The format war between Blu Ray and HD-DVD is certainly over with the former being the clear victor. This was down to a number of different reasons which will be highlighted shortly. Today Blu Ray can be considered the high definition format of choice for those people who want the very best viewing experience. The following article will set out some of the most touted reasons to join the Blu Ray revolution.

Firstly the Blu Ray disc format is supported by some of the most powerful picture houses in Hollywood. Six out of the total eight major Hollywood studios are now placing their films upon Blu Ray discs; these studios include Disney, Warner Brothers and Buena Vista. In fact this support is so all encompassing that nineteen of the twenty bestselling movies of last year were released on this high definition format. It is not only the fact that they were realised in HD, but many were available in HD format solely with the use of Blu Ray.

It is not only major movie studios that have supported this format however. Asides from Toshiba, the majority of the biggest names in the electronics and technology industries have pledged their support to Blu Ray. Of these supporters, Sony, Samsung, Sharp and Panasonic are some of the most famous. With such a wide base of support amongst the technological industry, consumers are given a greater choice of hardware options in terms of players. This can be seen as one of the major reasons the format war was won by BD, HD DVD simply could not match the corporate muscle of these global giants.

Blu Ray delivers it pictures to 1080p HD quality, now generally seen as the benchmark for all HD television sets. The superior storage capacity of Blu Ray means that the data transfer speeds are that much faster. The result of this an uncompromised, smooth viewing experience. Sound on Blu Ray is also superior to the regular DVDs that adorn our shelves. While some may be available in surround sound the quality contained on a BD disc means that the home cinema is a very real and attainable possibility.

Despite the clear advantages of Blu Ray there is still a large amount of conjecture that surrounds its use. One of the foremost arguments is the cost of both the players and the discs themselves. This argument is understandable but as with any new technology, prices at the outset will be considerable; it is only after a period of time that the hardware becomes truly affordable.

That said, there are still many out there who will be willing to pay the premium for a greater viewing experience. Additionally questions remain over the viability of a disc style format, the downloading of HD movies over the internet has become extremely popular and whether consumers will want to purchase individual discs for their collections is still a matter of debate. Even so, the appeal of amassing a large collection of discs will still be appealing to some.

The HD revolution is certainly upon us. As previously stated Blu Ray is a manifestation of the desire for increasingly sharp and advanced picture quality. Its popularity amongst aficionados is strong, but for the format to be truly successful it must enter the mainstream. Recent marketing reports suggest that Blu ray is currently experiencing better levels of sales than DVD in a similar stage of its development, with such a large backing from movie studios and technology companies, further success should be forthcoming in the future.