The Blu-ray technology has led to the introduction of discs with high storage capacity to meet the increasing demand triggered by the rapid growth of high-definition television (HDTV).

The name Blu-ray discs is derived from the blue laser technology. The shorter laser wavelength results in a blue light beam. While DVD media is read using red laser technology at a wavelength of 650 nm, the blue laser has a wavelength of 405 nm. The advantage of a blue laser with a shorter wavelength is that smaller data pits can be written, thereby increasing the amount of data on the disc.

Blu-ray discs offer three to five times the storage space of conventional writable DVDs, allowing for the recording, playback, and rewriting of high-definition (HD) videos.