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CDs and DVDs - What Are Blu-ray Discs?

Blu-ray discs, often called BD, are (as of 2007) one of the two main rival formats available to replace standard DVDs. While DVDs can normally store up to 4.7 gigabytes of information, Blu-ray discs can hold up to 50 gigabytes of storage. Plus, advances in technology may allow for Blu-ray discs to hold double, or even quadruple, the current amount of storage.

Extra storage on Blu-ray discs can be used to hold additional trailers, directors' cuts, and outtakes (normally called "DVD extras"). However, the main need for the extra storage is to handle high-definition video (such as HDTV) and surround-sound audio.

According to the Blu-ray Disc Association, the reason behind the name is that the readers use blue lasers instead of red lasers used for reading standard DVDs.

The main competitor to Blu-ray is HD DVD. Since different movie/TV production studios and hardware use one or both of the formats, consumers may want to wait to see which format "wins out" in the end. Currently, licensing issues are preventing combination HD-DVD and Blu-ray players, so users either have to buy multiple players or pick one format and hope their content is, and continues to be, available in that format. This is reminiscent of the VHS/Betamax format wars of the 1970s-1980s.