PCinfospace

If you try to play a Blu-ray disk in a CD or DVD player it will not work. Their physical size is the same but they are not forward compatible. That is to say you can not play new media or technology (such as Blu-ray) on older players such as CD or DVD players. However, manufacturers make Blu-ray disk drives backwards compatible with all CD, DVD formats. This means you can play or record on older media, such as CDs and DVDs,  from a Blu-ray disk drive or recorder.

The reason Blu-ray was invented was due to the need for much better quality pictures for upcoming TVs and Computers. High definition was the thing of the future at that time.

The name Blu-ray came from the underlying technology, which utilizes a blue-violet laser to read and write data. The name is a combination of “Blue” (blue-violet laser) and “Ray” (optical ray). According to the Blu-ray Disc Association the spelling of “Blu-ray” is not a mistake, the character “e” was intentionally left out so the term could be registered as a trademark.

The correct full name is Blu-ray Disc, not Blu-ray Disk (incorrect spelling)
The correct shortened name is Blu-ray, not Blu-Ray (incorrect capitalization) or Blue-ray (incorrect spelling).  The correct abbreviation is BD, not BR or BRD (wrong abbreviation)

The competing product for Blu-ray, known as HD-DVD, lost the war on High definition readers and writers. Movie makers now produce their movies on DVD and Blu-ray. HD-DVD is no longer produced. However, some manufacturers still make players available that can read these disks because some people have the HD-DVD movies. This may eventually go the way of eight track tapes.

Every manufacturer has their way of competing. Some may have a different combination of CD, DVD and Blu-ray players and/or recorders. This makes it mandatory to know what you are buying. If you don’t understand this technology it may be best to do some research or ask somebody that knows what is going on. The Internet has a wide range of information available also.

The reason you should upgrade to Blu-ray is due to HDTV.  Seeing high-definition (HD) video on an HDTV will produce an incredibly sharp picture with vivid colors. HD offers many times the amount of detail as standard-definition (SD). That’s where Blu-ray comes in, it offers up to 50GB of storage capacity and enables playback, recording and rewriting of HD in all of the HD resolutions including 1080p. 1080p is the shorthand name for a category of HDTV video modes. The number “1080″ represents 1,080 lines of vertical resolution (1080 horizontal scan lines), while the letter p stands for progressive scan (meaning the image is not interlaced). The format also supports high-definition audio formats and lossless audio. Its main uses are for storing high-definition video, PlayStation 3 games, and other data.

If you want to play or record Blu-ray movies on a computer you need a Blu-ray disk drive. They are higher priced than older media but should come down in price as demand increases. Many types of players and recorders have been produced to be used on the new High Definition televisions.

Equipment needed to play and record can get very complex and very expensive. It is better if you talk to somebody that understands what is available and what you “really” need. Even cables are different than in the past.

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The quick answer is yes! However there are many circumstances that can very this answer.

How can you break a screen?
Many people ask me this question. Here are a few ways but I am sure there are others:
1. Leaving it in extreme cold. If you leave it in a vehicle in very cold weather you most likely will crack the screen. I have actually replaced one that this has happened to.
2. Dropping the laptop. Hopefully this is obvious.
3. Forgetting you put something on the keyboard (who would do that?) and closing the cover. You will go into a state of embarrassment if that happens.

Electrical failure and just other internal failure is also possible.

If your screen is black be sure to verify that the screen is actually bad. It could be the mother board or other component.

Cost
If you do damage a laptop screen be ready to pay some money. If you send it to the Manufacturer it could cost you several hundred dollars. At the latest check, prices were around $600 to $700. If you order a screen from a dealer yourself you will probably pay $170 to $200. This may very according to the size of screen and the manufacturer. If you have somebody put it in for you you may pay over $100 for labor depending on how nice they want to be.

Why is labor high?
One main reason is that it is hard to find somebody that will even touch a laptop. It can be very tedious and time consuming to disassemble anything on a laptop. The parts are mostly plastic and can break easily. You normally need special tools also. You need to understand how the product is assembled so you can reassemble it. That means you need a manual or some method to help you take it apart and put it together. This is no job for an amateur.

How can you find parts?
Periodically you may need to spend a lot of time trying to find the proper screen for the laptop. It MUST be exact. You must know how to find the numbers associated with the screen you are ordering. If you buy the screen from an auction site be sure the person has a high rating. Read all reviews if possible.

Shipping
The reason I am writing this part of the article is that you must be sure you are going to get the part in one piece. BE SURE that if it is broken or it doesn’t work that you take action immediately. DO NOT let the product sit for a month before you try to install it. Mostly no supplier,
E-Bay or other store will back it once it goes over a month or in some cases a week or two.

Estimates
I heavily recommend to estimate the total cost of repair before you do anything. Laptop prices have come down. It may be more economical to get a new one.