Hammer99

Just ask rdjam!

RoboDad

Technically, yes, Blu-ray Discs are "digital video discs", in that a) they are discs, b) they contain video, and c) they store it digitally.

However, the name "DVD" is internationally copyrighted and trademarked by the DVD forum, and the Blu-ray format is not sanctioned or recognized by that forum. So, it would be illegal for them to use the "DVD" name in any official publication or branding.

Qui Gon Jim

Maybe when HD DVD is finally on the scrap pile they can get the blessing from the DVD forum to call it Blu-DVD or BDVD or something like that. I always thought that one of the best things HD DVD had going for it in terms of mass adoption was the familiarity of the name.

namja

I hope that this will be the case. Or even BVD (Blu-ray Video Disc), although this might just be confusing as it sounds too similar to DVD.

Yavin

I think there was a brand of men's underwear called "BVD". I don't think I would be comfortable with that abbreviation for a disc format ...

namja

I totally forgot about that. Never mind then.

rdclark

I wonder if they could get away with "HDVD."

Not HD-DVD which would be a trademark infringement. But simply "High Definition Video Disc."

After all, everybody knows that the "V" in "DVD" stands for "versatile!"

Qui Gon Jim

Damn. You beat me to it.

"Risky Business: Tighty Whitey Edition"

Qui Gon Jim

Not bad. I think they also need to stay away from HD DVD to keep confusion down.

namja

Realistically speaking, I think they'll just keep Blu-ray Disc. And they should. There had been enough confusion already. Changing the name will only add to that confusion.

Before the Wii came out, everybody made fun of that name. Now, almost no one makes a stink about the name. And just about everyone is wanting to get one (despite the funny name).

Yavin

I agree. I don't think there's anything wrong with the name "Blu-Ray", really. They just need to keep on referring to it as "Blu-Ray Disc" in order to hammer it into the general public's collective heads that it is a disc format and not a PS3 format.

RoboDad

As usual, I think Nintendo's clever marketing helped overcome the perceived silliness of that name. The two Japanese executives bowing and saying "Wii would like to play." Very clever ad, if you ask me.

The BDA needs to come up with something as clever, and then their name will be on every tongue. And maybe, as much as one of my earlier posts was in jest, they should get Don LaFontaine (the famous "In a world..." voice-over guy) to do some promos for them. It worked for Geico. Well, everything seems to work for Geico.

cultshock

That's why the word was able to be trademarked, because "blu" isn't a real word. They couldn't trademark "Blue-ray", otherwise I'm sure that they would have went with that.

Spiky

That isn't anal retentive, it's just myopic. Except for the part about your own name, that's just dense. You do know that the dictionary on your PC is only for you, right?

I like Blu-ray, because it is a new name in the shiny media disc biz. I'm tired of slight changes that confuse the hell out of everyone. Just call it something else so it can easily be differentiated for the masses. No doubt that was Sony's thinking as well. Now, I'm not too fond of Sony so I'm really not happy about agreeing with them, but what can you do?

Patman

BTW, anal-retentive should have a hyphen between anal and retentive.

DthRdrX

I think they should call it "Much better than DVD", then call it a day.

Qui Gon Jim

You can damn bet that they wish they had been able to use HD DVD. Once battle lines were drawn, they had to go in a completely different direction.

klemsaba

I prefer Blu-ray Disc. HD-DVD is more difficult to say in a sentence...

"Do you rent Blu-ray discs?"
"Do you rent HD-DVDs?

cultshock

Yeah that's true, HD DVD is a bit awkward (spoken not written), it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue compared to "Blu-ray disc".

Carl Spackler

I actually think that the NAME Blu-ray, had alot to due with the success of it winning.

HD-DVD sounds too much like DVD, thus doesn't differentiate itself from standard DVD. Blu-ray, is an original name, thus making it more popular and cool to talk about when explaining to others, or newcomers.

Anubis2005X

Exactly. Blu-ray just rolls off the tongue...HD DVD? WTF? Five syllables, bah...

Dan

for shame...

Dan

The problem is, when you ask 99% of the population of earth what a "Blue Ray" is, they probably think of something like this:

or this...
+


But seriously... the name "Blu-ray" could work, but it's going to take a lot more marketing and "infusion" into the minds of the masses. I guess Sony did well on that front with PlayStation (also a dumb name, IMO), so anything's possible.

Drexl

Maybe they could strike a deal with Tampa's MLB team to change their name again.

Although, that would reinforce my pet peeve of people referring to the discs as "Blu-rays." Really, you bought some rays of laser light? How do you store them?

RoboDad

And you think the name "DVD" didn't take some serious marketing and infusion ten years ago? When I got my first DVD player (I was a very early adopter), almost everyone I told about it burst out laughing, because they thought I was talking about underwear.