile 1.1 (Bye Bye Format Bitching) |work=Gizmodo.com |date=October 24, 2007 |last=Rothman |first=Wilson |access-date=June 15, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110711100136/https://gizmodo.com/gadgets/home-entertainment/samsungs-already-awesome-hd-disc-hybrid-bd+up5000-upgraded-to-profile-11-bye-bye-format-bitching-314480.php |archive-date=July 11, 2011 |url-status=live }}[https://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/term.cfm/profile_1_1 Profile 1.1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101226131122/https://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/term.cfm/profile_1_1 |date=December 26, 2010 }}, afterdawn.com, December 22, 2010.

[[File:Blu-ray-regions with key.svg|thumb|400px|Regions for the Blu-ray Disc standard:{{cite web |url=https://blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/FAQs/Blu-rayDiscforVideo.aspx |title=Blu-ray Disc for Video |access-date=September 14, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110602084333/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/FAQs/Blu-rayDiscforVideo.aspx |archive-date=June 2, 2011 |url-status=live }}

As with the implementation of region codes for DVDs, Blu-ray disc players sold in a specific geographical region are designed to play only discs authorized by the content provider for that region. This is intended to permit content providers (motion picture studios, television production companies, etc.) to enact regional price discrimination and/or exclusive content licensing. According to the Blu-ray Disc Association, all Blu-ray disc players and Blu-ray disc-equipped computer systems are required to enforce regional coding. However, content providers need not use region playback codes.[https://us.blu-raydisc.com/#/pages/faq "How does regional coding work in the computer space?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090901195414/https://us.blu-raydisc.com/#/pages/faq |date=September 1, 2009 }} us.blu-raydisc.com FAQ Retrieved October 24, 2009. Some current estimates suggest 70% of available movie Blu-ray discs from the major studios are region-free and can therefore be played on any Blu-ray disc player in any region.[https://regionfreemovies.com/ "Latest Confirmed Region Free Blu-rays"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002175249/https://regionfreemovies.com/ |date=October 2, 2009 }}. Retrieved October 24, 2009.

Movie distributors have different region-coding policies. Among major American studios, Walt Disney Pictures, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios, and Sony Pictures have released most of their titles free of region-coding.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Warner |title=Blu-ray Disc Statistics Warner |access-date=August 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073345/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Warner |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{efn|Although titles released by Warner's New Line Cinema division were initially region-coded, subsequent re-releases have been region-free. Titles released by other labels on behalf of New Line are still subject to region-coding.}}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Paramount |title=Blu-ray Disc Statistics Paramount |access-date=August 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073247/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Paramount |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Universal |title=Blu-ray Disc Statistics Universal |access-date=August 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073319/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Universal |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Sony |title=Blu-ray Disc Statistics Sony |access-date=August 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073333/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Sony |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Disney |title=Blu-ray Disc Statistics Disney |access-date=August 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073422/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Disney |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }} Universal and Warner Bros. nearly always make their Blu-rays region free while Universal's STXfilms Blu-rays are more often region locked as well as a few European Blu-rays. Paramount, though more occasionally region locking their Blu-rays, never uses Region A, B and C logos on their domestic releases. Fox and Sony more frequently region lock their Blu-rays and use A, B and C logos unlike Paramount, WB and Universal; domestic releases from both Fox and Sony are Region A locked while international releases of the same titles would be region free.{{cn|date=February 2025}} MGM and Lionsgate have released a mix of region-free and region-coded titles.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=MGM |title=Blu-ray Disc Statistics MGM |access-date=January 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073456/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=MGM |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Lionsgate |title=Blu-ray Disc Statistics Lionsgate |access-date=August 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073401/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Lionsgate |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }} While 20th Century Fox initially released most of their titles region-coded,{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Fox |title=Blu-ray Disc Statistics 20th Century Fox |access-date=August 13, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708073437/https://www.blu-raystats.com/Stats/Stats.php?OrderBy=Studio&Studio=Fox |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=live }} most of their post-Disney merger content is region-free. Vintage film restoration and distribution company The Criterion Collection uses US region-coding in all Blu-ray releases, with their releases in the UK market using UK region-coding.{{cite web |url=https://www.criterion.com/help#q20 |title=Help – The Criterion Collection (20.) |access-date=February 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220011159/https://www.criterion.com/help#q20 |archive-date=February 20, 2017 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.criterion.com/help#q11 |title=Help – The Criterion Collection (11.) |access-date=February 19, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170220011159/https://www.criterion.com/help#q11 |archive-date=February 20, 2017 |url-status=live }}

The Blu-ray Disc region-coding scheme divides the world into three regions, labeled A, B, and C.

A new form of Blu-ray region-coding tests not only the region of the player/player software, but also its country code{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}, repurposing a user setting intended for localization (PSR19) as a new form of regional lockout. This means, for example, while both the US and Japan are Region A, some American discs will not play on devices/software configured for Japan or vice versa, since the two countries have different country codes. (For example, the United States is "US" (21843 or hex 0x5553), Japan is "JP" (19024 or hex 0x4a50), and Canada is "CA" (17217 or hex 0x4341).{{citation needed|date=October 2019}}) Although there are only three Blu-ray regions, the country code allows much more precise control of the regional distribution of Blu-ray discs than the six (or eight) DVD regions. With Blu-ray discs, there are no "special regions" such as the regions 7 and 8 for DVDs.

In circumvention of region-coding restrictions, stand-alone Blu-ray disc players are sometimes modified by third parties to allow for playback of Blu-ray discs (and DVDs) with any region code.[https://www.engadgethd.com/2008/06/26/first-region-free-blu-ray-players-available/ "First Region Free Blu-ray Players Available"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090924030242/https://www.engadgethd.com/2008/06/26/first-region-free-blu-ray-players-available/ |date=September 24, 2009}} engadgethd.com. Retrieved October 24, 2009. Instructions ("hacks") describing how to reset the Blu-ray region counter of computer player applications to make them multi-region indefinitely are also regularly posted to video enthusiast websites and forums. Unlike DVD region codes, Blu-ray region codes are verified only by the player software, not by the optical drive's firmware.

{{as of|2017}} the latest types of Blu-ray players, suitable for Ultra HD Blu-ray content, are not region-free, but Ultra HD Blu-ray disc manufacturers have not yet locked the discs to any region and they work worldwide.{{cite web |title=Region-Free 4k UHD Blu-ray Players: Fact or Fiction? |url=https://www.220-electronics.com/blog/region-free-4k-ultra-hd-blu-ray-players-fact-fiction/ |url-status=live |publisher=220 Electronics |access-date=June 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170703140528/https://www.220-electronics.com/blog/region-free-4k-ultra-hd-blu-ray-players-fact-fiction |archive-date=July 3, 2017 }}

The Blu-ray Disc format employs several layers of digital rights management (DRM) which restrict the usage of the discs.{{cite web |url=https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/vectors/brcp.pdf |title=Blu-ray Disc Next-Generation Optical Storage: Protecting Content on the BD-ROM |access-date=May 3, 2007 |publisher=Dell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070331173711/https://www.dell.com/downloads/global/vectors/brcp.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2007 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/assets/downloadablefile/5th_japan_05-13343.pdf |title=Overview of BD-ROM security |access-date=May 3, 2007 |last=Ajima |first=Kosuke |date=March 29, 2006 |publisher=Blu-ray Disc Association Content Protection Group |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070307102259/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/assets/downloadablefile/5th_japan_05-13343.pdf |archive-date=March 7, 2007}} This has led to extensive criticism of the format by organizations opposed to DRM, such as the Free Software Foundation,{{cite web |url=https://www.fsf.org/news/blu-ray |title=Don't buy HD-DVD or Blu-ray disks |date=March 24, 2006 |access-date=September 6, 2010 |first=Matt |last=Lee |publisher=FSF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626004727/https://www.fsf.org/news/blu-ray/ |archive-date=June 26, 2010 |url-status=live }} and consumers because new releases require player firmware updates to allow disc playback.{{cite web |url=https://consumerist.com/2013/09/06/samsungs-disposable-blu-ray-player-wont-play-new-blu-rays/ |title=Samsung's Disposable Blu-ray Player Won't Play New Blu-rays |date=September 6, 2013 |access-date=December 16, 2013 |first=Laura |last=Northrup |publisher=Consumerist |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216190828/https://consumerist.com/2013/09/06/samsungs-disposable-blu-ray-player-wont-play-new-blu-rays/ |archive-date=December 16, 2013 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/avatar-blu-rays-have-some-buyers-seeing-red-16828 |title='Avatar' Blu-rays Have Some Buyers Seeing Red |date=April 29, 2010 |access-date=December 16, 2013 |first=Brent |last=Lang |website=The Wrap |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140830183222/https://www.thewrap.com/movies/article/avatar-blu-rays-have-some-buyers-seeing-red-16828/ |archive-date=August 30, 2014 |url-status=live }}

{{Main|High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection}}

Blu-ray equipment is required to implement the High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) system to encrypt the data sent by players to rendering devices through physical connections. This is aimed at preventing the copying of copyrighted content as it travels across cables. Through a protocol flag in the media stream called the Image Constraint Token (ICT), a Blu-ray Disc can enforce its reproduction in a lower resolution whenever a full HDCP-compliant link is not used. In order to ease the transition to high definition formats, the adoption of this protection method was postponed until 2011.{{cite web |title=Advanced Access Content System ("AACS") Adopter Agreement |url=https://www.aacsla.com/license/AACS_Adopter_Agrmt_090619.pdf |date=June 2009 |access-date=October 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929142319/https://www.aacsla.com/license/AACS_Adopter_Agrmt_090619.pdf |archive-date=September 29, 2011 |url-status=dead }}

{{Main|Advanced Access Content System}}

File:AACS dataflow.svg

The Advanced Access Content System (AACS) is a standard for content distribution and digital rights management. It was developed by AS Licensing Administrator, LLC (AACS LA), a consortium that includes Disney, Intel, Microsoft, Panasonic, Warner Bros., IBM, Toshiba, and Sony. Since the appearance of the format on devices in 2006, several successful attacks have been made on it. The first known attack relied on the trusted client problem. In addition, decryption keys have been extracted from a weakly protected player (WinDVD). Since keys can be revoked in newer releases,{{cite web |url=https://www.aacsla.com/press/ |title=Response to Reports of Attacks on AACS Technology |publisher=AACS |date=April 16, 2007 |access-date=January 14, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070430070403/https://www.aacsla.com/press/ |archive-date=April 30, 2007 |url-status=dead }} this is only a temporary attack, and new keys must continually be discovered in order to decrypt the latest discs.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

{{Main|BD+}}

BD+ was developed by Cryptography Research Inc. and is based on their concept of Self-Protecting Digital Content.[https://www.cryptography.com/technology/spdc/bluray.html Content Protection – BD+ and Blu-ray] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071101070941/https://www.cryptography.com/technology/spdc/bluray.html|date=November 1, 2007}} from cryptography.com BD+, effectively a small virtual machine embedded in authorized players, allows content providers to include executable programs on Blu-ray Discs. Such programs can:

• Examine the host environment to see if the player has been tampered with. Every licensed playback device manufacturer must provide the BD+ licensing authority with memory footprints that identify their devices.
• Verify that the player's keys have not been changed
• Execute native code, possibly to patch an otherwise insecure system
• Transform the audio and video output. Parts of the content will not be viewable without letting the BD+ program unscramble it.

If a playback device manufacturer finds that its devices have been hacked, it can potentially release BD+ code that detects and circumvents the vulnerability. These programs can then be included in all new content releases.{{cite patent |country=US |number=2010169663 |status=application |title=Systems and Methods for Detecting Authorized Players |pubdate=July 1, 2010 |fdate=January 22, 2009 |assign1=CYBERLINK CORPORATION}} The specifications of the BD+ virtual machine are available only to licensed device manufacturers. A list of licensed commercial adopters is available from the [https://web.archive.org/web/20071106054231/https://www.bdplusllc.com/home/list_of_adopters_content_participants_and_eligible_code_developers BD+ website.]

The first titles using BD+ were released in October 2007. Since November 2007, versions of BD+ protection have been circumvented by various versions of the AnyDVD HD program.{{cite web |url=https://www.engadget.com/2007/11/07/slysofts-latest-anydvd-beta-cracks-bd/ |title=SlySoft's latest AnyDVD beta cracks BD+ |date=November 7, 2007 |access-date=July 21, 2010 |first=Darren |last=Murph |publisher=engadget |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100208164955/https://www.engadget.com/2007/11/07/slysofts-latest-anydvd-beta-cracks-bd/ |archive-date=February 8, 2010 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/slysoft-cracks-blu-ray-bd-encryption/1542 |title=SlySoft cracks Blu-ray BD+ encryption |date=March 19, 2008 |access-date=July 21, 2010 |first=Adrian |last=Kingsley-Hughes |website=ZDNet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818092839/https://www.zdnet.com/blog/hardware/slysoft-cracks-blu-ray-bd-encryption/1542 |archive-date=August 18, 2010 |url-status=dead }} Other programs known to be capable of circumventing BD+ protection are DumpHD (versions 0.6 and above, along with some supporting software),{{cite web |url=https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=123111 |title=DumpHD – a HD-DVD / Blu-ray Decrypter – Doom9's Forum |work=doom9.org |access-date=October 28, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160203150907/https://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=123111 |archive-date=February 3, 2016 |url-status=live }} MakeMKV,{{cite magazine |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/145794/2010/01/bluray_ripping.html |title=Blu-ray ripping on the Mac |date=January 20, 2010 |access-date=July 21, 2010 |first=Jonathan |last=Seff |magazine=Macworld |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100731051925/https://www.macworld.com/article/145794/2010/01/bluray_ripping.html |archive-date=July 31, 2010 |url-status=live }} and two applications from DVDFab (Passkey and HD Decrypter).{{cite web |url=https://lifehacker.com/5559007/the-hassle+free-guide-to-ripping-your-blu+ray-collection |title=The Hassle-Free Guide to Ripping Your Blu-ray Collection |date=June 9, 2010 |access-date=July 21, 2010 |first=Whitson |last=Gordon |publisher=Lifehacker |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100721093707/https://lifehacker.com/5559007/the-hassle+free-guide-to-ripping-your-blu+ray-collection |archive-date=July 21, 2010 |url-status=live }}

{{Main|BD-ROM Mark}}

ROM Mark is a small amount of cryptographic data that is stored separately from normal Blu-ray Disc data, aiming to prevent replication of the discs. The cryptographic data is needed to decrypt the copyrighted disc content protected by AACS.{{cite web |url=https://www.aacsla.com/specifications/AACS_Spec_BD_Prerecorded_0.912.pdf |title=Advanced Access Content System (AACS) Blu-ray Disc Pre-recorded Book, Revision 0.912 |date=July 27, 2006 |access-date=October 11, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026081239/https://www.aacsla.com/specifications/AACS_Spec_BD_Prerecorded_0.912.pdf |archive-date=October 26, 2006 }} A specially licensed piece of hardware is required to insert the ROM Mark into the media during mastering. During replication, this ROM Mark is transferred together with the recorded data to the disc. In consequence, any copies of a disc made with a regular recorder will lack the ROM Mark data and will be unreadable on standard players.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}

The Blu-ray Disc Association recommends but does not require that Blu-ray Disc drives be capable of reading standard DVDs and CDs, for backward compatibility.{{cite web|url=https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/FAQs/Blu-rayDiscFormat.html|title=Can Blu-ray Disc products play DVD and CD?|access-date=January 25, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090218032036/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/FAQs/Blu-rayDiscFormat.html|archive-date=February 18, 2009|url-status=live}} Most Blu-ray Disc players are capable of reading both CDs and DVDs; however, a few of the early Blu-ray Disc players released in 2006, such as the Sony BDP-S1, could play DVDs but not CDs.{{cite web |url=https://www.bluraydiscplayers.org.uk/blu-ray-and-hd-dvd-players/lg-bh100-blu-ray-hd-dvd-player/ |title=LG BH100 Blu-ray/HD DVD player |access-date=August 30, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080902025051/https://www.bluraydiscplayers.org.uk/blu-ray-and-hd-dvd-players/lg-bh100-blu-ray-hd-dvd-player/ |archive-date=September 2, 2008 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=https://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/pioneer-bdp-hd1/4505-6463_7-31637888.html?tag=rnav |title=Pioneer BDP-HD1 |access-date=February 23, 2007 |archive-date=March 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120310165438/https://reviews.cnet.com/video-players-and-recorders/pioneer-bdp-hd1/4505-6463_7-31637888.html?tag=rnav |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://hometheater.about.com/od/blurayandhddvd/p/sonybluraybdps1.htm |title=Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray Disc Player{{snd}}Product Profile |access-date=September 17, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080924191825/http://hometheater.about.com/od/blurayandhddvd/p/sonybluraybdps1.htm |archive-date=September 24, 2008 |url-status=live }} In addition, with the exception of some early models from LG and Samsung, Blu-ray players cannot play HD DVDs, and HD DVD players cannot play Blu-ray Discs. Some Blu-ray players can also play Video CDs, Super Audio CDs, and/or DVD-Audio discs. All Ultra HD Blu-ray players can play regular Blu-ray Discs, and most can play DVDs and CDs. The PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 do not support CDs.{{cite web |title=PlayStation Support |url=https://support.playstation.com/s/article/PS4-Problems-Reading-Discs?language=en_US |website=support.playstation.com |access-date=August 24, 2020 |archive-date=April 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200423030307/https://support.playstation.com/s/article/PS4-Problems-Reading-Discs?language=en_US |url-status=live }}

{{Main|High Fidelity Pure Audio}}

High Fidelity Pure Audio (HFPA) is a marketing initiative, spearheaded by the Universal Music Group, for audio-only Blu-ray optical discs. Launched in 2013 as a potential successor to the compact disc, it has been compared with DVD-A and SACD, which had similar aims.{{Citation needed|date=August 2020}}

{{Main|AVCHD}}

File:Panasonic DMP-BD60 Blu-Ray Player.jpg Blu-ray player DMP-BD60 (late 2009) compatible with AVCHD]]

AVCHD was originally developed as a high-definition format for consumer tapeless camcorders. Derived from the Blu-ray Disc specification, AVCHD shares a similar random access directory structure but is restricted to lower audio and video bitrates, simpler interactivity, and the use of AVC-video and Dolby AC-3 (or linear PCM) audio. Being primarily an acquisition format, AVCHD playback is not universally recognized among devices that play Blu-ray Discs. Nevertheless, many such devices are capable of playing AVCHD recordings from removable media, such as DVDs, SD/SDHC memory cards, "Memory Stick" cards, and hard disk drives.{{cite web |url=https://www.avchd-info.org/press/index.html |title=AVCHD Information Web Site press releases |access-date=July 29, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090419154131/https://www.avchd-info.org/press/index.html |archive-date=April 19, 2009 |url-status=live }}

{{main|AVCREC}}

AVCREC uses a BDAV container to record high-definition content on conventional DVDs.{{cite web |url=https://www.blu-raydisc.info/format_spec/avcrec_specs.php |title=AVREC Format Specifications |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090317015922/https://blu-raydisc.info/format_spec/avcrec_specs.php |archive-date=March 17, 2009 }} Presently AVCREC is tightly integrated with the Japanese ISDB broadcast standard and is not marketed outside of Japan. AVCREC is used primarily in set-top digital video recorders and in this regard it is comparable to HD REC.{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

File:Blu ray 3d (logo).svg

The Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA) created a task force made up of executives from the film industry and the consumer electronics and IT sectors to help define standards for putting 3D film and 3D television content on a Blu-ray Disc.{{cite web |url=https://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/05/20/bda_taskforce/ |title=Blu-ray brains create 3D taskforce |publisher=reghardware.co.uk |date=May 20, 2009 |access-date=May 23, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090523141130/https://www.reghardware.co.uk/2009/05/20/bda_taskforce/ |archive-date=May 23, 2009 |url-status=dead }} On December 17, 2009, the BDA officially announced 3D specs for Blu-ray Disc, allowing backward compatibility with current 2D Blu-ray players,{{cite web |last=Chabot |first=Jeff |url=https://www.hd-report.com/2009/12/18/3d-specs-finalized-for-blu-ray-to-hit-market-next-year/ |title=3D specifications finalized for Blu-ray, to hit market next year |publisher=HD Report |date=December 17, 2009 |access-date=December 17, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100323012621/https://www.hd-report.com/2009/12/18/3d-specs-finalized-for-blu-ray-to-hit-market-next-year/ |archive-date=March 23, 2010 |url-status=live }} though compatibility is limited by the fact that the longer 3D discs are triple-layer, which normal (2D only) players cannot read.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}} The BDA has said, "The Blu-ray 3D specification calls for encoding 3D video using the "Stereo High" profile defined by Multiview Video Coding (MVC), an extension to the ITU-T H.264 Advanced Video Coding (AVC) codec currently implemented by all Blu-ray Disc players. MPEG4-MVC compresses both left and right eye views with a typical 50% overhead compared to equivalent 2D content, and can provide full 1080p resolution backward compatibility with current 2D Blu-ray Disc players."{{cite web |url=https://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091217005371&newsLang=en |title=Blu-ray Disc Association Announces Final 3D Specification |publisher=Business Wire |date=December 17, 2009 |access-date=December 18, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220040057/https://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20091217005371&newsLang=en |archive-date=December 20, 2009 |url-status=live }} This means the MVC (3D) stream is backward compatible with H.264/AVC (2D) stream, allowing older 2D devices and software to decode stereoscopic video streams, ignoring additional information for the second view. However, some 3D discs have a user limitation set preventing the disc from being viewed in 2D (though a 2D disc is often included in the packaging).{{citation needed|date=August 2020}}

Sony added Blu-ray 3D support to its PlayStation 3 console via a firmware upgrade on September 21, 2010.{{cite web |title=PS3 System Software Update (ver 3.50) |date=September 21, 2010 |access-date=September 21, 2010 |url=https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2010/09/21/ps3-system-software-update-ver-3-50 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100924064936/https://blog.eu.playstation.com/2010/09/21/ps3-system-software-update-ver-3-50/ |archive-date=September 24, 2010 |url-status=live }} The console had previously gained 3D gaming capability via an update on April 21, 2010.{{cite web |url=https://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/04/21/ps3-3-30-system-software-update/ |title=PS3 goes 3D on 10 June [2010] |work=PlayStation Blog |last=Lempel |first=Eric |access-date=June 14, 2011 |date=April 21, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629212824/https://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/04/21/ps3-3-30-system-software-update/ |archive-date=June 29, 2011 |url-status=live }} Since the version 3.70 software update on August 9, 2011, the PlayStation 3 can play DTS-HD Master Audio and DTS-HD High Resolution Audio while playing 3D Blu-ray.{{cite web |url=https://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/08/09/ps3-system-software-update-v3-70/ |title=PS3 System Software Update (v3.70) |work=PlayStation.Blog |last=Lempel |first=Eric |access-date=November 2, 2011 |date=August 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816161051/https://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/08/09/ps3-system-software-update-v3-70/ |archive-date=August 16, 2011 |url-status=live }} Dolby TrueHD is used on a small minority of Blu-ray 3D releases, and bitstreaming implemented in slim PlayStation 3 models only (original "fat" PS3 models decode internally and send audio as LPCM).{{cite web |url=https://gizmodo.com/5342470/so-the-ps3-slim-can-bitstream-dolby-truehd-and-dts+hd-master-audio-after-all |title=So, The PS3 Slim Can Bitstream Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio After All? |last1=Allen |first1=Danny |date=August 21, 2009 |website=Gizmodo |access-date=June 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120709070942/https://gizmodo.com/5342470/so-the-ps3-slim-can-bitstream-dolby-truehd-and-dts+hd-master-audio-after-all |archive-date=July 9, 2012 |url-status=live }} The PlayStation VR can also be used to watch these movies in 3D on a PlayStation 4.{{cite web |last=Kidwell |first=Essa |title=How to get the best 3D Blu-Ray experience with PlayStation VR |url=https://www.androidcentral.com/how-get-best-3d-blu-ray-experience-playstation-vr |url-status=live |website=AndroidCentral |date=April 4, 2019 |access-date=March 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200320014417/https://www.androidcentral.com/how-get-best-3d-blu-ray-experience-playstation-vr |archive-date=March 20, 2020}} {{As of|2018|post=,}} most major home entertainment studios, such as Walt Disney Studios, Sony Pictures, MGM, and Universal Pictures had discontinued the Blu-ray 3D format in North America, but continued to produce and sell them in other regions such as South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Paramount Pictures has ceased sales and productions of 3D Blu-ray Discs all over the world, its last 3D releases being Ghost in the Shell and Transformers: The Last Knight, while Warner Bros. continued to sell and produce 3D Blu-ray Discs in North America until 2022 with their last film released on the format being Dune.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

{{Main|Ultra HD Blu-ray}}

Ultra HD Blu-ray Discs are incompatible with existing standard Blu-ray players. They support 4K UHD ({{resx|3840×2160}} pixel resolution) video at frame rates up to 60 progressive frames per second,{{cite news |title=4K Blu-ray discs arriving in 2015 to fight streaming media |publisher=CNET |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/4k-blu-ray-discs-arriving-in-2015-to-fight-streaming-media/ |date=September 5, 2014 |access-date=October 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141013164451/https://www.cnet.com/news/4k-blu-ray-discs-arriving-in-2015-to-fight-streaming-media/ |archive-date=October 13, 2014 |url-status=live }} encoded using High Efficiency Video Coding. The discs support both high dynamic range (HDR) by increasing the color depth to 10-bit per color and a greater color gamut than supported by conventional Blu-ray video by using the Rec. 2020 color space.{{cite journal |last1=Smith |first1=Michael D. |title=Ultra HD Blu-ray Format Video Characteristics |journal=SMPTE Motion Imaging Journal |date=July 2016 |volume=125 |issue=5 |pages=14–27 |doi=10.5594/JMI.2016.2563078 |url=https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7514362 |issn=2160-2492 |access-date=February 15, 2023 |archive-date=March 6, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306071121/https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/7514362 |url-status=dead }}

The specification for an 8K Blu-ray format was also completed by the Blu-ray Disc Association for use in Japan. More than two hours of 8K content can be recorded on BDXL discs.

{{div col|colwidth=25em}}

• 2D plus Delta
• Blu-ray Disc authoring
• Blu-ray Disc recordable
• Comparison of high-definition optical disc formats
• Comparison of popular optical data-storage systems
• Comparison of video player software: Optical media ability, for a list of software BD video players
• Digital 3D and 3D television
• Disk-drive performance characteristics
• Format war
• High-definition optical disc format war
• High-definition television
• Holographic Versatile Disc (HVD)
• List of optical disc manufacturers
• List of Blu-ray player manufacturers
• Universal Media Disc

{{div col end}}

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist}}

{{Commons category|Blu-ray Disc}}

• {{Official website}}
• [https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/TechnicalWhitePapers/General.aspx Blu-ray Disc Association's Technical White Papers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130817150124/https://www.blu-raydisc.com/en/Technical/TechnicalWhitePapers/General.aspx |date=August 17, 2013 }}
• [https://www.blu-raydisc.info/ Blu-ray Disc License Office]
• [https://www.aacsla.com/ AACS LA]

{{Blu-ray}}

{{Video storage formats}}

{{High definition media}}

{{High-definition}}

{{Stereoscopy}}

{{Sony Corp}}

{{Lasers}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Audiovisual introductions in 2006

Category:2006 in technology

Category:Audio storage

Category:Computer-related introductions in 2006

Category:Consumer electronics

Category:High dynamic range

Category:High-definition television

Category:Home video

Category:Japanese inventions

Category:Dutch inventions

Category:Java platform

Category:Products introduced in 2006

Category:Rotating disc computer storage media

Category:Sony hardware

Category:Television terminology

Category:Video game distribution

Category:Video storage

Category:21st-century inventions

Category:Optical computer storage media