An Introduction To Blu-ray

Introduction
This thread is intended to help you understand the basics of Blu-ray disc technology by introducing the building blocks which are used to construct a disc and how they relate to each other. While Blu-ray is, in one sense, an evolution of DVD, it would be more accurate to say it is the result of deconstructing DVD, designing components capable of producing the same results. If Blu-ray is an evolution, it is from the concepts, ideas, and experiences of DVD rather than the application technology itself.

If you want to author your own Blu-ray discs or re-author existing discs it helps to first understand both the technical details of how the content is stored and the application details which determine how it is presented. And every Blu-ray disc is, in fact, an application much like a computer program, smartphone/tablet app, or even an interactive webpage.

Using this reference
The post immediately following this one is a sort of table of contents listing (and linking to) individual sections covering various concepts and features related to Blu-ray. Following that is an index where key terminology you are likely to run into and need to understand when learning or using various Blu-ray authoring and editing applications. Much like the index in a book, each entry may point to multiple references where different aspects of a particular term is covered.

How you can help
Think of this thread as a sort of living community document. Initially it will start as little more than a skeleton. Over time the individual sections will be added, index entries updated with links, and no doubt changes will be made as the content dictates.

As the target audience for this content, and ultimately the authority on whether it serves its intended purpose, you are invited to share any and all feedback about how it can be improved. I will entertain any and all suggestions about what is missing or could be clarified. Although you can't post to this thread, you can put any suggestions in the Blu-ray content feedback thread.

I'll be waiting a few days before I start fleshing out the details for the sections listed below. Consider that an invitation to critique the basic structure before I even get started.

 

Table of Contents
Clips, PlayLists & Titles

The BDAV/M2TS Container

Primary & Secondary Video

Audio Streams

Presentation Graphics

Interactive Graphics

In-mux, Out-of-mux, Synchronous and Asynchronous Streams

Presentation Planes

BDAV & BDMV

HDMV

BD-J



Index
- a -
Audio Stream

- b -
Background Plane
BD-J
BD-J Object
BDAV
BDMV

- c -
Clip
Clip Information file

- f -
First Play

- h -
HDMV[/b]

- i -
Interactive Graphics Plane
IG
IGS
Interactive Graphics Stream

- m -
Menu
Movie Object

- p -
PGS
Presentation Graphics Plane
Presentation Graphics Stream
Presentation Planes
Primary Video Plane
Primary Video Stream

- s -
Secondary Video Plane
Secondary Video Stream
Stream

- t -
Title
Top Menu

- v -
Video Stream