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DVD Explained | FAQs
Faqs (Frequently Asked Questions)
Below are several frequently asked questions regarding DVD.
Curious about how a DVD is actually authored? Step
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If you have any questions about DVD that aren't answered
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What is DVD?
DVD (digital video disc) is a storage format designed for
interactive media. The shiny little disc, no bigger than a
CD, is rapidly transforming the media experience -- providing
consumers with a quality of image, sound, and interactive
choice that stretches beyond the imagination.
It's not the tremendous storage capacity available on a DVD
disc that dazzles (as much as 13 times that of a CD ROM),
it's what this allows you to do. DVD is the only consumer
format where you can switch audio or video content on the
fly. Multiple tracks make it as easy to change the language
you're listening to as it is to switch camera angles (or prevent
children from watching adult scenes). With up to 8 language
tracks and 32 subtitle tracks available on the same disc,
the possibilities for entertainment, education, and the corporate
world are endless.
For the most comprehensive DVD FAQ available anywhere, see
DVD
Demsystified.
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What are the benefits of DVD?
Versatility
- holds the equivalent of 6,000+ computer floppy discs,
or an astonishing 9.4 billion bytes of information
- DVD-Video supports up to 8 surround-sound audio tracks
(intended for multiple languages)
- interactivity is built-in to accommodate different endings,
different versions, or different camera angles of the same
scene
- built-in menu capabilities give the user the option to
jump to specific titles, chapters, or scenes
- up to 32 sub-picture streams can be used to overlay the
video with subtitles, captioning, menus, or even simple
animations
Quality
- heat resistant
- not susceptible to magnetic fields
- unlike videotape, DVD keeps its quality intact through
frequent use over the years
Durability
- high resolution video (near-studio quality)
- better-than-CD audio quality
- support for high definition 96KHz 24-bit audio
Cost
- a single-sided / single-layer DVD-Video disc is cheaper
to manufacture than a videocassette or laserdisc and has
higher quality video and audio
- a single-sided / single-layer DVD-ROM is cheaper to manufacture
than a set of 4 CD-ROM's and can hold nearly twice the data
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Will DVD replace VCRs? CD-ROMs? Laserdiscs?
DVD is intended to eventually replace a number of separate
technologies, and comes in several "flavors":
DVD-Video will take on the role VHS tapes and laser
discs now hold.
DVD-Audio will eventually replace audio CDs.
DVD-ROM is designed to surpass the CD-ROM format.
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What about the technical stuff?
For the geeks out there like us, here's the inside on the
tech end of things.
Disc densities
DVD discs are available in different densities. The basic
disc is a DVD-5, which is a single-sided / single-layer
disc with a capacity of just under 5 GB. Next is a DVD-9,
which is a single-sided / dual-layer disc holding about 8.5
GB of contiguous data. Finally, a DVD-10 is a double-sided
/ single-layer disc that can hold up to 9.4 GB of data (4.7
GB per side). Theoretically, it is possible to even create
a DVD-18, a double-sided / dual-layer disc that can
hold as much as 18 GB.
A single-sided DVD-5 can hold a 133-minute movie with room
for 5.1 channel Dolby Digital soundtracks in a choice of several
languages. Dual-layered (DVD-9) and double-sided (DVD-10)
discs can accommodate movies 4 hours long and more.
Release formats
Most of the current DVD movie releases provide a 4:3 pan-and-scan
version on one side for normal televisions, and a 16:9 wide-screen
version on the other for the new DTV televisions. Many releases
also include supplementary material such as interviews, trailers,
biographies, etc. Currently most work is being done in the
DVD-5 and DVD-10 formats.
Other details
You can also check out our client
check list for a rundown of project details we typically
require.
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