DVD Introduction & History
Increased capacity for high quality video, audio and software.
DVD, the Digital Versatile Disc, is a high capacity CD-size disc for video, multimedia, games and audio applications. Capacities for the read-only disc range from 4.7GB to 17.1GB.
The high quality of video and audio has helped DVD-Video to replace VHS for pre-recorded titles and to increase the overall video market in most regions. Statistics show that DVD is growing faster than any other consumer electronics format in the USA and Europe. PCs with DVD capability are also selling, but multimedia and games applications of DVD have been slow to start. The advent of new games consoles using DVD is also helping to stimulate further sales.
DVD Applications
Despite the success of the compact disc there has been a clear need for a higher capacity format to meet additional application requirements.
* DVD-Video, which was launched in 1997 in the USA, has become the most successful of all the DVD formats, as it has proved to be an ideal vehicle for distributing video content from the movie industry. It can store a full-length movie of high quality video with surround sound audio on a disc the same size as a CD.
* DVD-ROM is beginning to replace the CD-ROM and provide a new high capacity disc format for the computer industry. New PCs are now provided with DVD drives instead of CD drives. The entertainment industry has developed new games consoles (eg Sony's PS2 and Microsoft's X-Box) which incorporate DVD-ROM drives for more sophisticated and realistic games applications.
* DVD-Audio, which was launched in 2000, is slowly gathering momentum to become the format for very high quality, surround sound music, offering the music industry new revenue opportunities.
* Recordable formats such as DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD-R are now being extensively used in PCs for computer backup and short runs of DVDs and in standalone products such as video recorders and camcorders.
* Hybrid formats such as DVDPlus (also known as ‘DualDisc’), which combine a DVD layer with a CD layer, have also been introduced and may become more dominant from 2005.
DVD technology offers an optical disc with a much larger capacity than the compact disc and is available as a family of pre-recorded, recordable and re-writable formats to meet the requirements of the industries and applications mentioned above.
DVD-Video and DVD-ROM hardware and software have been available since 1997. DVD-Audio was launched in 2000. DVD writers and DVD video recorders are now available at affordable prices.
DVD Features
DVD started as the Digital Video Disc but now means Digital Versatile Disc or just DVD. It is a multi-application family of optical disc formats for read-only, recordable and re-writable applications. The main features of the DVD formats are:
* Backwards compatibility with current CD media. All DVD hardware will play audio CDs and CD-ROMs (although not all hardware will play CD-Rs or CD-RWs)..
* Physical dimensions identical to compact disc but using two 0.6 mm thick substrates, bonded together.
* Single-layer/dual-layer and single/double sided options.
* Up to 4.7 GB read-only capacity per layer, 8.5 GB per side maximum.
* Designed from the outset for video, audio and multimedia, not just audio.
* All formats use a common file system (UDF).
* Digital and analogue copy protection for DVD-Video and DVD-Audio built into standard.
* Recordable and re-writable versions are part of the family.
DVD History
DVD started in 1994 as two competing formats, Super Disc (SD) and Multimedia CD (MMCD). DVD now is the result of an agreement by both camps on a single standard to meet the requirements of all the various industries involved.
Year Events
1994
Hollywood ad hoc committee defined features for movies on a 'compact disc'.
1995
Philips/Sony announced and demonstrate MMCD.
Toshiba & Warner announce and demonstrate SD.
Agreement is reached on a single standard format called DVD that combines the best of MMCD and SD.
1996
DVD-ROM and DVD-Video specifications version 1.0 published.
Digital copy protection scheme (CSS) agreed.
First DVD-Video players sold in Tokyo (Nov).
1997
Launch of DVD in USA (Aug).
DVD Consortium becomes DVD Forum, expands membership and holds first General DVD Forum Meeting with 120 members
1998
DVD-Video version 1.1 and DVD-ROM version 1.01 specifications released.
DVD Forum adopts DVD-RW.
DVD Forum announces 7 new members of DVD steering committee making 17 in all.
DVD Forum publishes DVD-Audio (version 0.9) specification
Full launch of DVD in Europe
1m DVD-Video players sold in USA
4.7 GB DVD-R and DVD-RAM version 1.9 specifications released
1999
DVD-Audio (1.0), DVD-Video Recording (0.9 & 1.0), DVD-RW (0.9) and DVD-RAM (2.0) specifications published.
2000
CPPM copy protection for DVD-Audio agreed
DVD-Audio players launched in USA (Jul)
First DVD-Audio discs in USA (Nov)
DVD-RW Part 2 (1.0), DVD-R for Authoring (2.0), DVD-R for General (2.0) and DVD Stream Recording (0.9) specifications published.
2001
DVD-Audio players & discs available
DVD Video Recorders launched in Europe etc
DVD-Multi (1.0), DVD Stream Recording (1.0), DVD-Audio (1.2) and DVD-Video Recording (1.1) specifications published.
DVD Video Recorders launched in Europe etc
Guidelines for IEEE 1394 transmission for DVD-Video/Audio issued.
2002
WG-11 created to study future blue laser format(s)
DVD-Audio recording specification ver 0.9 issued
Hybrid DVD-Audio format considered by DVD Forum
2003
DVD Forum rejects hybrid DVD-Audio format
DVD Forum selects 0.6mm HD DVD, shelves 0.1mm
DVD Forum releases iDVD specifications
2004
DVD Forum adds 3 new members to Steering Committee
DVD Forum approves HD DVD-ROM specification v1.0, agrees new logo and HD DVD files system specification.
DVD Forum adds thin DVD substrate for DVDPlus disc
DVD Forum approves 3x speed DVD-ROM.
DVD Forum approves film grain management for HD DVD-Video
Increased capacity for high quality video, audio and software.
DVD, the Digital Versatile Disc, is a high capacity CD-size disc for video, multimedia, games and audio applications. Capacities for the read-only disc range from 4.7GB to 17.1GB.
The high quality of video and audio has helped DVD-Video to replace VHS for pre-recorded titles and to increase the overall video market in most regions. Statistics show that DVD is growing faster than any other consumer electronics format in the USA and Europe. PCs with DVD capability are also selling, but multimedia and games applications of DVD have been slow to start. The advent of new games consoles using DVD is also helping to stimulate further sales.
DVD Applications
Despite the success of the compact disc there has been a clear need for a higher capacity format to meet additional application requirements.
* DVD-Video, which was launched in 1997 in the USA, has become the most successful of all the DVD formats, as it has proved to be an ideal vehicle for distributing video content from the movie industry. It can store a full-length movie of high quality video with surround sound audio on a disc the same size as a CD.
* DVD-ROM is beginning to replace the CD-ROM and provide a new high capacity disc format for the computer industry. New PCs are now provided with DVD drives instead of CD drives. The entertainment industry has developed new games consoles (eg Sony's PS2 and Microsoft's X-Box) which incorporate DVD-ROM drives for more sophisticated and realistic games applications.
* DVD-Audio, which was launched in 2000, is slowly gathering momentum to become the format for very high quality, surround sound music, offering the music industry new revenue opportunities.
* Recordable formats such as DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD-R are now being extensively used in PCs for computer backup and short runs of DVDs and in standalone products such as video recorders and camcorders.
* Hybrid formats such as DVDPlus (also known as ‘DualDisc’), which combine a DVD layer with a CD layer, have also been introduced and may become more dominant from 2005.
DVD technology offers an optical disc with a much larger capacity than the compact disc and is available as a family of pre-recorded, recordable and re-writable formats to meet the requirements of the industries and applications mentioned above.
DVD-Video and DVD-ROM hardware and software have been available since 1997. DVD-Audio was launched in 2000. DVD writers and DVD video recorders are now available at affordable prices.
DVD Features
DVD started as the Digital Video Disc but now means Digital Versatile Disc or just DVD. It is a multi-application family of optical disc formats for read-only, recordable and re-writable applications. The main features of the DVD formats are:
* Backwards compatibility with current CD media. All DVD hardware will play audio CDs and CD-ROMs (although not all hardware will play CD-Rs or CD-RWs)..
* Physical dimensions identical to compact disc but using two 0.6 mm thick substrates, bonded together.
* Single-layer/dual-layer and single/double sided options.
* Up to 4.7 GB read-only capacity per layer, 8.5 GB per side maximum.
* Designed from the outset for video, audio and multimedia, not just audio.
* All formats use a common file system (UDF).
* Digital and analogue copy protection for DVD-Video and DVD-Audio built into standard.
* Recordable and re-writable versions are part of the family.
DVD History
DVD started in 1994 as two competing formats, Super Disc (SD) and Multimedia CD (MMCD). DVD now is the result of an agreement by both camps on a single standard to meet the requirements of all the various industries involved.
Year Events
1994
Hollywood ad hoc committee defined features for movies on a 'compact disc'.
1995
Philips/Sony announced and demonstrate MMCD.
Toshiba & Warner announce and demonstrate SD.
Agreement is reached on a single standard format called DVD that combines the best of MMCD and SD.
1996
DVD-ROM and DVD-Video specifications version 1.0 published.
Digital copy protection scheme (CSS) agreed.
First DVD-Video players sold in Tokyo (Nov).
1997
Launch of DVD in USA (Aug).
DVD Consortium becomes DVD Forum, expands membership and holds first General DVD Forum Meeting with 120 members
1998
DVD-Video version 1.1 and DVD-ROM version 1.01 specifications released.
DVD Forum adopts DVD-RW.
DVD Forum announces 7 new members of DVD steering committee making 17 in all.
DVD Forum publishes DVD-Audio (version 0.9) specification
Full launch of DVD in Europe
1m DVD-Video players sold in USA
4.7 GB DVD-R and DVD-RAM version 1.9 specifications released
1999
DVD-Audio (1.0), DVD-Video Recording (0.9 & 1.0), DVD-RW (0.9) and DVD-RAM (2.0) specifications published.
2000
CPPM copy protection for DVD-Audio agreed
DVD-Audio players launched in USA (Jul)
First DVD-Audio discs in USA (Nov)
DVD-RW Part 2 (1.0), DVD-R for Authoring (2.0), DVD-R for General (2.0) and DVD Stream Recording (0.9) specifications published.
2001
DVD-Audio players & discs available
DVD Video Recorders launched in Europe etc
DVD-Multi (1.0), DVD Stream Recording (1.0), DVD-Audio (1.2) and DVD-Video Recording (1.1) specifications published.
DVD Video Recorders launched in Europe etc
Guidelines for IEEE 1394 transmission for DVD-Video/Audio issued.
2002
WG-11 created to study future blue laser format(s)
DVD-Audio recording specification ver 0.9 issued
Hybrid DVD-Audio format considered by DVD Forum
2003
DVD Forum rejects hybrid DVD-Audio format
DVD Forum selects 0.6mm HD DVD, shelves 0.1mm
DVD Forum releases iDVD specifications
2004
DVD Forum adds 3 new members to Steering Committee
DVD Forum approves HD DVD-ROM specification v1.0, agrees new logo and HD DVD files system specification.
DVD Forum adds thin DVD substrate for DVDPlus disc
DVD Forum approves 3x speed DVD-ROM.
DVD Forum approves film grain management for HD DVD-Video
