- Blu-ray was the talk of CES 2006 and, unlike HD-DVD, it’s still going strong
- 4K releases are still better than most streaming options
- It is a market for buyers of new and used records.
Every CES (the big annual consumer electronics party in Las Vegas, Nevada) features a lot of new and interesting technologies, and CES 2006 was no exception; No, it’s not a typo, I really mean the year 2006.
Some of these new features have stood the test of time better than other examples: anyone remember the Toshiba Gigabeat S portable media center with full Vongo integration? – but two of the stars of the show 20 years ago were Sony and Toshiba devices designed for an emerging film medium: Blu-ray.
Blu-ray was one of two high-definition rivals seeking to replace DVD; It had greater capacity than its rival, HD-DVD, and broader support for film studios. Being integrated into PlayStation 3 onwards didn’t hurt either. At CES 2008 it was pretty clear that Blu-ray was going to win this particular format war.
In today’s streaming era, it’s tempting to dismiss optical discs as dead technology, but in fact, the streaming era shows why discs still matter to moviegoers: Not only do they offer better quality than most streaming, especially streaming of the ad-supported variety, but they offer movies that streaming platforms don’t. For example, The bite (1973) was the oldest movie available on Netflix, but when I log in it is not available in my country or any of the other streaming sites I subscribe to. Although I can buy it on Blu-ray.
Disks are not dead yet
I wrote about Blu-ray over the holidays, and for me the biggest benefit of discs is the sheer variety of what you can get. The main streaming options usually have quite limited movie catalogs, and classic cinema and cult cinema are often especially poorly served, so, for example, if you want to watch something like the cult classic vanishing point You will find it difficult to stream it if you are not in Japan. And since catalogs are constantly being cut, even if a movie is available now, it may not be there the next time you want to see it.
The other big benefit, of course, is quality. Major platforms use lossy video and audio formats, and those formats can also suffer from network congestion. A 4K Blu-ray will offer a much better version, or at least it will be if it’s not a poor quality transfer. We tested this in our labs and concluded that Blu-ray has better picture quality, sound quality, and stability.
And of course, you can share a Blu-ray disc with, say, your 18-year-old film student son without having to pay a premium because he doesn’t live under the same roof as you for most of the week. It’s not that I’m resentful of the crackdown on password sharing, oh no…
I think it’s fair to say that Blu-ray is no longer a popular choice and is now considered a more niche option. Just as many audiophiles have switched to high-resolution audio from companies like Qobuz and Tidal, high-end home theater setups are increasingly tied to high-resolution video services like Kaleidescape or Sony Pictures Core. But right now it’s definitely a Blu-ray disc buyers’ market, with lots of discounts and very low second-hand prices.
The sun may eventually be setting on Sony’s format, but it will do so very slowly, and there are still plenty of new releases worth enjoying.
TechRadar will cover this year’s edition extensively CESand will bring you all the important announcements as they happen. Go to our CES 2026 News page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable screens to new phones, laptops, smart home devices and the latest in artificial intelligence.
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