• [0] A Little History
• [1] DVD Formats
• [2] DVD Regions
• [3] Features of DVD
• [4] Disadvantages of DVD
• [5] Most DVD players feature
• [6] Also look for DVD players with
• [7] Dolby Digital?
• [8] DTS ?

A DVD is a storage format capable of holding large amounts of data such as movies. DVD's look like compact discs 'CDs' because it's physical dimensions are the same '12cm'. As the technology has evolved users have been able to record, erase and re-record data onto DVDs. This has created many different formats such as DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-ROM discs. With so many formats the man in street can become confused, this webpage hopes to remedy that headache, and shed some light onto the DVD's formats and issues. DVD actually doesn't stand for anything, because the companies who designed it couldn't decide if it meant,

• digital video disc
• digital versatile disc

- the popular dvd logo

DVD Tip

The quality of DVD's depends on the print quality. Some low-budget DVDs use MPEG-1 encoding, and you will notice the quality is no better than a VHS tape (some UK newspapers give them away free). What you should look for instead is the DVD encoded by the higher-quality MPEG-2. DVD is capable of studio quality video and an improvement over CD audio. So it's a shame when it's anything less.

A Little History

The DVD format came about after another electronics storage standards war. This time between Philips/Sony and Toshiba. If your not already aware this occured in the 1980's with the VHS and Betamax battle. This was won by JVC's VHS standard, and Sony's format betamax became history. To avoid a repeat of this disaster the IBM's president united Sony and Toshiba behind a single standard. After this the DVD Forum was founded in 1995. The ten founding companies were,

• Hitachi
• JVC
  
• Matsushita
  
• Mitsubishi
  
• Pioneer
  
• Philips
  
• Sony
  
• Thomson
  
• Time Warner
  
• Toshiba
  

The decision was that Toshiba's SD format would be used, but Sony demanded that two modifications be made to the tracking technology. And in September 1996 the DVD specification Version 1.0 was finally released. You may not remember but the first DVD players and discs were released in,

• 1996 in Japan
• 1997 in United States
• 1998 in Europe
• 1999 in Australia

Of course like most technologies dvd was extremely expensive, and it took awhile before they dropped below the £200 mark. Which is the price designated as mass market. And by around 2003 VHS players had virtually disappeared from many high street shops. Today you will be hard pressed to find many VHS models in shops, Dixons has already stopped selling them. Whereas you can pick up a DVD player for £30, and a good one for £80. DVD Recorders have also come down in price on the last few years. For specific models check here for user submissions.

DVD Formats

DVD-ROM

Means 'read only, manufactured by a press', such as a computer game or dvd with a movie from a shop.

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DVD-R

Means 'Recordable once' , can record data only once.

DVD-RW

Means 'ReWritable', can be recorded over numerous times.

Because this has a '-' it means its supported by Philips, Sony, Dell, Ricoh and Yamaha.

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DVD-RAM

Means 'random access rewritable'

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DVD+R/RW

Means 'Recordable once' , can record data only once.

DVD+RW

Means ' ReWritable', can be recorded over numerous times.

Because it has a '+' it means its supported by Panasonic, Apple Computer, NEC, Pioneer and Samsung. Visit the website for the DVD+RW Alliance for more information. The group states on their website that they aim ' to develop and promote a universally compatible, rewritable DVD format to enable true convergence'.

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DVD-R DL

Means 'Double layer', provides two recordable layers on a single sided DVD disc.

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DVD+R DL

Means 'Double layer', provides two recordable layers on a single sided DVD disc.

Again the difference between '-' and '+' is the companies were support the format. Which means they sometimes only allow the '-' or '+' format to play on their machines.

DVD Regions

DVD discs can come in a regional format, and some DVD players can only play DVD discs from a certain region. The reason for this was to stop DVD's released early in certain regions being sold and played in other regions. Movies are usually released months in advance in the USA compared to Europe. So making DVD's regional stopped DVD's being sold to Europe early.

Codes

• 0 No Region
  
• 1 USA and Canada
  
• 2 Europe, including France, Egypt, Arabia, Greece, Turkey, Japan and South Africa.
  
• 3 Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Borneo and Indonesia
  
• 4 Mexico, Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand, and South America
  
• 5 India, Africa, Russia and former USSR countries
  
• 6 China
  
• 7 Unused
  
• 8 Airlines / Cruise Ships
  
• 9 Expansion
  

Features of DVD

• 0.6 mm thick.
• Single side disc holds 4.7 Gbyte of data, capacities of from 4.7GB to 17GB.
• Access rates of 600KBps to 1.3 MBps.
• Supports widescreen movies, 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.
• Resistant to heat.
• Due to philips designs, is durable to physical damage.
• Not susceptible to magnetic fields.
• Better than laser discs.
• Access to multiple languages, multiple camera angles, subtitles in different languages, deleted scenes, alternative endings, behind the scenes documentaries, trailers and cast and crew infomation. You can expect more features on box sets of DVDs.
  

Disadvantages of DVD

• Many machines don't support all the DVD formats.
• DVD doesn't fully support HDTV.
• Copy protection.
• Regional lockout.

Most DVD players feature

• Playback of audio CDs.
• Playback of scenes.
• Language choice.
  
• Playback such as freeze, slow and fast play.
  
• Parental lock.
  
• Random play.
• Repeat play.
  
• Dolby Digital audio output.
  
• Digital coaxial output for sending digital surround sound, such as Dolby Digital 5.1 or DTS, to an amplifier.
• Scart sockets for easy connection to a TV.

Also look for DVD players with

• Component video output for top notch picture quality.
• Reverse play.
• RF output.
  
• Multiple disc capacity.
  
• Progressive scan for top notch picture quality. Scans individual picture lines in sequence to maximise the clarity of digital images from DVD and enhancing NTSC playback.
• HDMI connection provides high quality digital connection to TVs.
• Playback of MP3 CDs, plays MP3 tracks copied onto a CD from a computer.
  
• Playback of MP3 DVDs.
  
• Digital video output for a digital picture.
  
• Six-channel output.
  
• Playback of Video CDs.
  
• Digital zoom. Allows a section of the film to be selected and enlarged.
• JPEG image compatible playback.
• DIVX compatible playback.
  
• SACD compatible playback.
• S-Video connection, better quality playback when connected to your TV.
  

Dolby Digital?

Dolby Digital is the reigning standard for surround sound technology, and the common version in most homes contains 5.1 channels (five primary speakers and a LFE channel). Dolby Digital supports both Mono and Stereo. Before Dolby Digital there was the Dolby's Pro-Logic format. Dolby Digital can be found in many cinemas as well as DVD / Home cinema systems.

• Dolby Digital versions for DVD players

DTS ?

DTS stands for 'Digital Theater Systems' is an audio encoding format similar to Dolby Digital. Most DVD support both of thes formats. Many people claim DTS sounds better than Dolby Digital, but experts feel it's almost impossible to compare the two formats. This is because of the differing volume levels.