What is different about Blu-ray than regular DVD and why didn't a blu-ray disk work in my DVD player?

Question

Just wondering why the blu-ray disk didnt work in my dvd player?

Answer 1

First, two corrections to other answerers:

1. Blue-violet is a higher frequency than red, not lower.

Source: Basic Physics (use any source you want - OK, here's one: http://www.windows.ucar.edu/tour/link=/p...

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2. HD-DVDs can NOT be played on standard DVD players, although DVDs can be played on HD-DVD players.

Source: http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/hd-...

OK, now here's my answer...

Blu-ray video discs are higher-capacity optical discs that use lasers with blue-violet light, a higher frequency and shorter wavelength than the red lasers used in DVDs (this shorter wavelength makes it possible to reflect back sharply from smaller pits and lands on an optical disc, and makes the higher capacity possible).

Blu-ray discs are as un-playable in DVD players as DVDs were in CD players.  Neither lower-capacity player can play the higher capacity disc.

However, just as DVD players were designed to also play CDs, Blu-ray players have been designed to also play DVDs.  In order to do that they have both red and blue-violet lasers in the playback head.  They do this because consumers want to be able to play their existing DVD collections - they aren't required to do it by the Blu-ray specs!

BTW, many Blu-ray players don't play CDs.

Answer 2

A Blu-ray disc is encoded with a much higher picture quality than a standard DVD.  (It is like High-definition TV vs. regular TV)  A Blu-ray disc only plays in Blu-ray players but a regular DVD will also play in Blu-ray players.  It is called backwards compatibility.  Just like a Playstation 3 disc will only play in a PS3, but a Playstation 2 disc that is older will play in a PS2 or a newer PS3.

Answer 3

Really?

Blu-ray is a completely different technology from DVDs.

Blu-ray takes a completely different laser than dvds.

Now, the Blu-ray laser is Backward compatible, meaning it can read the old DVDs, but the old DVD laser is not advanced enough to read Blu-Rays.

Don't worry about it though.

Blu-rays will not be around for long.

Answer 4

You need a DVD player that's Blu-ray compatible.

Blu-ray is a DVD capable of hi-def replay.

Answer 5

BlueRay uses a blue laser (hence the "Blue" part of BlueRay) which is a lower frequency of laser, allowing more data/video quality to be stored on the disc.

The reason they can't be played in normal DVD players (like yours) is because they need a blue laser, while normal DVD players only have a red laser, suitable for reading DVDs.

Answer 6

dude its a high definition format. its meant for a blue laser. hd dvd's can play in a regular dvd player though.

Answer 7

Blue Ray is a totally different disc from a DVD. You have to buy a blue ray disc player. It is quite expensive you purchase a blue ray disc I am surprised you purchased it. Anyway - you need to buy a blue ray player. Becareful to not damage the disc while it was in your dvd player. Blue Ray is a high definition disc, It had a lot of new additions in it unlike dvd's have the movie and clips. Blue ray has trivia, facts, a lot of stuff popping up in the disc.

Answer 8

It is read with a lower wave light than a DVD, allowing ten times as much information to be stored on the disk. It can't be read on a DVD only player.

Answer 9

Blu-ray doesn't work in a regular (old) DVD player because the information on the disk must be read by a new type of laser. I haven't done side-by-side tests, but a DVD is pretty sharp to me and I see no reason to spend hundreds of dollars on a new TV (which you need to see the effect of blu-ray) and a new DVD player. The DVD companies are just trying to sell more stuff; a regular DVD is just fine (and cheaper).