DVD-Video Overview
DVD
once stood for digital video disc or digital versatile disc, but now
it just stands for DVD -- the next generation of optical disc storage
technology. DVD is essentially a bigger, faster CD that can hold cinema-like
video, better-than-CD audio, and computer data.
Broadcast quality video & audio
- 9 video streams
- 8 audio streams (up to 5.1 channels each)
- multi-angle/interactive
- 32 subtitle streams
| DVD Format | CD Format |
| DVD-Video | Video CD |
| DVD-ROM | CD-ROM |
| DVD-Audio | Audio CD |
| DVD-R | CD-R |
| DVD-RW | CD-RW |
| DVD-RAM | N.A. |
| Enhanced DVD | Enhanced CD |
- Looks like a CD but has a much higher storage capacity.
- Diameter of 12cm, same as a standard CD.
- Each size can be written in one of four ways, each with different capacities.
- Data can be written on both sides, doubling capacity.
This applies to a high volume pressed disc as you would purchase in a shop
| DVD5 | DVD9 | DVD10 | DVD18 |
| 4.7GB | 8.5GB | 9.4GB | 17GB |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 7 x CD capacity |
12.6 x CD capacity |
14 x CD capacity |
25.3 x CD capacity |
| 2hrs 13mins video |
4hrs video |
4 hrs 26mins video |
8hrs video |
- DVD-ROM: 11Mbps
- DVD-Video: video + audio + subpicture + PCI + DSI < 10.08 Mbps
PCI (Presentation Control Information)
DSI (Display Search Information)
- Capacity - 650MB vs 4.7GB - 17GB in DVD
- 1:7 - 1:25 ratio
- Poor video/audio quality [mpeg1, avi or quicktime]
- Low video frame rate
- Small size
- Not full colour
- Lo-fi sound
- Multiple discs required for larger titles
DVD-Video and ROM applications on the same disc can be played back on DVD set-top players and computers equipped with DVD-ROM drive/decoder card.
- Web links can trigger DVD-Video playback
- Web pages access ActiveX DVD-Video objects
- Web pages can respond to DVD-Video events
- Completely implemented in HTML
