Given the way Blu-ray discs are packaged and labeled, you might be forgiven for picturing the format as a relatively recent invention. Yet it’s not — the first releases date back to 2006, including movies like 50 First Dates, The Terminator, and The Fifth Element. It’s old enough that some of those releases might already be succumbing to disc rot.
This raises an obvious question: is there a successor in the wings, in the same way that DVD replaced VHS? Something that will provide an alternative to streaming subscriptions 10 years down the road? The answer is bound to disappoint fans of physical media, although you may at least be able to detach yourself from subscriptions.
Blu-ray and DVD technology
Trivia challenge
From spinning discs to high-definition glory — how much do you really know about Blu-ray and DVD?
HistoryHardwareFormatsCapacityStandards
In what year was the DVD format officially launched for consumer use?
That’s right! DVD was officially launched in Japan in November 1996, before rolling out to North America in 1997. The format was developed by a consortium of major electronics companies including Sony, Panasonic, and Philips.
Not quite — DVD launched in Japan in November 1996. It then made its way to North American markets in 1997, quickly displacing VHS as the dominant home video format over the following years.
What colour laser does a standard Blu-ray player use to read discs?
Correct! Blu-ray players use a blue-violet laser with a wavelength of 405nm. This shorter wavelength compared to the red laser used in DVDs allows data to be packed much more densely on the disc surface.
The answer is blue-violet, with a wavelength of 405nm. This is actually what gives Blu-ray its name. The shorter wavelength compared to the red laser in DVDs is what enables the significantly higher storage capacity.
What is the storage capacity of a standard single-layer Blu-ray disc?
Spot on! A single-layer Blu-ray disc holds 25GB of data. Dual-layer discs double that to 50GB, while newer BDXL triple-layer discs can hold up to 100GB, making them ideal for 4K Ultra HD content.
The correct answer is 25GB for a single-layer Blu-ray disc. Dual-layer discs hold 50GB, which is why most feature films are released on dual-layer media to accommodate high-bitrate video and lossless audio tracks.
Which format did Blu-ray defeat in the high-definition disc format war of the mid-2000s?
Exactly right! Blu-ray defeated HD DVD in a format war that concluded in early 2008. The turning point came when Warner Bros. announced it would exclusively support Blu-ray, prompting Toshiba to discontinue HD DVD shortly after.
The correct answer is HD DVD, backed primarily by Toshiba and Microsoft. The format war ended in February 2008 when Toshiba officially discontinued HD DVD after Warner Bros. threw its exclusive support behind Blu-ray.
What is the maximum video resolution supported by a standard Blu-ray disc (not Ultra HD)?
That’s correct! Standard Blu-ray supports up to 1080p (Full HD) resolution at up to 60 frames per second. It was a massive leap over DVD’s 480p standard definition, and helped drive widespread adoption of HD televisions.
Standard Blu-ray tops out at 1080p Full HD resolution. This was a significant upgrade over DVD’s 480p and helped establish the format as the premium home video choice — until 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray arrived to raise the bar again.
Which company originally developed the DVD format alongside JVC, Sony, and others?
Correct! Philips was one of the founding members of the DVD Consortium alongside Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi, JVC, and others. Philips had already co-developed the CD format with Sony, so its involvement in DVD was a natural progression.
The answer is Philips, which co-developed the DVD standard alongside Sony, Panasonic, JVC, and Hitachi among others. Philips had significant experience in optical disc technology, having previously co-invented the CD with Sony back in the early 1980s.
What laser wavelength does a standard DVD player use to read discs?
Well done! DVD players use a red laser with a wavelength of 650nm. This is shorter than the 780nm infrared laser used in CD players, allowing DVDs to store more data, but longer than Blu-ray’s 405nm laser which enables even denser storage.
DVD players use a 650nm red laser. For comparison, CD players use a 780nm infrared laser, while Blu-ray uses a 405nm blue-violet laser. The progression to shorter wavelengths is what has driven increases in optical disc storage capacity over the decades.
What does the acronym ‘BD-ROM’ stand for in Blu-ray terminology?
Correct! BD-ROM stands for Blu-ray Disc Read-Only Memory. It is the standard format used for commercially pressed Blu-ray movies and games, as opposed to BD-R (recordable) or BD-RE (rewritable) formats used for home recording.
BD-ROM stands for Blu-ray Disc Read-Only Memory. This is the pre-pressed, non-recordable format you find on commercial movie and game releases. The Blu-ray family also includes BD-R for write-once recording and BD-RE for rewritable discs.
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Discs may be at a dead end
Less about limitations than you might think
Superficially, it might seem like there’s plenty of reason to improve or replace Blu-ray. Some movies are already bumping up against the 100GB ceiling on read-only discs, forcing studios to cut extras, push them to secondary discs, or else split the movie itself into multiple parts. Simultaneously, 8K content is on the horizon, no matter that the first wave of TVs has largely fizzled out. When 8K actually reaches the mainstream, we’ll need four times the storage capacity.
In reality, while a specification for 8K Blu-ray exists, no commercial production is happening, and there are no serious plans for a new disc format. The explanation for this is simple: at the moment, there’s no compelling reason to do better. “We don’t see anything from content creators or consumers to indicate a need for a new format. They’re both extremely satisfied,” Blu-ray Disc Association chairman Victor Matsuda recently told TechRadar.
Matsuda and other industry types note that 8K adoption has been tepid, to the point that some TV makers have actually withdrawn from the market for now. With 4K content likely to reign supreme for the next several years, a new disc format would be a solution in search of a problem. And to take advantage, many people would have to upgrade their TVs, players, and/or HDMI cables. Usable 8K requires HDMI 2.1 or later, as well as processors capable of decoding and enhancing it in real-time.
Blu-ray is pushing the boundaries of human senses as it is. At a range of 9 to 10 feet (2.7 to 3 meters), you need a TV measuring 65 inches or more to tell the difference between 4K and 1080p, never mind 8K. Many discs also have lossless spatial audio. The biggest limits to fidelity, then, are everything but the disc you’re popping in.
Other alternatives to discs and streaming
Solving the ownership question
You might think that shipping movies on SD cards or USB sticks would be a solution, but there are a few problems with this idea. The biggest is that flash memory is far more expensive than a disc, even without AI datacenters spurring unreasonable price hikes. Cards and sticks would also be easier to pirate, and TVs would need to be upgraded (via hardware or software) to recognize and auto-play compatible media.
One idea that’s made it to the wild is the idea of supercharging downloads. Kaleidescape, for instance, sells players for ultra-high fidelity downloads that you retain permanent access to. These start at about $2,000 however, which is an instant dealkiller for most people when you can find a 4K Blu-ray player for under $600, and 1080p models for under $200. Meanwhile, companies like Apple, Amazon, and Google are already serving up 4K HDR downloads, just without permanent ownership. If they lose hosting rights, so do you.
Fixing the digital ownership situation may be one path forward. For many people, though, having a physical copy is an essential part of Blu-ray’s appeal. There’s nothing doing in that department — but I’ll let you know the moment that changes.
