Dumb question. Why is it called "BD"?

Blu-Ray Disc.

Because it's officially "Blu-ray" (one word) "Disc" (one word).

They wanted it to sound like "CD" or "DVD."

The R in Blu-ray is not capitalized.

Ive never figured out why HD-DVD fanboys havnt caught on to the nickname "Blurry Disc".

they have

lol

I've watched a half-dozen Blu-ray discs so far and not one of them has been in the least bit blurry.

You see that's why its not widespread and only the hardcore HD-DVD fans use it.

I haven't seen it used much recently since the BR titles have become more consistent in quality. Early on, given the poor quality of initial BR releases, it was an apt misnomer.

Could always call the format "BFD"...

BRD would work, too but BD is fine.

I agree with op. BR sounds much better. In informal talk all people I know call it "blu ray", the "disc" never makes it into a sentence. It's easy to pronounce. On the other hand, I get confused every time I hear BD and need a few seconds to figure out what it stands for. What a dumb acronym.

BR makes more sense. But I think BD sounds better because people are so used to D being in the name of media with CD and DVD.

And even though im a Blu-Ray supporter, I do find the term Blurry Disc to be funny. Its not true, but it is a funny twist on the world.

BR-ROM
BR-R
BR-RE

Just dont look right.

let's see...
DAD(Digital Audio Disc father to CD and LD), LD, CED, VHD, CD, DCC, MD, DAT, D1, D2, D3, D5, D8(digital 8), D9(Digital-S), VCD, DV, CVD, DVD(MMCD, SD), SACD, D-VHS, UMD, PD(ProDisc)... That's all I can think of with a "D"

The problem is BD, does not describe what the Disc does. Blu-ray describes how the disc works, but not what its for. DVD means Digital video/Versitile Disc. Blu- ray, thats non descriptive.

The problem i see is that when you say DVD, people hear each letter you say, so they understand what you mean. BD is only 2 letters, the letter B doesnt go on for as long as C. when you say CD, people can hear you are saying an accronym. When you say BD you need a pause so you can see Beee- Deee, otherwise it sounds like youre saying "Beeddy" and people have no clue wtf that is. Blu-ray will never be an accronym, itl always be Blu-ray, IMO.

This is definitely the most valuable thread Ive read on this site.....ever. Lol

Agreed this is very valuable indeed.


I'd wager that 95% of people don't know WTF a BD or Blu-ray disk is and wouldn't know if you smaked them across the face with it.

I walked into a Boarders Books today and asked in their Video department if they carried Blu-ray. The clerk said no but you can look for them with the cute blue box tops vs the DVD black box tops.

That says it all.

Thanks for the explaination

It's called BD because, circular disc based on 1960's technology that won't be anything more than a niche product and will soon be eclipsed by better mediums that carry better content, is too long.

Really? I didn't realize they had violet lasers in the 60's.

I'm sure they had those in some cheesy sci-fi movies...

When trying to talk ht tech with acquaintances who generally arent as "into it" as I am there is a look of "I know what your talking about" as soon as blu-ray is mentioned, that followed by questions about how good it looks compared to dvd and do they need an hdtv etc... These same people would be lost if I mentioned bd (or hd dvd for that matter). I'm getting a lot of blu-ray questions now and think this is clearly the moniker that will stick, quite honestly it just sounds cool like a next gen format should. Blu-ray is an excellent marketing label, bd not so much.

I think the term BD works a lot better... for mostly recordable storage media... BD-R, BD-RE.

I just bought a Panasonic to meet up with my Tosh. But BD will always be Bikini Destinations !

An optical disc is an optical disc is an optical disc. Doesn't matter if you use a nitro pink laser. The optical disc for recording video was patented it in 1961. And yes they did have violet lasers in the 1960s. However, they were gas lasers, using population inversion of rare gases. Nakamura didn't invent it, he made blue and violet semiconductor lasers based on gallium nitride compound sectors by using quantum dots. In other words he made it cheaper and smaller, and they don't require the high amounts of current and vast cooling systems to work.

I have tons of sales and promotional binders from Columbia Research Laboratories talking about using blue, violet, and red lasers for stability control of missiles since the 1960's and 1970's.

I agree lets keep it Blu Ray

i doesnt matter, does it.

for those who are discussing it in forums they already know what bd or br is so either one should be fine.

blurry disc isnt funny or clever.

BD is the correct name and it just sounds right. It nicely recalls CD. BTW "Blu-ray" is the format. You don't watch a "blu-ray" you watch a Blu-ray disc.

I agree that it's confusing, it sounds stupid as BD, too much like VD. I will never call it BD, it will always be Blu-Ray to me.