Blu-ray players are backward-compatible, but what does that mean?

Rest assured: All Blu-ray Disc players can playDVDs.

Of course, you will need anHDor4K Ultra HD TVto view those standards.

A Blu-ray, DVD, and CD on a table.

The kinds of discs you can play in a Blu-ray player.

And even then, the conversion isnot always smooth, especially when upscaling to UHD.

All Blu-ray Disc players can also play CDs.

Some players may also playHDCD, SACD, andDVD-Audio, as well as writable discs like CD-R/RW.

Some players allow you to rip CDs to a USB flash drive.

Check the Blu-ray player’s manual or product page for a complete list of supported formats and disc types.

How Does a Blu-ray Player Play DVDs and CDs?

Standard vs. Ultra Blu-ray Players

Ultra HD Blu-ray players support real4K resolution.

That said, Ultra HD Blu-ray players are backwards-compatible.

They can play standard Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CDs, and other disc formats designated by the manufacturer.

Most Ultra HD Blu-ray movies come packaged with a second disc featuring a standard Blu-ray copy of the film.

This allows you to watch the standard version until you upgrade your hardware to support UHD content.

Can HD-DVD Players Play DVDs and CDs?

HD-DVD players can’t play standard or Ultra HD Blu-ray discs.