From the beginning of high definition, MPO teams have made a commitment to new formats. In 2008, MPO invested in an entire Blu-ray production chain. This makes MPO the leading and only independent manufacturer in Europe to have a complete Blu-ray manufacturing line from mastering to pressing. In order to better support you in the realisation of your Blu-ray projects, and to answer the main questions you may have on this format, we are delighted to offer you this 10 questions Blu-ray guide. 1. Where does the name “Blu-ray” come from? The term Blu-ray refers to the blue laser used for this format, unlike the red laser used for CDs and DVDs. The “e” was removed from “blue” for the trademark. The full name of the new format is “Blu-ray Disc”, often abbreviated to BD. There are two Blu-ray formats: • BD 25 ( single layer)
• BD 50 ( double layer)
2. What is the difference between a DVD and a Blu-ray? The main difference lies with the laser which records information: the laser used for DVDs is red, while that used for BD is blue. Below is a table comparing the 2 formats : 3. Why are images better in BD than DVD? Because the image resolution is better with Blu-ray the resolution is 1920 x 1080, where as on DVD, it is 720 x 576. 4. Is audio better with Blu- ray? Of course! Blu- ray can handle up to 32 audio flows, ranging from stereo to multi-channel 7.1 surround. With DVD, audio is Dolby Surround 5.1. 5. Why is Blu-ray called “interactive”? With de Blu-ray, you can consult contextual menus without stopping the film, that you are currently watching, and then choose new viewing options, or download interactive content directly from internet (sub titles, director’s commentary, etc…). 6. Does Blu-ray use region codes? Yes, Blu-ray can be assigned region codes, but this is not mandatory. It is the publisher who decides whether to assign a zone to a Blu-ray title. 3 zones have been defined: Zone A: The Americas, Korea, Japan, South East Asia
Zone B: Europe, Middle East, Africa, Australia, New Zealand
Zone C: Russia, India, China, rest of the world.
7. What video compression formats are used for BD? Compression codec used for Blu-ray are: MPEG-2, MPEG-4 AVC, and VC-1 8. Is there anti-copy protection for BD? There are three anti-copy protections for Blu-ray: - AACS protection ( Advences Access Content System).
- BD-Rom Mark protection. Both are mandatory
- BD + protection being optional.
9. And what if I want to use the Blu-ray Disc Logo on my products? You need to get a licence from the Blu-ray Disc Association. For more information: http://www.blu-raydisc.info/ 10. What are the manufacturing stages of a Blu-ray disc at MPO? Once you have sent drive to MPO, as well as your AACS contract number, data will be tested (pre- mastering) before creating a master. Some pressed Blu-ray may be sent to you for proofing. After you have given your agreement to these samples, Blu-ray will be pressed, packaged in specific cases and sent to the desired addresses. | 
