Although the majority of people’s TV and movie viewing may be from streaming apps; the likes of Blu-ray and DVDs remain a staple in many households.
As Blu-ray first launched back in 2006, you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s eliminated DVDs from existence. However, this certainly isn’t the case as DVDs are still available and are normally much cheaper than Blu-rays.
With this in mind, what actually is the difference between Blu-ray and DVDs? Should you replace all your DVDs with Blu-ray discs?
We explain everything you need to know about the differences between Blu-ray and DVDs.
Blu-ray have more storage capacity
Hold a Blu-ray and DVD side-by-side and you’ll be hard-pressed to spot an immediate difference between the two. That’s because they, at their simplest form, work in the same way as both rely on lasers to work.
However, the exact lasers used for Blu-rays and DVDs differ. While Blu-ray players use a blue laser, DVD players instead use a red laser for the discs. The difference is that a blue laser works on a shorter wavelength of 405nm while the red laser found on a DVD works on a longer 650nm wavelength, which means the Blu-ray disc benefits in both higher quality video and more storage capacity.
The storage capacity is especially noteworthy, as it means a Blu-ray disc can hold much longer movies and overall content than DVDs. In fact, while a standard DVD tends to hold around 4.7GB of data, which is usually enough to hold a two hour film, a Blu-ray boasts up to 50GB capacity.
Blu-ray is made for HD viewing
The most noticeable difference between a Blu-ray and a DVD is that the former is made for viewing on HD resolution. In fact, Blu-ray discs boast up to 1080p HD support whereas DVDs offer just up to 480p standard definition (SD).
What’s more, there are 4K Blu-ray discs too. Though these cost more than a standard Blu-ray, a 4K Blu-ray (also known as Ultra HD Blu-ray) boasts a higher resolution of 2160p for improved clarity and more detail. You will, however, need a 4K TV and 4K Blu-ray player to see the difference.
Not only that, but all types of Blu-ray discs can also support more audio formats including Dolby Atmos. Remember, much like 4K Blu-ray, to benefit from the technologies Blu-ray discs support, you’ll need to ensure that your TV is compatible by supporting a HDMI input.
Really, any of the best TVs and even best cheap TVs should support Blu-ray players.
DVDs can be played on Blu-ray players
Recently purchased a new Blu-ray player or even one of the best games consoles like the Xbox Series X? There’s no need to rush and replace all your existing DVDs, as they can still be played on Blu-ray players.
In fact, the best 4K Blu-ray players still support older disc formats, including standard Blu-rays and DVDs. Not only that, but many Blu-ray players can even improve the audio and picture quality of a DVD, as they usually sport an upscaling tool. While that doesn’t necessarily mean DVDs can reach Blu-ray level quality, it’s still a welcome improvement.
On the other hand, it is not possible to play Blu-ray discs on standard DVD players, as they are simply unsupported.
Is Blu-ray better than DVD?
In terms of picture quality, audio support and longevity of the disc itself, Blu-ray is an overall better option than a DVD thanks to improve sense of resolution, detail, sharpness and a wider range of colours on view.
For casual viewing, a DVD is a perfectly sufficient and more affordable option, as long as you don’t mind the noticeable decline in quality. However, the bigger the screen, the more information that a TV’s upscaling needs to effectively, make up. DVDs will look worse than Blu-rays in this context.
What lasts longer, Blu-ray or DVD?
Before we start here, it’s worth remembering that neither Blu-ray nor DVDs are entirely foolproof. Both can easily become damaged and even totally unplayable when they’re mishandled and scratched.
Having said that, Blu-ray discs are more scratch-resistant than DVDs, thanks to a protective coating which is usually applied during manufacturing.
Verdict
Undoubtedly, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray discs offer a much improved overall viewing experience than a standard DVD. Not only do they offer better video and audio quality, they’re resistant to damage from scratches than DVDs.
These technologies come at a higher price. If you don’t want to fork out on lots of new Blu-rays, then your existing DVDs are still perfectly sufficient, especially as they can be played on Blu-ray players.
However, if you still have a HD TV, we’d recommend Blu-ray. For 4K, especially if you have a bigger screen, you’ll want to view films and TV series in 4K Blu-ray.
