Should I get one of those new BluRay Players?
Blu-ray is a newer video format that is quickly becoming very popular. Blu-ray discs can be mastered at a higher resolution and with more accurate colors than a conventional DVD. Blu-ray discs can have higher-quality audio than a standard DVD as well. This means that Blu-ray discs can look and sound significantly better than a standard DVD.
How much better? In theory, because Blu-ray has higher data rates than any other source available, it should be the best looking and sounding source that you can hook up to your system, but this is not always the case. Some less expensive Blu-ray players lack picture controls that allow the player to be properly set-up and matched to your TV or Projector. Some players lack internal decoders for the newer, high-quality sound formats and require that your surround receiver be capable of decoding the sound information. The multiple options and set-up controls have made it so that a lot of people who are watching Blu-ray discs are not getting the best picture or sound that is on the disc.
Some players do not have network jacks on them which makes updating firmware a tedious process. Wait, why would I have to update the firmware on my player? Isn't that just for computers? Blu-ray players are in fact computers. They are very specific computers that only play certain software. Sometimes a movie studio will release a movie on a Blu-ray disc that will require an update to be able to play. Some players will go out to the internet automatically and get the required update. Some require that the update be downloaded on a separate computer, burned to a disc, then loaded via the disc mechanism before the movie can be played. This is where a good integrator comes in. If the update is required they should contact you as soon as they know about the update and make sure you never have a delay in movie night.
Blu-ray players also require special connections in order to get the full video and audio output from them. HDMI is the ideal transfer cable for Blu-ray movies. This cable is capable of carrying not only the high-definition video, but the audio as well. The drawback is that your other components also must have this connection and the ability to decode the information from your player. In some cases, the movie studio may even limit the player to a lower resolution if you are not using the HDMI connection. If your system does not have these connections, or is not hooked-up correctly, you may still get sound and a picture, but not what Blu-ray is capable of giving you.
The other issue with Blu-ray is the movies themselves. You need to make sure that the movie you purchased or rented is a Blu-ray disc in order to get the best picture and sound. More rental stores and services are offering Blu-ray discs but you will have to specify that you want the Blu-Ray version of the movie you are renting. Check with the place where you rent or purchase movies before buying a Blu-ray player.
When you do get your Blu-ray player installed, you need to make sure that it is properly set-up to work with your system. There are menu items for setting the display shape, the output resolution, various picture controls, and for setting up the audio. Depending on the system, these can be a few items, or require an hour or more to properly set-up and adjust. Once again, this is where a good integrator can play a vital role. Having these items professionally set-up and calibrated can make a dramatic improvement in the Blu-ray experience.
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