A Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player has the most update-to-date features a Blu-ray player can have. The most notable features of a Profile 2.0 player are Internet connectivity and a required 1GB of local memory storage.

The Internet connectivity (also called BD Live) gives access to online content that complements the content of the Blu-ray disc, for example, bonus material, online games, movie trailers, ringtones, desktop wallpapers, and other interactive content. Perhaps most intriguing is the ability to offer updated information on the film over time.

The 1GB of local storage is required for the downloading and caching of online and other types of content.

There were two earlier profiles, 1.0 and 1.1. In the race to beat HD-DVD (a competing high-definition disc format), Blu-ray players were released without their planned full functionality. Here’s a look at what the previous versions had to offer.

Profile 1.0

A Profile 1.0 player offered the basic functions features you’d expect from a last-gen DVD player: the ability to watch movies and bonus material included on the disc as well as access to audio features like switching the type of audio and commentary tracks,. Profile 1.0 players are no longer being manufactured, but you might come across a store clearing their inventory of them.

Profile 1.1

The most notable feature of Profile 1.1 was the addtion of picture-in-picture (also called BonusView). Picture-in-picture allows for video commentary to be viewed in window on screen while the movie plays in the background. Profile 1.1 also offers a requirement of 256MB of local memory storage and support for a virtual file system.

Should I Only Buy a Profile 2.0 Player?

Although access to online content is nice, the strongest advantage of having a Profile 2.0 player is the ability to easily update the firmware thanks to its required Internet connectivity. Firmware updates can improve the performance of your player and fix any bugs the player might have shipped with. As for the bonus materials, up to this point they have been very unimpressive. But that could change if Blu-ray one day becomes as popular as the DVD format. Still, Profile 1.0 and 1.1 players offer the basic movie watching experience, so if you don’t watch bonus materials, then Profile 2.0′s features won’t mean much to you, and it’s ok to purchase 1.0 or 1.1.

Some Profile 1.0 and 1.1 players shipped with the ability to upgrade to 2.0. The best place to check are the manufacturer’s websites to see if the players are compatible for an upgrade.

Will there be a Profile 3.0?

There are plans, but don’t worry, Profile 3.0 has nothing to do with movies. It’s an audio-only format that’s supposed to be a replacement for CDs, much like the failed DVD audio format. It’s doubtful it will ever gain traction.

Helpful Links:

Blu-Ray Wikipedia article.

CNET explains Blu-ray Profile 2.0.