Over time weve seen our home video collection progress from VHS tapes to Laser discs
up to DVDs that weve had for a good number of years and seen a huge step up in quality at each step. These days with many movies being filmed in high definition the humble DVD will not be able to store the huge file sizes that a HD movie can demand. This is why after a brief squabble between two rival technologies we now have Blu-Rays they look just like DVDs but the way data is stored allows much more space for movies, TV show and even video games to be stored on a single Blu-Ray disc.
But a growing number of companies and services are starting to deliver videos over the internet known as streaming, this means you can get your movies as soon as you click buy (or rent) and watch a film as soon as you like, with no waiting for the film to be delivered by the post man.
So are Blu-Rays at risk of dying out before they fully took over the DVDs mantel? Well many people who do not have a Blu-Ray player may tell you this but there are a number of advantages to having a physical copy of your film youve bought over internet streaming that make Blu-Rays the sensible and reliable choice.
Obviously streaming relies upon your internet working but also being quick enough to handle the HD picture and audio being beamed to your TV, a Blu-Ray may need internet connectivity to update every now and then but in general youll always be able to put the disc in and enjoy the show. One worry many people have about streaming services is if the company goes bust or has any issues then you could be locked out of the content you have paid for. Not being able to back it up somehow is also a key worry for people.
It is worth noting that most streaming services will now stream in high definition but this may not be 1080p for the time being, whereas Blu-Rays can provide seamless picture quality at the higher level of HD all the time, and no waiting for the picture to buffer or stuttering half way through because someone in the house has started downloading or playing games online elsewhere in the house.