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The following is a view point regarding the United States market which still has no BLU-RAY standalone recorders available.

The BLU-RAY format will never replace the DVD format unless manufactories start making standalone BLU-RAY recorders. There are BLU-RAY recorders for computers but most consumers still prefer to use standalone equipment instead of interfacing a computer into the main home theater room.
Standalone VCR's are no longer being made anymore since the DVD format has replaced videotape. DVD became very popular soon after it was introduced in 1997. The picture and sound quality and several other factors made the DVD format very popular with consumers. What finally killed the VHS format was when consumers could start recording TV shows on optical disc. Once under $100 recordable DVD players hit the market soon after manufactories stopped making standalone VHS machines. Now cheap combo VHS/DVD standalone recorders are being made that will completely be replaced by DVD recorders one day.
Of course we all know that the hard disk Digital video recorder is the most popular method to record TV shows today. Still many consumers purchase 480I DVD recorders for under $100 since they like placing TV shows on optical discs. Most SD and HD DVR's require a subscription fee to use where as an optical recorder has no monthly fee. Optical discs are good for long term storage up to 100 years where a hard drive needs to be backed up every 5 years.
The BLU-RAY camp is dropping the ball on an opportunity to sale millions of standalone recorders. This year on June 12th 2009 all the full power TV stations in the United States will be switching to digital unless another delay occurs. Many consumers instead of purchasing a converter box for their old VCR's and DVD recorders will instead decide to purchase a new DVD recorder with a digital ATSC tuner built in for under $200. Possible several thousands or perhaps millions of new DVD recorders will be purchased. It is too bad the BLU-RAY camp does not have any standalone recorders available for sale in 2009 as consumers are looking to upgrade their equipment.
Hopefully the BLU-RAY camp will launch a BLU-RAY standalone recorder in the United States in 2010. Even if the first models cost $1,500-$2,000 early adopters will purchase them. Then in 2011 under $1,000 BLU-RAY recorders could be introduced and then soon after that under $500 BLU-RAY standalone recorders. All 3 of those price levels could be done today if the $500 model was a basic no tuner model. Then one day fullly loaded under $500 BLU-RAY standalone recorders would be on the market.

The first BLU-RAY recorders should have the following features:


Flag ship top of the line model for around $2,000:

1. Built in HD DVR with an optical BLU-RAY recording drive: Would allow recording at 1080P, 1080I, 720P, 480P, and 480I from camcorders and cable TV channels (1080P recording for future camcorders and broadcasts that support that format). Also an external SATA interface to add an external hard drive.

2. Two digital tuners: Both tuners should support ATSC/QAM which would allow one to record two channels at once from an antenna or cable TV service. The QAM tuner should support both MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 unencrypted cable channels and encrypted channels with a cable card . Support for video on demand and interactive program guide could be supported if the QAM tuner is two way, then no digital cable box would be neeeded.

3. A front and rear IEEE-1394 interface should be included so that one can make a perfect bit for bit 1080I, 720P, 480P, and 480I copy from the camcorder or HD cable box to the BLU-RAY recorder. Some other jacks needed would be HDMI and component outputs, S-Video and composite input and outputs, optical audio output, and RCA audio inputs and outputs would be needed for recording also.

4. Recorded ATSC/QAM channels that are MPEG-2 HD or QAM MPEG-4 HD channels would be bit for bit identical to the original broadcast.

5. BLU-RAY MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion utility: This feature would require a lot of processing power and might be too costly with existing technology. When the BLU-RAY MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion is turned on, then a HD MPEG-2 ATSC/QAM TV program would be converted to MPEG-4 in real time. This feature would offer the exact same picture and sound quality as the original HD MPEG-2 recording but with less space used on the 50GB BLU-RAY disc.


A medium cost first generation BLU-RAY standalone recorder with no DVR for under $1,000 should include the following:

1. An optical BLU-RAY recording drive: Would allow recording at 1080P, 1080I, 720P, 480P, and 480I from camcorders and cable TV channels.

2. A basic one tuner: One ATSC/QAM tuner that supports in the clear MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 QAM. Encrypted channels not supported and cable box required.

4. A front and rear IEEE-1394 interface should be included so that one can make a perfect bit for bit 1080I, 720P, 480P, and 480I copy from the camcorder or HD cable box to the BLU-RAY recorder. Some other jacks needed would be HDMI and component outputs, S-Video and composite input and outputs, optical audio output, and RCA audio inputs and outputs would be needed for recording also.

5. Recorded ATSC/QAM channels that are MPEG-2 HD or QAM MPEG-4 HD channels would be bit for bit identical to the original broadcast.


A low cost first generation under $500 BLU-RAY recorder (no tuners):

1. Contains no tuners and recording HD and SD programs requires a HD cable box that has IEEE-1394 interface.

And of course over time prices would fall with new and improved generation of BLU-RAY recorders. All the BLU-RAY recorders would have 5C copy protection so that only programs that are allowed to be recorded would be recorded.


5C Digital Transmission Content Protection White Paper