How can DVDs work in Blu-Ray players?

Both DVD and Blu-ray discs use the same basic technology as the Compact Disc. It's a proven technology that's been evolving over the years. As the number of binary digits that can be put onto a disc increases, the optics need to be able to focus on smaller points, but that only mens that they can focus on the larger ones that much more easily.

You can always buy a Blu-ray player, then take it home and test it. If it does not perform as advertised, you can return it and get all your money back. That seems like a reasonable deal to me.

The problem with just buying one is not just the price (which I bet is not cheap at all; I'm not exactly made of money), but also the hassle of setting everything up. I did some searches online about where I could go to rent a player (which, by its definition, means that you would only have it for a limited time), but I could not find anything there. Someone had the same dilemma as me, and they basically told him the same thing you're telling me: to just buy it for keeps and then return it for a refund. Their main challenge is honesty and hassle.

One reason why I was thinking of testing and/or maybe renting as opposed to just buying it on faith is that it is probably a lot cheaper for me. I'm trying to do this in a way that will save me money. Like I said, I'm not made of money.

"Mark well me words, mateys: Dead men tell no tales!"

For what it's worth, I can promise you that a Blu-ray player absolutely will play a DVD. You have nothing to worry about there. You can also look for the DVD logo on the player, that's proof that the DVD Forum certified that player for use with DVD.

As for cost, I wouldn't spend much more than $50 US for a Blu-ray player. My most recent one cost me $63.97 from Amazon in July. I spent a little extra to get one that's the same brand as my TV, for the convenience of being able to operate the TV from the same remote. With holiday sales coming up, you should find some for $25 or less. And IME the cheapest ones work as well as the costly ones.

When it comes to hooking one up, it can't be simpler. There's the power cord and the HDMI connection--that's it! You'll need to buy a HDMI cable, as it's rarely included, and have a HDTV set of course. If you have an older TV, there are models with analog outputs, but the #1 reason to use Blu-ray is for the HD video.

I've shopped at Best Buy, Fry's and Target, and have never had a problem with returning electronics. I doubt that you'll have to though.

Out of curiosity, what kind of TV do you have?

Amazon is another thing: it's an online site, which means you have to wait for it to be delivered to your door, and if you were to return it, it would be a lot more difficult, because it has to go back through the mail. Most Blu-Ray players cost at least $50.00 or more. The Fry's site does have some for about $40.00. One example says that it will play DVDs and "up-converts them to 1080p with a HDMI cable". However, I have no idea what either "1080p" or "HDMI cable" mean. Like I said, I'm not tech-savvy.

I don't know what kind of TV I have. They're all over the place. Some are flatscreens, some are not. Are you saying that Blu-Rays are more compatible with flatscreens than "older" TVs? Because we have both kinds in our house.

"Mark well me words, mateys: Dead men tell no tales!"

Yes, in general most Blu-ray players are meant to work only with high definition, flat screen TV sets. A HDTV pretty much has to be a newer model with a thinnish flat screen. One easy way to check is to turn on the set, press "input" or "source" on the remote, and see if there are any HDMI inputs listed. They will be greyed-out if there is no signal going to them, but that's a good start. Next, look on the back of the set, for flat D-shaped sockets. There should be a HDMI marking there. If there's more than one, you'll have "HDMI 1", "HDMI 2" etc.

Some HDTV sets only show 720p, with 720 being the number of lines of resolution. Others show 1080i or 1080p. You want 1080p, or "full HD" for watching Blu-ray, but most players will still work with 1080i or 720p sets. The TV and Blu-ray player talk to each other over the HDMI cable, and set things automatically.

If you don't have any with HDMI inputs, or you want to use an older set, you can buy one of the few models that have analog outputs. That means more cables and more work though.

Returning things to Amazon is surprisingly easy, but in this case you probably will want to use Best Buy or Fry's. Fry's is especially good for inexpensive HDMI cables. Best Buy tends to carry unnecessarily costly cables. If you can wait until Thanksgiving, you may be able to get a better selection and more deals.

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If you look at the text on the bottom-right of the front panel of this Blu Ray player you'll see it actually says "Blu Ray Disc/DVD Player", and it also has the DVD logo on the bottom left. Proof enough, I would think!

Additionally, any decent Blu Ray player will also play audio CDs, as well as most mp3/wma and movie files from either CD/DVDr or USB. They're generally quite versatile devices. Due to the much smaller laser and advanced decoding, they also have much better playback capability for scratched or damaged DVDs and CDs. I have a small number of discs that will skip all over the place on a CD or DVD player, but my Blu Ray player handles them easily.

All you need to know is:

All blu-ray players will play DVDs

You need to check if your TV has an HDMI socket.

A blu ray player can be bought for as cheap as $50.

Glasgow's FOREMOST authority Italics = irony. Infer the opposite please.

One would think that in this day and age you'd know someone in person who has a Blu-ray player and could confirm it for you, but I guess that's not the case...

Anyway, as for *how* it works--the key difference between Blu-ray technology and DVD technology is the type of laser being used. Imagine vinyl record player technology: if the needle is thinner, you can put narrower grooves in the record and thus have more space for recording; so likewise, the blue laser of a Blu-ray player is narrower than the red laser of a DVD player, and along with better data compression technology, a Blu-ray disc can contain the information needed to provide high-definition images.

So how does a Blu-ray player with its narrower blue laser play a DVD? Simple--they also stick a red laser in there, and use that to read DVDs that are inserted into the player.