Is Blu Ray Technology Really So Much Better Than DVD?

Whenever you are looking to get the best movie experience in your home, you have to do a little research on the latest technology.  In response to massive advertising, a lot of homes are now making the switch to Blu Ray players and discarding their old DVD players.  But is this technology really worth the upgrade?  Let’s examine whether Blu Ray or DVD technology is right for you.

One of the first things to consider in this debate is the age and size of your television.  Blu Ray discs indeed offer higher resolutions and better compression, but unless you have a 1080 television, the changes are not likely to be very dramatic.  If you have an old ‘box’ style television, forget it – there probably won’t even be the correct adapter for your set to let you plug a Blu-Ray player in.  Blu Ray players are designed to offer true high definition, and they actually offer a picture that is more defined and vibrant than the HD programming your television receives.  But unless you have the latest flat-screen television, it isn’t really worth the high price of a player or the increased price per movie when buying and renting.

If, however, you have a 1080 high definition (HD) television, Blu Ray might be the right technology for you.  If you rarely find yourself watching movies, you may want to wait until prices decline in a year or so, but if you and your family have a weekly movie night or if you collect all of your favorite shows on DVD, then Blu Ray is certainly a great choice.  The video is much clearer, the audio is more defined, and the significantly larger storage capacity means that your favorite movies will now offer you even more special features and interactive viewing choices.  

While converting your library will set you back a fair chunk of change, the technology difference between Blu-ray and DVD is roughly equal to the change from VHS to DVD, making this a technology you really want to buy if you love movies.