Disadvantages of Blu-Ray

May 7, 2008 – 11:28 am, posted by draiken78

Hi everybody!

Yesterday, I talked about the main advantages of Blu-Ray compared to DVD’s. Now that you know what to expect will be improved if you switch to Blu-Ray, I would like to let you know about the new formats’ flaws. Most of these problems with this new format are all related to each other, and solving 1 issue is likely to address other issues as well.

Firmware Updates

Possibly the biggest drawback to Blu-Ray has to do with reliability issues. Unlike with DVD players, Blu-ray players need occasional firmware updates. Doing a firmware update is a complicated issue for the average consumer unless the player has an Ethernet port to connect directly to the internet like you computer does. If the player does not have an Ethernet port, then you have to go to the manufacturer’s website and burn a file to a CD. This has to be done every time you buy a Blu-Ray movie which requires an update to play.

A second problem with these firmware updates is that they sometimes fix playability issues with some movies, but may screw up things that worked beforehand. This forces you to wait until another update is issued which hopefully fix everything again. Also, many consumers don’t always follow directions and turn off the player before the update is completed. Usually, they do it because they thought it was done or finished, but in fact it was still installing. This almost always leads to a non-working Blu-Ray player which must be sent in for repairs.

DRM

This is the real reason the major studios backed Blu-Ray over the failed HD DVD format. This is also the cause of most of the firmware updates for the player that you are forced to perform. The problem is that Blu-Ray uses Java for special features and Copy write protection. In order for the DRM to be effective, it must be changes occasionally in order to prevent pirated copies of the movies. The changes in DRM lead directly to the player needing an update in order to play the movie.

High Prices

Unlike a DVD player, which can run you anywhere from $20 to $200 for a nice up convert player, most Blu-Ray players cost $400 or more. You can find some that are less expensive, but they tend to be the slower, buggier models which are not the final 2.0 spec. This should change soon, as many new players are being released that are profile 2.0. $400 still seems it will be the starting point for most of those though, so I wouldn’t expect a huge price drop until the Christmas Holliday season begins.

Playstation 3

I’m going to list this as a disadvantage for a couple reasons. First and foremost, it is a gaming machine and many people just won’t consider using a video game console as their Blu-Ray player. The second reason is that the PS3 starts at the same price point as most stand alone Blu-Ray players. The difference is that the PS3 has (in most cases) much more to offer than a stand alone player. It is the final 2.0 profile, plays all the high definition audio formats, and is possibly the fastest when it comes to Blu-Ray loading times. Add in the fact that it plays PS3 games and can be a media center hub, and it’s hard for me to believe people would even consider a stand alone player at the same price point or higher and getting less bang for the buck.

Unfortunately, the PS3 is simply too good a deal as a Blu-Ray player. This is making it harder for other companies to release a product that can compete.

As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject. Let me about your experiences or questions about Blu-Ray!