Question about availability of Blu-ray in China

[jimdagys]

I went to Wal-mart in China and there aren't any DVD players that have "Blu-ray" marked on the DVD player. However, many players have "HDMI" or "1080p" marked on the DVD player. My question is:
1) Is Blu-ray a proprietary format only found in USA?
2) Those DVD players marked HDMI or 1080p, will they play Blu-ray if there is no Blu-ray marked on the DVD player?
I find it very strange that I can't find Blu-ray in China, but certainly all the Blu-ray players in USA are made in China.

[jagabo]

Blu-Ray is not DVD. You need a Blu-ray player. I have no idea if they are available in China.

[guns1inger]

1. No. It is a world-wide product. However China has been developing it's own competing HD player (not Bluray compatible) to avoid paying the royalties associated with Bluray. You may have to look further than just Wal-Mart though.

2. No. HDMI is a digital transfer method for video and audio. DVD players that use HDMI and offer 1080p output only upscale standard definition DVDs to 1080p for display on HDTVs. Cheap upscaling DVD players may do a worse job at upscaling that the built in method in a good TV, so be careful of what you buy. A DVD player will not play Bluray discs (or even read them at all).

[jimdagys]

Thanks for the interesting reply.
If you would please take a look at:
http://forum.videohelp.com/topic365112.html
I'll make the coffee.

[manono]

What's that other thread have to do with this one?

[MOVIEGEEK]

What's that other thread have to do with this one?

Yeah I'm wondering that also.
OP:BD players are sold everywhere except mainland China,,the powers that be in that country don't want to pay the royalties to the BDA.
You asked a similar question in January:
http://forum.videohelp.com/topic363242.html#1932574
If you see a disc that says "Blu-ray" in China then it's a bootleg,don't waste your money.

[jimdagys]

Wal-mart China is pushing all these mega hi definition TV's but I guess there is no disk or player available to make use of the hi res TV. Very odd. Wal-mart has their own satellite with hi res programming connected to the display models. The clarity and color is stunning.
As far as paying Blu-ray royalties to some foreign organization, that never stopped China in the past-- from marketing any consumer product.

[AlanHK]

If you see a disc that says "Blu-ray" in China then it's a bootleg,don't waste your money.

It's a bit of a joke. It used to be that the bootleg Chinese VCDs were labelled "LD" (Laserdisc). Now the bootleg DVDs are labelled "Blueray".

[AlanHK]

As far as paying Blu-ray royalties to some foreign organization, that never stopped China in the past-- from marketing any consumer product.

They wouldn't be able to export them, and would endanger contracts to manufacture all kinds of audio/video gear.

[MOVIEGEEK]

that never stopped China in the past-- from marketing any consumer product

The same thing happened ten years ago with DVD players,China made them but exported all of them because of royalty issues.I find that ironic,that would be like the a company in the US that makes toys with lead and exports them.

[MysticE]

China has their own HD format and players, CBHD. Warner Bros. just recently announced it will be releasing movies in CBHD in China.