Blu-ray, also known as Blu-ray Disc (BD), is the name of a next-generation
optical disc format jointly developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association (BDA), a
group of the world's leading consumer electronics, personal computer and media
manufacturers (including Apple, Dell, Hitachi, HP, JVC, LG, Mitsubishi,
Panasonic, Pioneer, Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony, TDK and Thomson). The format
was developed to enable recording, rewriting and playback of high-definition
video (HD), as well as storing large amounts of data. The format offers more
than five times the storage capacity of traditional DVDs and can hold up to 25GB
on a single-layer disc and 50GB on a dual-layer disc. This extra capacity
combined with the use of advanced video and audio codecs will offer consumers an
unprecedented HD experience.
