http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7187179.stm
Blu-ray future limited for some
Owners of Blu-ray DVD players may find themselves frozen out of future
developments in the technology because their machines are not upgradeable.
The Blu-ray camp has recently rolled out new features for players, which
include picture in picture options. But the majority of Blu-ray players
sold to date do not have the necessary hardware to offer the features.
Some discs already come with a note telling users that they may need to upgrade
software in their machine. In some discs, the note reads: "To ensure the
best possible viewing experience, your Blu-ray disc player may need a firmware
or software update." But these updates relate to improvements in playback
and do not offer a pathway to the new features. The issue has arisen as
Blu-ray attempts to offer new features to compete with rival standard HD-DVD.
When the first Blu-ray machines were launched the hardware requirements for
manufacturers did not include provision for planned developments.
Instead Blu-ray players were divided into so-called "profiles", with all
machines released before November 2007 designated as profile 1.0.
Machines released onto the market since November are called profile 1.1, but
none of the standalone Blu-ray players can be upgraded to accommodate this
profile.
Films will still play on the machines, but access to extra features is
limited.
Later this year the Blu-ray camp will offer profile 2.0, called BD Live,
which will allow the players which support the feature to connect to the
internet to download related content, such as ringtones, trailers and photos.
But because internet functionality is not a mandatory requirement in current
players, none on the market today will be able to access the feature.
The only Blu-ray player which can upgraded to use all the features is Sony's
PlayStation 3, because it comes with the right hardware built-in and online
access.
Consumer confusion
Frank Simonis, of Philips and the European chairman of the Blu-ray Disc
Association, said the division of Blu-ray players into potentially three camps
was "not an ideal situation".
But he denied that consumers would be confused.
"Whether you have a profile 1.0, or profile 1.1 machine, the playback is not
disturbed. It's the high definition playback that consumers are seeking."
Philips has just released its first player which supports profile 1.1 and Mr
Simonis confirmed that older players could not be upgraded.
Mr Simonis said the reason Blu-ray backers had launched players which could
not be upgraded was one of timing.
He said: "The discussions relating to features took place at a point in time
when every hardware company had frozen the architecture for their first
generation of players.
"We needed to create momentum and get the players on the market. If we had
postponed launch to add in the hardware for the latest features, we would not
be in the situation we have today."
The release of players which cannot be upgraded was unlikely to ease consumer
confusion around high definition DVD players, said Alastair Upham, editor of
DVD Review magazine.
"One of the big problems with the Blu-ray format when launched, and something
which gave the HD-DVD camp ammunition, was that Blu-ray wasn't finished - they
hadn't agreed on a standard.
"And that problem means that an early adopter of Blu-ray could have spent
£1,000 on a player only to find he potentially can't play newer releases.
Blu-ray boost
"So while there are discs out there with better features, if you have an
earlier player you can't take advantage of this."
The Blu-ray camp received a boost at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las
Vegas last week when film studio Warner dropped support for HD-DVD in favour of
its rival.
But Mr Upham said the format had a lot of work yet to do to reassure
consumers they are safe to upgrade from DVD.
He added: "If Blu-ray wants to reach a wider audience, it needs to have more
clarity."
But he said the likely victims of the Blu-ray profiles issue was almost
certainly a limited audience.
"The guys that bought the first Blu-ray players are the guys who bought the
first laser discs. They know the risks."
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