Blu-ray profiles, everything you wanted to know
Thinking about dipping a toe into the Blu-ray water?
One of Blu-ray least understood caveats about Blu-ray Players are profiles. As soon as you begin researching Blu-ray players online you’ll see statements and questions such as:
"I hope my new Blu-ray player can be upgraded to version 1.1."
"Should I buy now or wait for 2.0?"
Blu-ray Disc (BD) was developed by the Blu-ray Disc Association or BDA. Because of a bloody format war with competitor HD DVD the specification was rushed to market. The agreed upon concession was to release BD in a series of profiles. Basically, BD players were released incomplete. It’s like turning in a rough draft of a term paper to your professor and telling them that it’s not your final version. But at some unspecified point in the future he can expect and update (or in this case profile 1.1) of your term paper which you’ll call the Final Standard Profile.
The BD-ROM (Blu-ray Disc - ROM) specification defines the following profile requirements.
•1.0
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This profile defined the first generation players. Its single requirement is a 64 KB cache for storage intended for use with application data.
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Profile 1.0 is all you need to watch Blu-ray movies. Players meeting only the 1.0 Profile are just as good at playing a movie as any other profile.
Only older players could be released using profile 1.0, in Nov. 2007 it became mandatory that all BD players meet the BD Profile 1.1.
1.1
- Profile 1.1 or Final Standard Profile has a secondary video decoder that provides on disc Picture in Picture. This lets you see special features where a movie will have a sub-picture displaying some behind the scenes content.
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Picture in Picture using a secondary decoder was used in the HD DVD release of 300. Although 300 was also released to Blu-ray it didn’t contain the sub-picture feature. This feature on 300 demonstrated to viewers how scenes were shot before the CGI was added. It’s up to you if missing out on such features will keep you up at night.
2.0 - BD-Live
- This profile is defined by the addition of network connectivity. Connecting your Blu-ray player to the Internet will be a good feature for receiving updates and downloadable interactive elements.
3 Blu-ray Profile 3
- Designed for audio only and won’t carry any java or video decoding requirements.
The Blu-ray Disc Profile doesn’t specify audio codec compatibility. Do your homework! If you’re shopping around for Blu-ray players find out exactly what audio formats it can decode. Unlike picture in picture features the new lossless audio codecs can actually enhance your enjoyment of the movie. Many early Blu-ray players do not decode any of the new lossless codecs like Dolby True HD or DTS HD. You’ll have to examine hardware specs.
BD Profile 1.0 is all you need to watch an HD movie in its entire 5.1 channel, 1080P glory, and if that’s your priority, get ready to make out like a bandit on the clearance sales this winter.
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On any TV less than 42 inches, HD means nothing if you are sitting at a reasonable distance... And for the bigger TVs, it means even less... The quality of the screen for any TV above 42 inch drops off dramatically... And its worse for projectors...
There is no point in moving into either HD DVD or Blue Ray for the next 5 years, and then, only after one system is dead and the other system rules the market... I think the public is tired of being told to run out and buy that new product (because you gotta have it to keep up with the Jones) that really isn't that special.
They are trying to steer us towards one product or the other, with fear mongering that the other will become the next Batemax... And the truth is, they could both be the next Batemax... There is nothing to stop both camps loosing... We could all be left owning hardware and disks that are "Has been technology"...
Another thing I'd like to mention: I think I major factor in the slow adoption of HDMI and HD in general is that public as a whole was only very recently sold on all the magical wonders of DVDs vs VHS. It took some arm twisting at first but starting around '99 the masses spent their money on upgrading (VHS to DVD) and expanding their movie collections. This time frame does not include the real early adopters, where money is not an issue and are the same people who you saw buy the first HD anything. On top of the VHS/DVD video collection upgrade; buying new devices to play these wonder discs was a requirement. Then lastly some (many perhaps) had to upgrade their TVs because their old equipment could not accept a component or composite input.
Now I think if manufactures had held off a little longer before pushing a new format on people they would be getting a much better response. The time from the release/mass consumption of VHS and DVD was about 15-20 years while (early to mid 80's for VHS and very late 90's to early 2000's for DVD). The time span for DVD to HD and Blu Ray is a very blurry 5 years.
When DVD came out people were ready for something new. They tore down the doors, so to speak, once the price was low enough on DVDs. That is not the case with HD.
Heck,I know people that still love and buy VHS. Granted, not many, but they still are out there. Major blunder, IMO, on the quick timing of HD. People have not forgotten.
The next huge wave will be holographic. By the time that comes out (10? years from now) people will be ready and biting at the bit for something completely different (and wiz bang wow better, of course)