When it comes to Blu Ray, it can be an expensive investment. Even though prices have dropped since the format war came to an end, it can still cost a lot of money to replace your favorite films from your DVD collection. Buying Blu Ray may be costly, but in the long run, it is worth the investment. As companies began producing Blu Ray-only titles, you will either have to bite the bullet or live without being able to rewatch new releases.

Blu Ray and HD DVD share many of the same qualities. They both store high-definition audio, video and data on a disc. These discs are what make each format different. Blu Ray has the capability to hold more data and offer a faster playback than a HD DVD disc. While they both produce high-quality playback, the Blu Ray disc can offer a slightly higher playback quality due to being able to store more data on their discs.

The Blu Ray disc evolved from designs by the Blu Ray Disc Association. This group was invested in by several high profile electronics and Hollywood movie firms. The Blu Ray Disc Association was formed to help bring high-definition titles to homes following the evolution of high-definition television sets and programming. In response to Blu Ray, Toshiba backed the HD DVD format. However, on February 19, 2008, Toshiba backed out of its support and the format war came to an official end.

In order to invest in Blu Ray, you need four things: A HDTV, a Blu Ray Player, the appropriate HDMI cables and Blu Ray movies. Investing in Blu Ray is an investment from the start. You will spend money, a lot of money, from the top down, but the investment is well worth it in the long run.

The HDTV is going to be the bulk of the investment, depending on the size and type you get. While most HDTVs are useful for Blu Ray playback, investing in a 1080p is the way to go as it is the latest form of HD and will give you the highest possible playback for Blu Ray. Since most television stations broadcast HD in 1080p, you will be able to take advantage of HD programming as well as Blu Ray films and TV shows.

During that HDTV purchase, your sales associate will go over the appropriate cables you need. In most cases, HDMI cables are the way to go, the higher transfer speed the better. The higher the transfer speed, in most cases, the more expensive cables will offer a higher data transfer speed which means you get the highest quality playback during transmission. Depending on how you will use the TV, you may want to invest in two or three sets of HDMI cables, one for each device being hooked up to the TV. In most cases, you will need at least one for the HDTV cable box from your provider and one for the Blu Ray Player.

Once you are set on your cables, you will want to focus on your Blu Ray player. A Blu Ray player can be purchased in one of two ways: You can either purchase a standalone player or invest in a Playstation 3. Since many retailers offer a package deal when purchasing a new HDTV, these packages will offer either the player of the PS3. Depending on what you want to do with the TV will determine which one you go with. The Playstation 3 will allow you to enjoy HD gaming, along with Blu Ray movies and standard DVD.

The Blu Ray player will also play standard DVDs. Rest assured that no matter what type of player you invest in, your standard DVDs will still be playable on your HDTV. There are up convert video players that will attempt to transform standard DVD to its best possible playback quality but this will not make them HD. Do not waste time on an up convert DVD player if you choose to invest in Blu Ray, as you will just be letting yourself down and only get a marginable difference in playback quality that is unmatched to the Blu Ray format.

Once you are all set with your TV, your Blu Ray player and cables, then, you have to focus on starting your Blu Ray collection. Some retailers will offer Blu Ray films as an incentive for consumers to jump on the bandwagon during a major TV purchase. If not, you may want to make a list of four or five of your favorite movies and make the investment with them in the Blu Ray format. Since they are your favorite movies, you will enjoy the HD quality on your new TV and be more likely to invest in the format in the future instead of sticking to your standard DVD on new release Tuesdays.

How to get the best deals on Blu Ray movies

There are several ways to get the best price on Blu Ray movies. The first way is to check your local sales ads every week. Since Blu Ray has won the format war, many retailers offer specials, deals and price breaks on Blu Ray films to get customers to come out and purchase them. For the most part, you will not see Blu Ray films fall under the $20 mark. However, depending on the deal of the week, you may find a special for two for $30 or something similar. Making your purchases like that, especially when it comes to replacing standard DVDs, might be the cheapest way to go.

Blu Ray is going to be more expensive than standard DVD for the time being. Accepting this from the get go will be the easiest way to prepare yourself for the spending ahead. As long as you understand, and see the difference in quality, investing in Blu Ray will be worth the price. When you come to terms with why the price is higher, it makes more sense with the quality being played back. This helps consumers understand why they should invest more money in a Blu Ray disc versus a standard DVD disc.

If you do purchase a Blu Ray disc and the price goes down, you may be able to take advantage of local retailers who utilize price match policies. Make sure you know the policy when you make your purchase that way you can utilize it if the price does go down there or elsewhere. This is also a sure fire way to make sure you get the lowest price possible so you feel more comfortable with the more expensive investment in Blu Ray films. Shop around before and after you buy to ensure the cheapest price on the films you want to add to your collection. Keep your eyes out for the best deal and jump on it to add to your collection.

If you still are not ready to invest so much, another option is to buy used Blu Ray discs. Now that more people are investing, they are also trading in to purchase other films. Checking out the selection at a used movie store is your best bet to see what is being traded in, the price break on it and what you might be able to trade in from your own collection. Since used Blu Ray movies will carry the same standard warranty from their store, you can rest assured investing in used Blu Ray movies is a safe purchase.

With the end of the format war, Blu Ray came out the winner and many consumers asked themselves: Why invest in Blu Ray? Investing in Blu Ray comes at a price for the average consumer. Since most have already invested in the standard DVD format, why would they start purchasing new titles in Blu Ray and have to replace their old DVDs?

For starters, investing in Blu Ray should be a no brainer for anyone investing in a HDTV. If you are already paying for HD service, and you already shelled out a great deal on a HDTV, why would you settle for a lower quality DVD playback? You do not have to replace your entire collection, buy you can start out by purchasing new titles in the Blu Ray format.

Since many retailers offer packages when you purchase a HDTV, it might be time to invest in Blu Ray. Many of these packages offer either a Playstation 3 or Blu Ray player, along with DVDs, the cables necessary for the best possible playback and other accessories needed to kick start your Blu Ray collection. Why not take advantage of such a package and get the best possible use out of your new television?

If you choose not you, you are only letting your TV utilize a tenth of its potential. By making the jump to high-definition, you open yourself up to a whole new world of possibilities. Everything from your favorite television shows, talk shows, the nightly news or movies can be brought to life on a high-definition TV in such a way you have never seen before. Only by embracing this change and investing in a Blu Ray collection, starting with your favorite films, can you truly understand the benefit of buying Blu Ray.