Catchin’ Some Rays – Blu Ones 05/05/2009
It started with VCRs. Hard as it is to believe, they were the absolute cutting edge of technology back in their heyday. And when you consider what VCRs offered, it was really a giant leap for home entertainment. One whirring plastic box allowed the movie lovers of the world to watch their favorite films over and over again, whenever they liked, and TV fanatics would be able to do the same with recorded programs.
Then, just as CDs supplanted records and cassette tapes, DVDs replaced videos. (This was after the quick hiccup of LaserDiscs, of which we do not speak.) DVDs seemed like they’d be the standard-bearer for quite some time. Enter Blu-Ray.
Blu-Ray discs are the victors in the short-lived HD format wars. Much like the VHS versus Beta scuffle of the early ’80s, Blu-Ray and HD DVDs went 12 rounds before Blu-Ray was embraced as the HD format of choice. Right now, the Blu-Ray market is almost identical to the early DVD market: Blu-Ray discs are comparatively expensive, as are Blu-Ray players. Portable Blu-Ray players, just on the horizon, are not here yet, and when they arrive, they’re bound to start at a high price point. And the Blu-Ray catalog of movies, while growing, is still relatively small.
So all of this begs the question: Should you step up to Blu-Ray?
The answer, of course, depends on what you’re looking for. If you’ve got a killer home theater setup (and if you don’t, talk to the experts at Certified Connection about hooking you up), then it’s probably already a moot point. You’ve already got your Blu-Ray player and discs and love it. But what about if you’ve got an average setup – HDTV, receiver, and a couple of solid speakers. Should you step up?
History holds the answer. Just as VCR tapes went the way of the blue suede shoes, so will regular DVDs. Eventually it will be all Blu-Ray all the time, and you’ll need to upgrade your system anyway. The good news is that prices are dropping all the time, and soon you’ll pay the same for a Blu-Ray player as you did for your DVD player. And more good news – Blu-Ray discs are amazing. The picture quality and sound are light years ahead of DVDs, so at least you’re getting that much more bang for your buck.
Cynics might point out that as soon as they upgrade their system to Blu-Ray, some other technology will come along and make it obsolete. Technology does have a habit of doing that. But if you think about how long you enjoyed your old VHS tapes, and then how long you enjoyed DVDs, you’ll see that Blu-Ray will be here for a good, long while.
One Response
Certified Connection » Blog Archive » Switchin’ It Up
[...] a home media center can have any combination of HDTV, DVD player, video game system, cable box, Blu-ray player, CD or MP3 player—and maybe even a computer or [...]
Leave a Comment