By Sherwin Loh

FOR movie fans, there has never been a better time to feel good about being Blu - Blu-ray that is.

Prices of both Blu-ray movies and especially players have dropped over the last two years. Blu-ray movies now go for $40 a pop - $10 cheaper.

And players now retail from $199 - that is about a fifth of what they cost when they were first launched here in 2007.

Consumers are lapping them up.

Local chain store Audio House alone reports a 300 per cent growth in the sales of the players over the past year.

It is easy to understand why Blu-ray players are being lusted after.

Movies are in high definition, so they can be screened on big LCD television sets and plasma TVs 42 inches and bigger for that theatre-at-home kick.

Images are sharper, so details - right down to an actor's warts and facial hair - are there for all to see. The new movies also have newer audio formats that boom out up to 7.1 surround sound compared to the 5.1 sound of regular DVDs.

But is your living room equipped to handle Blu-ray?

Given the necessary hardware upgrades, which include movies, cables and TV sets, here are tips to consider when drawn to that cheap Blu-ray player.

Large screen TV Blu-ray movies provide up to 1,080 lines of resolution (for better image clarity) compared to the 480 lines of regular DVDs. But to enjoy that clarity, you need a TV set that can handle the 1,080p signals.

Note these points:

The cables - regular composite cables (the red, white and yellow ones) cannot be used to deliver high-definition signals. Component cables (green, blue and red) deliver up to 720 lines. Only HDMI cables carry the full 1,080.

The signals - interlace (i) and progressive (p). Note that p signals are better than i signals because each line in a progressive signal is displayed, whereas only alternate lines are used in interlace signals. So, 1,080p signals are the best, followed by 1,080i, 720p and so on.

But for the eye to take in all the details, the TV must be big enough to show them.

Check that your TV can take in component or HDMI cables. In fact, some Blu-ray players accept only HDMI cables so make sure your TV gels with that requirement. If you plan to upgrade, get a TV that is 42 inches or bigger to enjoy Blu-ray content.

Blu-ray features

Blu-ray functionality, like most software, can be upgraded.

The latest is Profile 2.0, which features BD-Live. It allows users to access additional content like upcoming trailers and special director's interviews. But getting the content requires an Internet connection, which some older players do not support.

The other catch is storage where users can download content into their players and upgrade their machines. Chances are, if the player you have your eye on is going for cheap, it may not have these additional features.

Blu-ray movies

With cheaper Blu-ray movies being sold by online retailers, it might seem like a good idea to stock up on old flicks. But while some of the older movies have been remastered for better clarity, the new copies will be as clean as only their original version.

So, the graininess in The Terminator will be all the more obvious on a large TV. As for audio, most older films were mixed for 5.1 sound and not the new 7.1 audio.

sherwinl@sph.com.sg

This story was first published in The Straits Times Digital Life.

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