rec.video.dvd Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Message-ID: <rec-video/dvd-faq_950525294@rtfm.mit.edu> Supersedes: <rec-video/dvd-faq_890309618@rtfm.mit.edu> Expires: 29 Mar 2000 10:48:14 GMT X-Last-Updated: 2000/02/14 From: jtfrog@usa.net (Jim Taylor) Newsgroups: rec.video.dvd.advocacy,rec.video.dvd.misc,rec.video.dvd.tech,rec.answers,news.answers Followup-To: rec.video.dvd.misc Subject: rec.video.dvd Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Keywords: DVD,FAQ Summary: Frequently asked questions (with answers) about the DVD format, including DVD-ROM and DVD-Video. Organization: DVD Demystified Date: 14 Feb 2000 10:48:54 GMT X-Trace: dreaderd 950525334 21920 18.181.0.29 Archive-name: rec-video/dvd-faq Posting-Frequency: monthly Last-modified: Oct 4, 1990 URL: http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html Maintainer: Jim Taylor <jtfrog@usa.net> DVD FAQ DVD Frequently Asked Questions (and Answers) This is the February 9, 2000 revision of the official Internet DVD FAQ for the rec.video.dvd Usenet newsgroups. (See below for what's new.) Please send corrections, additions, and new questions to Jim Taylor <jtfrog@usa.net>. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Contents * [0] Where can I get the DVD FAQ? * [0.1] Has the DVD FAQ been translated into other languages? * [0.2] This FAQ is too long and technical. Is there a simpler version? * [0.3] Is this FAQ any good? How do I know it's accurate? * [1] General DVD * [1.1] What is DVD? * [1.2] What are the features of DVD-Video? * [1.3] What's the quality of DVD-Video? * [1.4] What are the disadvantages of DVD? * [1.5] What DVD players and drives are available? * [1.5.1] Which player should I buy? * [1.6] What DVD titles are available? * [1.7] How much do players and drives cost? * [1.8] How much do discs cost? * [1.9] How quickly will DVD become established? * [1.10] What are "regional codes," "country codes," or "zone locks"? * [1.11] What are the copy protection issues? * [1.12] What about DVD-Audio or Music DVD? * [1.13] Which studios are supporting DVD? * [1.14] Can DVD record from VCR/TV/etc? * [1.15] What happens if I scratch the disc? Aren't discs too fragile to be rented? * [1.16] VHS is good enough, why should I care about DVD? * [1.17] Is the packaging different from CD? * [1.18] What's a dual-layer disc? Will it work in all players? * [1.19] Is DVD-Video a worldwide standard? Does it work with NTSC, PAL and SECAM? * [1.20] What about animation on DVD? Doesn't it compress poorly? * [1.21] Why do some discs require side flipping? Can't DVDs hold four hours per side? * [1.22] Why is the picture squished, making things look too skinny? * [1.23] Do all videos use Dolby Digital (AC-3)? Do they all have 5.1 channels? * [1.24] Can DVDs have laser rot? * [1.25] Which titles are pan & scan only? Why? * [1.26] How do I make the subtitles on my Pioneer player go away? * [1.27] What is a layer change? Where is it on specific discs? * [1.28] The disc says Dolby Digital. Why do I get 2-channel surround audio? * [1.29] Why doesn't the repeat A-B feature work on some discs? * [1.30] What's the difference between first, second, and third generation DVD? * [1.31] What's a hybrid DVD? * [1.32] What's the deal with DTS and DVD? * [1.33] Why is the picture black and white? * [1.34] Why are both sides fullscreen when one side is supposed to be widescreen? * [1.35] Why are the audio and video out of sync? * [1.36] Why does the picture alternate between light and dark? * [1.37] How do I find "Easter eggs" and other hidden features? * [1.38] How do I get rid of the black bars at the top and bottom? * [1.39] How should I clean and care for DVDs? * [1.40] What's a progressive DVD player? * [1.41] Why doesn't disc X work on player Y? * [1.42] How do the parental control and multi-ratings features work? * [1.43] Which discs include multiple camera angles? * [2] DVD's relationship to other products * [2.1] Will DVD replace VCRs? * [2.2] Will DVD replace CD-ROM? * [2.3] Can CD-R writers create DVDs? * [2.4] Is CD compatible with DVD? * [2.4.1] Is CD audio (CD-DA) compatible with DVD? * [2.4.2] Is CD-ROM compatible with DVD-ROM? * [2.4.3] Is CD-R compatible with DVD-ROM? * [2.4.4] Is CD-RW compatible with DVD? * [2.4.5] Is Video CD compatible with DVD? * [2.4.6] Is Super Video CD compatible with DVD? * [2.4.7] Is Photo CD compatible with DVD? * [2.4.8] Is CD-i compatible with DVD? * [2.4.9] Is Enhanced CD compatible with DVD? * [2.4.10] Is CD+G compatible with DVD? * [2.4.11] Is CDV compatible with DVD? * [2.4.12] Is MP3 compatible with DVD? * [2.4.13] Is HDCD compatible with DVD? * [2.5] Is laserdisc compatible with DVD? * [2.6] Will DVD replace laserdisc? * [2.7] How does DVD compare to laserdisc? * [2.8] Can I modify or upgrade my laserdisc player to play DVD? * [2.9] Does DVD support HDTV (DTV)? Will HDTV make DVD obsolete? * [2.10] What was Divx? * [2.11] How can I record from DVD to videotape? * [2.12] Will high-definition DVD or 720p DVD make current players and discs obsolete? * [3] DVD technical details * [3.1] What are the outputs of a DVD player? * [3.2] How do I hook up a DVD player? + [3.2.1] Will I have problems connecting my VCR between my TV and my DVD player? * [3.3] What are the sizes and capacities of DVD? + [3.3.1] When will double-sided, dual-layer discs (DVD-18) be available? * [3.4] What are the video details? * [3.5] What's widescreen? How do the aspect ratios work? * [3.6] What are the audio details? + [3.6.1] DVD-Audio details + [3.6.2] Audio details of DVD-Video * [3.7] How do the interactive features work? * [3.8] What is the difference between interlaced and progressive video? * [3.9] What is edge enhancement? * [3.10] Does DVD work with barcodes? * [4] DVD and computers * [4.1] Can I play DVD movies on my computer? * [4.2] What are the features and speeds of DVD-ROM drives? * [4.3] What about recordable DVD: DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW? * [4.4] Why can't I take a screenshot of DVD video? Why do I get a pink or black square? * [4.5] Why can't I play movies copied to my hard drive? * [4.6] Why do I have problems playing DVDs on my computer? * [4.7] Can I stream DVD over a network or the Internet? * [4.8] What is DeCSS? * [4.9] How do I play DVD video in HTML, PowerPoint, Director, VB, etc.? * [4.10] What are .IFO, .VOB, and .AOB files? How can I play them? * [5] DVD production * [5.1] How much does it cost to produce a DVD? Isn't it more expensive than videotape, laserdisc, and CD-ROM? * [5.2] What DVD-ROM formatting tools are available? * [5.3] What MPEG-2 encoding tools are available? * [5.4] What DVD-Video production tools are available? * [5.5] Who can produce a DVD for me? * [5.6] What testing/verification services and tools are available? * [5.7] Can I put DVD-Video content on a CD-R or CD-RW? * [5.8] How do I copy my home videos to DVD? * [5.9] How do I get a job making DVDs? * [6] Miscellaneous * [6.1] Who invented DVD and who owns it? Whom to contact for specifications and licensing? * [6.2] Who is making or supporting DVD products? * [6.3] Where can I buy (or rent) DVDs and players? * [6.4] Where can I get more information about DVD? * [7] Leftovers * [7.1] Unanswered questions * [7.2] Notation and units * [7.3] Acknowledgments ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Recent changes: * 00-02-09: Removed flipper and layer-switch lists. Link to DVD Review's Film Vault instead. (1.21, 1.27) * 00-02-08: Note about Macrovision problems on TV/VCR combos. (3.2.1) * 00-02-08: New question: [4.10] What are .IFO, .VOB, and .AOB files? How can I play them? * 00-02-07: DVD-R split into two versions, brining the number of DVD recordable formats to five. (4.3) * 00-02-07: Pioneer DVD-Audio players support SACD, which means there may never be a "standards battle". (1.12) * 00-02-01: New question: [1.43] Which discs include multiple camera angles? * 00-02-01: Link to Michael D's Guide to Region 4 DVDs. (6.4) * 00-01-28: New question: [4.9] How do I play DVD video in HTML, PowerPoint, Director, VB, etc.? * 00-01-27: Rambling lists of PC decoders are now more-legible bulleted lists. (4.1) * 00-01-26: List of multi-rating and multi-version discs. (1.42) * 00-01-26: Link to Dan Ramer's anamorphic article at DVD File. (3.5) * 00-01-25: DVD hardware playback coming to Linux. (4.1) * 00-01-25: Emphasis that letterbox and fullscreen images are usually the same size. (1.38) * 00-01-25: DeCSS stuff moved to its own new section: [4.8] What is DeCSS? * 00-01-25: Revised description of CSS. (1.11) * 00-01-25: Note that region codes could be considered an illegal restraint of trade. (1.10) * 00-01-25: Pointer to excellent CD-i FAQ. (2.4.8) * 00-01-25: Pointers to information on DVD mastering and replication. (5.0) * 00-01-25: New question: [3.10] Does DVD work with barcodes? * 00-01-24: The DeCSS saga continues: Norwegian hacker raided. Preliminary injunctions granted in NY and CA suits. (4.8) * 00-01-24: A bunch of questions to help you pick a player. (1.5.1) * 00-01-17: DeCSS source code available on a T-shirt. (4.8) * 00-01-15: More on DVD video recorders. Rewritten DVD+RW section (pun intended). (4.3) * 00-01-15: More DeCSS lawsuits. (4.8) * 00-01-15: More links to software players. (4.1) * 00-01-15: More manufacturers and more Web site links. (6.2) * 00-01-14: New question: [0.3] Is this FAQ any good? How do I know it's accurate? (Moved section 1.1.1 to 0.2) * 00-01-14: Link to DVD Utils Web site. (6.4) * 00-01-13: New question: [2.12] Will high-definition DVD or 720p DVD make current players and discs obsolete?. Related reworking of HDTV section (2.9). * 00-01-09: Minor revisions to video resolution info. Moved analog signal figures from laserdisc section to video section. (3.4) * 00-01-09: TVGuardian option for parental control. (1.42) * 00-01-08: Many additions and URLs of DVD companies. (6.2) * 00-01-05: New address for Russian translation. (0.1) * 00-01-05: Difference between PAL and SECAM DVD players. (1.19) * 99-12-29: DVD CCA restraining order denied. (4.8) * 99-12-29: DVD CCA created to license CSS. (6.1) * 99-12-27: More YUV-RGB converter sources. (3.1) * 99-12-27: New question: [1.5.1] Which player should I buy? * 99-12-19: More infrared remotes for DVD playback on PCs. (4.1) * 99-12-19: Minor rewrites of video encoding section. (3.4) * 99-12-19: More info on making MiniDVDs. (5.7) * 99-12-18: A few more compatibility problems. (1.4.1) * 99-12-18: Link to Home Theater Forum, an excellent DVD discussion site, and DVD Infomatrix, a great source of info on DVD PCs. (6.4) * 99-12-12: Some naughty discs and players don't use 4:3 letterbox flags properly. (3.5) * 99-12-12: Watch out for progressive-scan TVs that don't allow aspect ratio changes. (1.40) * 99-12-12: Updated info on DVD-Audio (delayed until mid 2000). (1.12) * 99-12-12: Minor updates to DTS info. (1.32) * 99-12-12: No need for regular alignment of laser in player. (1.39) * 99-12-12: Not even Philips 170 can play DVD-V content from CD-R/RW. (5.7) * 99-12-11: Italian translation available at http://digilander.iol.it/pierugo1/traduzione_faq_dvd.html. * 99-12-11: New questions: [1.42] How do the parental control and multi-ratings features work? [3.9] What is edge enhancement? [4.7] Can I stream DVD over a network or the Internet? * 99-12-11: New troubleshooting step for PCs (overlay surface). (4.6) * 99-12-11: Mentioned DVD-R replication for short runs. (5) * 99-12-11: Layer change times for The Mummy, 12 Monkeys, Deer Hunter, Apollo 13 (DTS), Legionnaire, A Simple Plan, Stargate SE, The Stand. (1.27) Thanks Bob, Josh, Kristen, Shawn, Adam, Dream Master. * 99-12-10: Numerous updates on writable DVD. (4.3) * 99-11-19: First commercial DVD-18. (3.3.1) (A bit of gloating about my accurate prediction.) * 99-11-19: New question: [2.11] How can I record from DVD to videotape? * 99-11-19: Software DVD player for Mac. (4.1) * 99-11-19: Link to Aaron's rebuttal of Bernie's "Letterschlock FAQ." (1.38) * 99-11-15: New IEC prefixes for binary multiples. (7.2) * 99-11-11: Visible Light authoring packages. (5.4) * 99-11-09: New question: [6.3] Where can I buy (or rent) DVDs and players? * 99-11-08: CSS (copy protection) cracked. (4.8) * 99-11-08: A few new DVD players can play MP3 CDs. (2.4.12) * 99-11-03: New question: [1.1.1] This FAQ is too long and technical. Is there a simpler version? * 99-10-05: A few DVD players can read SVCD. Philips DVD170 is upgradable. (2.4.6) * 99-10-04: More about why so many DVDs are widescreen (is my bias showing? :-), including links to sites with more info (1.38). Additions to widescreen links at the end of 3.5. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [0] Where can I get the DVD FAQ? * The most current version is on the Web at <http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html>. * A text version is posted periodically as "rec.video.dvd Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)" to rec.video.dvd.tech, rec.video.dvd.misc, rec.answers, news.answers, and other relevant newsgroups. * Mirror copy locations include: o U.S. (Digital Bits): <http://www.thedigitalbits.com/officialfaq.html> o U.S. (DVD Resource): <http://www.dvdresource.com/dvdfaq/dvdfaq.shtml> o DVD City <http://www.dvdcity.com/officialfaq.html> (optimized by Adero for faster access in Australia France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain) o Ireland (DVDDirect): <http://www.dvddirect.ie/faq.html> o Germany (Area DVD): <http://www.areadvd.de/dvdfaq.html> o UK (DVD Guide): <http://216.71.152.46/DVDGuide/faq.htm> o Sweden (DVD Registret): <http://www.dvdregistret.com/dvdfaq/dvdfaq.html> o Norway (DVDnett.no): <http://www.dvdnett.no/dvdfaq> o South Africa (DVDSA): <http://www.theshoppingmatrix.com/dvd/faq.asp> o Netherlands (DVD-Info Point): <http://www.dvdnews.nl/infofaq.html> o Austria (dvd.at); <http://www.dvd.at/dvd/fact15a.htm> o Australia (aus.dvd): <http://www.ozemail.com.au/~brierley/dvd> * A text archive of the version last posted to newsgroups is at <http://www.faqs.org/faqs/rec-video/dvd-faq> and other FAQ mirrors, as well as <http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.txt>. You can have a text version of the FAQ emailed to you by sending email to dvdfaq@dvdresource.com. [0.1] Has the DVD FAQ been translated into other languages? Various translations of the DVD FAQ are available: * French <http://www.mygale.org/~abela/DVD/DVDfaq.html>. Merci beaucoup to Zahir Abela. * Italian <http://digilander.iol.it/pierugo1/traduzione_faq_dvd.html>. Molti ringraziamenti to Pierugo Mazzaccheri. * Japanese <http://www.dms.co.jp/dvd/dvdfaq_j.html>. Otsukaresama to Yoshida Toshinori. * Norwegian <http://www.dvdnett.no/dvdfaq/norsk/>. Tusen takk to Paul H. Brekke and Lasse Hatletvedt. * Russian <http://www.rusdvdportal.com/dvdfaq.htm>. Blagodara to Alexander Lokshin. * Spanish <http://club.idecnet.com/~modegar/video/dvdfaq.html>. Muchisimas gracias to Modesto Garrido. If you'd like to translate the DVD FAQ into another language (Klingon, anyone?), please contact Jim. [0.2] This FAQ is too long and technical. Is there a simpler version? Try Earl's Famous DVD Technology Exposition Web Page Extravaganza Supreme Deluxe (http://lonestar.texas.net/~bdub/earl/dvd.htm). [0.3] Is this FAQ any good? How do I know it's accurate? Here are a few user comments on the DVD FAQ. It's the most accurate source of DVD information in this galaxy. If you find something you think is in error, please let Jim know. Pointers to other DVD sites are scattered throughout the FAQ and in section 6.4. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [1] General DVD [1.1] What is DVD? DVD, which once stood for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc, is the next generation of optical disc storage technology. It's essentially a bigger, faster CD that can hold video as well as audio and computer data. DVD aims to encompass home entertainment, computers, and business information with a single digital format, eventually replacing audio CD, videotape, laserdisc, CD-ROM, and perhaps even video game cartridges. DVD has widespread support from all major electronics companies, all major computer hardware companies, and all major movie and music studios. With this unprecedented support, DVD has become the most successful consumer electronics product of all time in less than three years of its introduction. It's important to understand the difference between DVD-Video and DVD-ROM. DVD-Video (often simply called DVD) holds video programs and is played in a DVD player hooked up to a TV. DVD-ROM holds computer data and is read by a DVD-ROM drive hooked up to a computer. The difference is similar to that between Audio CD and CD-ROM. DVD-ROM also includes recordable variations (DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW; see 4.3). Most people expect DVD-ROM to be initially much more successful than DVD-Video. Most new computers with DVD-ROM drives can also play DVD-Videos (see 4.1). There's also the DVD-Audio format that was finalized in late 1999 but won't be available outside of Japan until late 2000 at the earliest (see 1.23 and 3.6.1). [1.2] What are the features of DVD-Video? * Over 2 hours of high-quality digital video (over 8 on a double-sided, dual-layer disc). * Support for widescreen movies on standard or widescreen TVs (4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios). * Up to 8 tracks of digital audio (for multiple languages, DVS, etc.), each with as many as 8 channels. * Up to 32 subtitle/karaoke tracks. * Automatic "seamless" branching of video (for multiple story lines or ratings on one disc). * Up to 9 camera angles (different viewpoints can be selected during playback). * Menus and simple interactive features (for games, quizzes, etc.). * Multilingual identifying text for title name, album name, song name, cast, crew, etc. * Instant rewind and fast forward (no "be kind, rewind" stickers and threats on rental discs) * Instant search to title, chapter, music track, and timecode. * Durable (no wear from playing, only from physical damage). * Not susceptible to magnetic fields. Resistant to heat. * Compact size (easy to handle, store, and ship; players can be portable; replication is cheaper). * Noncomedogenic. Note: Most discs do not contain all features (multiple audio/subtitle tracks, seamless branching, parental control, etc.), as each feature must be specially authored. Some discs may not allow searching or skipping. Most players support a standard set of features: * Language choice (for automatic selection of video scenes, audio tracks, subtitle tracks, and menus).* * Special effects playback: freeze, step, slow, fast, and scan (no reverse play or reverse step). * Parental lock (for denying playback of discs or scenes with objectionable material).* * Programmability (playback of selected sections in a desired sequence). * Random play and repeat play. * Digital audio output (PCM stereo and Dolby Digital). * Compatibility with audio CDs. * Must be supported by additional content on the disc. Some players include additional features: * Component (YUV or RGB) video output for higher-quality picture. * Progressive-scan component (YUV or RGB) output for highest-quality analog picture. * Six-channel analog output from internal audio decoder. * Recognition and output of DTS Digital Surround audio tracks. * Compatibility with Video CDs. * Compatibility with laserdiscs and CDVs. * Ability to play Divx discs. * Reverse single frame stepping. * RF output (for TVs with no direct video input). * Multilingual on-screen display. * Digital zoom (2x or 4x enlargement of a section of the picture). This is a player feature, not a DVD disc feature. [1.3] What's the quality of DVD-Video? DVD has the capability to produce near-studio-quality video and better-than-CD-quality audio. DVD is vastly superior to videotape and generally better than laserdisc (see 2.8.). However, quality depends on many production factors. As compression experience and technology improves we will see increasing quality, but as production costs decrease we will also see more shoddily produced discs. A few low-budget DVDs will even use MPEG-1 encoding (which is no better than VHS) instead of higher-quality MPEG-2. DVD video is usually encoded from digital studio master tapes to MPEG-2 format. The encoding process uses lossy compression that removes redundant information (such as areas of the picture that don't change) and information that's not readily perceptible by the human eye. The resulting video, especially when it is complex or changing quickly, may sometimes contain visual flaws, depending on the processing quality and amount of compression. At average rates of 3.5 Mbps (million bits/second), compression artifacts may be occasionally noticeable. Higher data rates can result in higher quality, with almost no perceptible difference from the master at rates above 6 Mbps. As MPEG compression technology improves, better quality is being achieved at lower rates. Video from DVD sometimes contains visible artifacts such as color banding, blurriness, blockiness, fuzzy dots, shimmering, missing detail, and even effects such as a face that "floats" behind the rest of the moving picture. It's important to understand that the term "artifact" refers to anything that was not originally present in the picture. Artifacts are sometimes caused by poor MPEG encoding, but artifacts are more often caused by a poorly adjusted TV, bad cables, electrical interference, sloppy digital noise reduction, improper picture enhancement, poor film-to-video transfer, film grain, player faults, disc read errors, etc. Most DVDs exhibit few visible MPEG compression artifacts on a properly configured system.. If you think otherwise, you are misinterpreting what you see. Some early DVD demos were not very good, but this is simply an indication of how bad DVD can be if not properly processed and correctly reproduced. Many demo discs were rushed through the encoding process in order to be distributed as quickly as possible. Contrary to common opinion, and as stupid as it may seem, these demos were not carefully "tweaked" to show DVD at its best. In-store demos should be viewed with a grain of salt, since most salespeople are incapable of properly adjusting a television set. Most TVs have the sharpness set too high for the clarity of DVD. This exaggerates high-frequency video and causes distortion, just as the treble control set too high for a CD causes it to sound harsh. Many DVD players output video with a black-level setup of 0 IRE (Japanese standard) rather than 7.5 IRE (US standard). On TVs that are not properly adjusted this can cause some blotchiness in dark scenes. DVD video has exceptional color fidelity, so muddy or washed-out colors are almost always a problem in the display (or the original source), not in the DVD player or disc. DVD audio quality is superb. DVD includes the option of PCM (pulse code modulation) digital audio with sampling sizes and rates higher than audio CD. Alternatively, audio for most movies is stored as discrete, multi-channel surround sound using Dolby Digital or DTS audio compression similar to the digital surround sound formats used in theaters. As with video, audio quality depends on how well the processing and encoding was done. In spite of compression, Dolby Digital and DTS can be close to or better than CD quality. The final assessment of DVD quality is in the hands of consumers. Most viewers consistently rate it better than laserdisc, but no one can guarantee the quality of DVD, just as no one should dismiss it based on demos or hearsay. In the end it's a matter of individual perception and the level of quality delivered by the playback system. [1.4] What are the disadvantages of DVD? * It will take years for movies, TV shows, other video programming, and computer software to become widely available. * Vagueness of spec and inadequate testing of players and discs has resulted in incompatibilities. Some movie discs don't function fully (or don't play at all) on some players. * It can't record (yet). (See 1.14 and 4.3) * It has built-in copy protection and regional lockout. (See 1.11 and 1.10) * It uses digital compression. Poorly compressed audio or video may be blocky, fuzzy, harsh, or vague. (See 1.3) * The audio downmix process for stereo/Dolby Surround can reduce dynamic range. (See 3.6) * It doesn't fully support HDTV. (See 2.9) * Some DVD players and drives may not be able to read CD-Rs. (See 2.4.3) * Current DVD players and drives can't read DVD-RAM discs. (See 4.3) * Current players can't play in reverse at normal speed. * Variations and options such as DVD-Audio, DTS audio tracks, and Divx are not supported by all players. [1.5] What DVD players and drives are available? Some manufacturers originally announced that DVD players would be available as early as the middle of 1996. These predictions were woefully optimistic. Delivery was initially held up for "political" reasons of copy protection demanded by movie studios, but was later delayed by lack of titles. The first players appeared in Japan in November, 1996, followed by U.S. players in March, 1997. Players slowly trickled in to other regions. Now, over two years after the initial launch, over a hundred models of DVD players are available from dozens of electronics companies. Prices for the first players were $1000 and up. By the middle of 1999, players were available for under $200 at discount retailers. See section 6.2 for a list of companies that provide DVD players. Fujitsu supposedly released the first DVD-ROM-equipped computer on Nov. 6 in Japan. Toshiba released a DVD-ROM-equipped computer and a DVD-ROM drive in Japan in early 1997 (moved back from December which was moved back from November). DVD-ROM drives from Toshiba, Pioneer, Panasonic, Hitachi, and Sony began appearing in sample quantities as early as January 1997, but none were to be available before May. The first upgrade kits (combination DVD-ROM drive and decoder hardware) became available from Creative Labs, Hi-Val, and Diamond Multimedia in April and May of 1997. Today, every major PC manufacturer has models that include DVD-ROM drives. The price difference from the same system with a CD-ROM drive ranges from $30 to $200 (laptops have more expensive drives). Upgrade kits for older computers are available for $100 to $700 from Creative Labs, DynaTek, E4 (Elecede), Hi-Val, Leadtek, Margi Systems (for laptops), Media Forte, Pacific Digital, Sigma Designs, Sony, STB Systems, Toshiba, Utobia, and others. For more information about DVDs on computers, including writable DVD drives, see section 4. Note: If you buy a player or drive from outside your country (e.g., a Japanese player for use in the US) you may not be able to play region-locked discs on it. (See 1.10.) More information: * UK DVD FAQ and uk.media.dvd FAQ. * aus.dvd (Australia/New Zealand/region 4 player info) * WebShopper report on DVD-ROM drives (Sep 16, 1998) [1.5.1] Which player should I buy? There are many good players available. Video and audio performance in all modern DVD players is excellent. Personal preferences, your budget, and your existing home theater setup all play a large role in what player is best for you. Unless you have a high-end home theater setup, a player that costs under $400 should be completely adequate. Make a list of things that are important to you (such as ability to play CD-Rs, ability to play Video CDs, 96 kHz/24-bit audio decoding, DTS Digital Out, internal 6-channel Dolby Digital decoder) to help you come up with a set of players. Then try out a few of the players in your price range, focusing on ease of use (remote control design, user interface, front-panel controls). Since there is not a big variation in picture quality and sound quality within a given price range, convenience features play a big part. The remote control, which you'll use all the time, can drive you crazy if it doesn't suit your style. In certain cases, you might want to buy a DVD PC instead of a standard DVD player, especially if you want progressive video. See 1.40 and 4.1. Here are a few questions to ask yourself. - Do I want selectable sound tracks and subtitles, multiangle viewing, aspect ratio control, parental/multirating features, fast and slow playback, great digital video, multichannel digital audio, compatibility with Dolby Pro Logic receivers, on-screen menus, dual-layer playback, and ability to play audio CDs? If so, this is the wrong question to ask yourself, since all DVD players have all of these features. - Do I appreciate special deals? If so, look for free DVD coupons and free DVD rentals that are available with many players. - Do I want DTS audio? If so, look for a player with the "DTS Digital Out" logo. (See 3.6.2.) - Do I want to play Video CDs? If so, check the specs for Video CD compatibility. (See 2.4.5.) - Do I need a headphone jack? - Do I want player setup menus in languages other than English? If so, look for multilanguage setup feature. (Note: the multilanguage menus on certain discs are supported by all players.) - Do I want to play homemade CD-R audio discs? If so look for the "dual laser" feature. (See 2.4.3.) - Do I want to replace my CD player? If so, you might want a changer that can hold 3, 5, or even hundreds of discs. - Do I want to control all my entertainment devices with one remote control? If so, look for a player with a programmable universal remote, or make sure your existing universal remote is compatible with the DVD player. - Do I want to zoom in to check details of the picture? If so, look for players with picture zoom. - Do I want to play HDCDs? If so, check for the HDCD logo. (See 2.4.13.) - Does my receiver have only optical or only coax digital audio inputs? If so, make sure the player has outputs to match. (See 3.2.) - Do I care about black-level adjustment? For more information, read hardware reviews at Web sites such as DVDFile, DVD Resource, and E-Town, or in magazines such as Widescreen Review. You may also want to read about user experiences in online forums at Home Theater Forum and DVDFile. See sections 3.1 and 3.2 for specific information on what audio/video connections are needed to fit into your existing setup. [1.6] What DVD titles are available? As with hardware, rosy predictions of hundreds of movie titles for Christmas of 1996 failed to materialize. Only a handful of DVD titles, mostly music videos, were available in Japan for the November 1996 launch of DVD. Actual feature films began to appear in December. By April there were over 150 titles in Japan. Movies appeared in the US in March of 1997. As of June 1999 there are about 3,500 titles available in the US and over 5,000 worldwide. Compared to other launches (CD, LD, etc.) this is a huge number. Almost 19,000 discs were purchased in the first two weeks of the US launch -- more than expected. InfoTech predicted over 600 titles by the end of 1997 and more than 8,000 titles by 2000. By December 1997, over 1 million individual DVD discs were shipped. By June 1999, over 30 million discs had shipped. Availability of DVD hardware and software in Europe runs about a year to 18 months behind the US. A number of launches were announced with little follow-through, but DVD began to become established around the end of 1998. For an extensive, searchable list of movie titles available in the US and Canada see Jeff Phillips' list at <http://www.thedvdlist.com>. For titles in Japan and Europe see Niels van Eijkelenburg's list at <http://www.surroundfreak.com/dvd/dvd2.htm> or Robert's list at <http://www.unik.no/~robert/hifi/dvd/film2.html>. Also check out the Internet Movie Database's DVD Browser. Christoph Steinecke's extensive list of region 1 titles is at <http://www.surroundfreak.com/dvd/dvd1.htm>. New release lists and announcements are available at <http://www.image-entertainment.com/laserv.html>. For a list of widescreen-specific DVD titles, visit http://www.WidescreenReview.com>. Concorde Video released a PAL-format 12 Monkeys in Germany at the end of March 1997. They were threatened by Philips with a lawsuit for not including a multichannel MPEG track, but the issue is now resolved (see 3.6). DVD-ROM software will slowly appear. Approximately 50% of CD-ROM producers have announced intentions to develop for DVD-ROM. See 6.2 for a list. Many initial DVD-ROM titles are only be available as part of a hardware or software bundle until the market grows larger. IDC expected that over 13 percent of all software would be available in DVD-ROM format by the end of 1998, but reality didn't meet expectations. In one sense, DVD-ROMs are simply larger faster CD-ROMs and will contain the same material. But DVD-ROMs can also take advantage of the high-quality video and multi-channel audio capabilities being added to many DVD-ROM-equipped computers. [1.7] How much do players and drives cost? Mass-market DVD movie players currently list for $300 and up. (See 1.5 for models and prices.) Within a few years they may approach VCR prices. InfoTech predicts prices will be as low as $250 by the year 2000, and below $150 by 2005. DVD-ROM drives and upgrade kits for computers sell for around $80 to $600. (OEM drive prices are under $70.) Prices are expected to drop quickly to current CD-ROM drive levels. [1.8] How much do discs cost? It varies, but most DVD movies list for $20 to $30 with street prices between $15 and $25, even those with supplemental material. Low-priced movies can be found for under $10. So far DVD has not followed the initial high rental price model of VHS. DVD-ROMs will initially be slightly more expensive than CD-ROMs since there is more on them, they cost more to replicate, and the market is smaller. But once production costs drop and the installed base of drives grow, DVD-ROMs will cost about the same as CD-ROMs today. [1.9] How quickly will DVD become established? Not as fast as generally predicted, but faster than videotape, laserdisc, and CD. By the end of 1997 over 500,000 DVD-Video players shipped worldwide. 349,482 of these were in the US (with about 200,000 actually sold into homes). About 600 DVD video titles were available in the US, with over 5 million copies shipped and about 2 million sold. Around 330,000 DVD-ROM drives were shipped worldwide with about 1 million bundled DVD-ROM titles. Only 60 DVD-ROM titles were available by the end of 1997, most of them bundled with PCs or drive upgrade kits. By the end of 1999, there were almost 5 million DVD-Video players in the US, and about 30 million DVD PCs. Here are some predictions: * Toshiba (1996): 100,000 to 150,000 DVD-Video players will be sold in Japan between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31, 1996, and 750,000-1 million by Nov. 1, 1997. (Actual count of combined shipments by Matsushita, Pioneer, and Toshiba was 70,000 in Oct-Dec 1996.) * Pioneer (1996): 400,000 DVD-Video players in 1996, 11 million by 2000. 100,000 DVD-Audio players in 1996, 4 million by 2000. * InfoTech (1996): 820,000 DVD-Video players in first year, 80 million by 2005. * CEMA (1997): 400,000 DVD-Video players in U.S. in 1997, 1 million in 1998. * Time-Warner (1996): 10 million DVD players in the U.S. by 2002. * Paul Kagan (1997): 800,000 DVD players in the U.S. in 1997, 10 million in 2000, and 40 million in 2006 (43% penetration). 5.6 million discs sold in 1997, 172 million discs in 2000, and 623 million in 2006. * C-Cube (1996): 1 million players and drives in 1997. * BASES: 3 million DVD-Video players sold in first year, 13 million sold in 6th year. * Dataquest (1997): over 33 million shipments of DVD players and drives by 2000. * Philips (1996): 25 million DVD-ROM drives worldwide by 2000 (10% of projected 250 million optical drives). * Pioneer (1996): 500,000 DVD-ROM drives sold in 1997, 54 million sold in 2000. * Toshiba (1996): 120 million DVD-ROM drives in 2000 (80% penetration of 100 million PCs). Toshiba says they will no longer make CD-ROM drives in 2000. * IDC (1997): 10 million DVD-ROM drives sold in 1997, 70 million sold in 2000 (surpassing CD-ROM), 118 million sold in 2001. Over 13% of all software available on DVD-ROM in 1998. DVD recordable drives more than 90% of combined CD/DVD recordable market in 2001. * AMI (1997): installed base of 7 million DVD-ROM drives by 2000. * Intel (1997): 70 million DVD-ROM drives by 1999 (sales will surpass CD-ROM drives in 1998). * SMD (1997): 100 million DVD-ROM/RAM drives shipped in 2000. * Microsoft (Peter Biddle, 1997): 15 million DVD PCs sold in 1998, 50 million DVD PCs sold in 1999. * Microsoft (Jim Taylor, 1998): installed base of 35 million DVD PCs in 1999. * Forrester Research (1997): U.S. base of 53 million DVD-equipped PCs by 2002. 5.2% of U.S. households (5 million) will have a DVD-V player in 2002; 2% will have a DVD-Audio player. * Yankee Group (Jan 1998): 650,000 DVD-Video players by 1998, 3.6 million by 2001. 19 million DVD-PCs by 2001. * InfoTech (Jan 1998): 20 million DVD-Video players worldwide in 2002, 58 million by 2005. 99 million DVD-ROM drives worldwide in 2005. No more than 500 DVD-ROM titles available by the end of 1998. About 80,000 DVD-ROM titles available by 2005. * Screen Digest (Dec 1998): 125,000 DVD-Video player in European homes in 1998, 485,000 in 1999, 1 million in 2000. Here's reality: * 1997 o 347,000 DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. o 900 DVD-Video titles in the U.S. * 1998 o 906,000 DVD-Video players shipped in the U.S. 1,253,000 total player shipments since March 1997. o 400 DVD-Video titles in Europe (135 movie and music titles). o 3,000 DVD-Video titles in the U.S. (2000 movie and music titles). o 7.2 million DVD-Video discs purchased. For comparison, there were about 700 million audio CD players and 160 million CD-ROM drives worldwide in 1997. 1.2 billion CD-ROMs were shipped worldwide in 1997 from a base of about 46,000 different titles. There are about 80 million VCRs in the U.S. (89% of households) and about 400 million worldwide. 110,000 VCRs shipped in the first two years after release. Nearly 16 million VCRs were shipped in 1998. There are about 3 million laserdisc players in the U.S. There are about 270 million TVs in the U.S. and 1.3 billion worldwide. [1.10] What are "regional codes," "country codes," or "zone locks"? Motion picture studios want to control the home release of movies in different countries because theater releases aren't simultaneous (a movie may come out on video in the U.S. when it's just hitting screens in Europe). Also, studios sell distribution rights to different foreign distributors and would like to guarantee an exclusive market. Therefore they have required that the DVD standard include codes that can be used to prevent playback of certain discs in certain geographical regions. Each player is given a code for the region in which it's sold. The player will refuse to play discs that are not allowed in that region. This means that discs bought in one country may not play on players bought in another country. Some people believe that region codes could be considered an illegal restraint of trade, but there have been no legal cases to establish this. Regional codes are entirely optional for the maker of a disc. Discs without codes will play on any player in any country. It's not an encryption system, it's just one byte of information on the disc that the player checks. Some studios originally announced that only their new releases will have regional codes, but so far almost all releases play in only one region. Region codes are a permanent part of the disc, they won't "unlock" after a period of time. There are 8 regions (also called "locales"). Players and discs are identified by the region number superimposed on a world globe. If a disc plays in more than one region it will have more than one number on the globe. 1: U.S., Canada, U.S. Territories 2: Japan, Europe, South Africa, Middle East (including Egypt) 3: Southeast Asia, East Asia (including Hong Kong) 4: Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Central America, Mexico, South America, Caribbean 5: Eastern Europe (Former Soviet Union), Indian Subcontinent, Africa (also North Korea, Mongolia) 6: China 7: Reserved 8: Special international venues (airplanes, cruise ships, etc.) (See the map at <http://www.unik.no/~robert/hifi/dvd/world.html>.) Some players can be modified to play discs regardless of their regional codes. This usually voids the warranty, but is probably not illegal. Some discs, such as those from Buena Vista/Touchstone/Miramax, MGM/Universal, and Polygram contain program code that checks for the proper region. These "smart discs" won't play on code-free players that have their region set to 0, but they can be played on code-switchable players that allow you to change the region using the remote control. They may also not work on auto-switching players that recognize and match the disc region. Information about modifying players can be found on the Internet (at sites such as Code Free DVD, PlanetDVD, Techtronics, Upgrade Heaven, and <http://www.brouhaha.com/~eric/video/dvd/>) and in the rec.video.dvd newsgroups (searchable at Deja.com). Regional codes also apply to DVD-ROM systems, but are allowed for use only with DVD-Video discs, not DVD-ROM discs containing computer software. (See 1.11 below for more details). Computer playback systems check for regional codes before playing movies from a DVD-Video. Newer "RPC2" DVD-ROM drives let you change the region code several times. Once a drive has reached the limit (usually 5 changes) it can't be changed again unless the vendor or manufacturer resets it. The Drive Info utility can tell you if you have an RPC2 drive (it will say "This drive has region protection"). Drive Info and information about circumventing DVD-ROM region restrictions is available from Internet sites such as Visual Domain and DVD Infomatrix. After December 31, 1999, only RPC Phase II drives will be manufactured. Regional codes do not apply to DVD-Audio. [1.11] What are the copy protection issues? There are four forms of copy protection used by DVD: 1) Analog CPS (Macrovision) Videotape (analog) copying is prevented with a Macrovision 7.0 or similar circuit in every player. The general term is APS (Analog Protection System). Computer video cards with composite or s-video (Y/C) output must also use APS. Macrovision adds a rapidly modulated colorburst signal ("Colorstripe") along with pulses in the vertical blanking signal ("AGC") to the composite video and s-video outputs. This confuses the synchronization and automatic-recording-level circuitry in 95% of consumer VCRs. Unfortunately, it can degrade the picture, especially with old or nonstandard equipment. Macrovision may show up as stripes of color, distortion, rolling, black & white picture, and dark/light cycling. Macrovision creates severe problems for most line doublers. Macrovision is not present on analog component video output of early players, but is required on newer players (AGC only, since there is no burst in a component signal). The discs contain "trigger bits" in the header of each sector telling the player whether or not to enable Macrovision AGC, with the optional addition of 2-line or 4-line Colorstripe. This allows fine control over which sections are copy protected. The producer of the disc decides what amount of copy protection to enable and then pays Macrovision royalties accordingly (a few cents per disc). Just as with videotapes, some DVDs are Macrovision-protected and some aren't. (For a few Macrovision details see STMicroelectronics' NTSC/PAL video encoder datasheets at <http://www.st.com/stonline/books/>.) 2) CGMS Each disc also contains information specifying if the contents can be copied. This is a "serial" copy generation management system (SCMS) designed to prevent copies or copies of copies. The CGMS information is embedded in the outgoing video signal. For CGMS to work, the equipment making the copy must recognize and respect the CGMS. The analog standard (CGMS/A) encodes the data on NTSC line 21 (in the XDS service). The digital standard (CGMS/D) is not yet finalized, but will apply to digital connections such as IEEE 1394/FireWire. See section 4, below. 3) Content Scrambling System (CSS) Because of the potential for perfect digital copies, paranoid movie studios forced a deeper copy protection requirement into the DVD standard. Content Scrambling System (CSS) is a data encryption and authentication scheme intended to prevent copying video files directly from the disc. CSS was developed primarily by Matsushita and Toshiba. Each CSS licensee is given a key from a master set of 400 keys that are stored on every CSS-encrypted disc. This allows a license to be revoked by removing its key from future discs. The CSS decryption algorithm exchanges keys with the drive unit to generate an encryption key that is then used to obfuscate the exchange of disc keys and title keys that are needed to decrypt data from the disc. DVD players have CSS circuitry that decrypts the data before it's decoded and displayed. On the computer side, DVD decoder hardware and software must include a CSS decryption module. All DVD-ROM drives have extra firmware to exchange authentication and decryption keys with the CSS module in the computer. Beginning in 2000, new DVD-ROM drives are required to support regional management in conjunction with CSS (see 1.10 and 4.1). Makers of equipment used to display DVD-Video (drives, decoder chips, decoder software, display adapters, etc.) must license CSS. There is no charge for a CSS license, but it's a lengthy process, so it's recommended that interested parties apply as soon as possible. Near the end of May 1997, CSS licenses were finally granted for software decoding. The license is extremely restrictive in an attempt to keep the CSS algorithm and keys secret. Of course, nothing that's used on millions of players and drives worldwide could be kept secret for long. In October 1999, the CSS algorithm was cracked and posted on the Internet, triggering endless controversies and legal battles (see 4.8). 4) Digital Copy Protection System (DCPS) In order to provide for digital connections between components without allowing perfect digital copies, five digital copy protection systems have been proposed to CEMA. The frontrunner is DTCP (digital transmission content protection), which focuses on IEEE 1394/FireWire but can be applied to other protocols. The draft proposal (called 5C, for the five companies that developed it) was made by Intel, Sony, Hitachi, Matsushita, and Toshiba in February 1998. Sony released a DTCP chip in mid 1999. Under DTCP, devices that are digitally connected, such as a DVD player and a digital TV or a digital VCR, exchange keys and authentication certificates to establish a secure channel. The DVD player encrypts the encoded audio/video signal as it sends it to the receiving device, which must decrypt it. This keeps other connected but unauthenticated devices from stealing the signal. No encryption is needed for content that is not copy protected. Security can be "renewed" by new content (such as new discs or new broadcasts) and new devices that carry updated keys and revocation lists (to identify unauthorized or compromised devices). A competing proposal, XCA (extended conditional access), from Zenith and Thomson, is similar to DTCP but can work with one-way digital interfaces (such as the EIA-762 RF remodulator standard) and uses smart cards for renewable security. Other proposals have been made by MRJ Technology, NDS, and Philips. In all five proposals, content is marked with CGMS-style flags of "copy freely", "copy once," "don't copy," and sometimes "no more copies". Digital devices that do nothing more than reproduce audio and video will be able to receive all data (as long as they can authenticate that they are playback- only devices). Digital recording devices are only able to receive data that is marked as copyable, and they must change the flag to "don't copy" or "no more copies" if the source is marked "copy once." Digital CPS is designed for the next generation of digital TVs, digital receivers, and digital video recorders. It will require new DVD players with digital connectors (such as those on DV equipment). These new products won't appear until 2000. Since the encryption is done by the player, no changes are needed to the existing disc format. The first three forms of copy protection are optional for the producer of a disc. Movie decryption is also optional for hardware and software playback manufacturers: a player or computer without decryption capability will only be able to play unencrypted movies. DCPS is performed by the DVD player, not by the disc developer. These copy protection schemes are designed only to guard against casual copying (which the studios claim causes billions of dollars in lost revenue). The goal is to "keep the honest people honest." Even the people who developed the copy protection standards admit that they won't stop well-equipped pirates. There are inexpensive devices that defeat Macrovision, although only a few work with the new Colorstripe feature. These devices go under names such as Video Clarifier, Image Stabilizer, and CopyMaster. Movie studios have promoted legislation making it illegal to defeat DVD copy protection. The result is the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (December 1996) and the compliant U.S. Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), passed into law in October 1998. Software intended specifically to circumvent copy protection is now illegal in the U.S. and many other countries. A co-chair of the legal group of the DVD copy protection committee stated, "in the video context, the contemplated legislation should also provide some specific assurances that certain reasonable and customary home recording practices will be permitted, in addition to providing penalties for circumvention." It's not at all clear how this might be "permitted" by a player or by studios that set the "don't copy" flag on all their discs. DVD-ROM drives and computers, including DVD-ROM upgrade kits, are required to support Macrovision, CGMS, and CSS. PC video cards with TV outputs that don't support Macrovision will not work with encrypted movies. Computers with IEEE 1394/FireWire connections must support the final DCPS standard in order to work with other DCPS devices. Every DVD-ROM drive must include CSS circuitry to establish a secure connection to the decoder hardware or software in the computer, although CSS can only be used on DVD-Video content. Of course, since a DVD-ROM can hold any form of computer data, other encryption schemes can be implemented. See 4.1 for more information on DVD-ROM drives. The Data-Hiding Sub-Group (DHSG) of the industry's Copy Protection Technical Working Group (CPTWG) is evaluating watermarking proposals. The original seven watermarking proposals that were merged into three: IBM/NEC, Hitachi/Pioneer/Sony, and Macrovision/Digimarc/Philips. On February 17, 1999, the first two groups combined to form the "Galaxy Group" and merged their technologies into a single proposal. Watermarking, which is used for DVD-Audio and will be added to DVD-Video at some point, permanently marks each digital audio or video frame with noise that is supposedly undetectable by human ears or eyes. Watermark signatures can be recognized by playback and recording equipment to prevent copying, even when the signal is transmitted via digital or analog connections or is subjected to video processing. New players and other equipment will be required to support watermarking, but the DVD Forum intends to make watermarked discs compatible with existing players. There were reports that the early watermarking technique used by Divx caused visible "raindrop" or "gunshot" patterns, but the problem seemed to have been solved for later releases. [1.12] What about DVD-Audio or Music DVD? When DVD was released in 1996 there was no DVD-Audio format, although the audio capabilities of DVD-Video far surpassed CD. The DVD Forum sought additional input from the music industry before defining the DVD-Audio format. A draft standard was released by the DVD Forum's Working Group 4 (WG4) in January 1998, and version 0.9 was released in July. The final DVD-Audio 1.0 specification (minus copy protection) was approved in February 1999 and released in March. DVD-Audio products will show up in mid 2000. The delay is in part caused by the slow process of selecting copy protection features (encryption and watermarking), with complications introduced by the Secure Digital Music Initiative (SDMI). Proposals from Aris, Blue Spike, Cognicity, IBM, and Solana were evaluated by major music companies in conjunction with the 4C Entity, comprising IBM, Intel, Matsushita, and Toshiba. Aris and Solana merged to form a new company called Verance, whose technology was chosen in August (?) 1999. (In November 1999, Verance watermarking was also selected for SDMI.) The scheduled October release was delayed until mid 2000, ostensibly because of concerns caused by the CSS crack (see 1.11), but also because the hardware wasn't quite ready, production tools aren't up to snuff, and there is lackluster support from music labels. Matsushita's Panasonic and Technics universal DVD-Audio/DVD-Video players will be available in mid 2000 and will cost $700 to $1,200. Yamaha may also release DVD-Audio players at the same time. In the meantime, the DVD-Video standard includes surround sound audio and better-than-CD audio (see 3.6.2). DVD-Audio is a separate format from DVD-Video. DVD-Audio discs can be designed to work in DVD-Video players, but it's possible to make a DVD-Audio disc that won't play at all in a DVD-Video player, since the DVD-Audio specification includes new formats and features, with content stored in a separate "DVD-Audio zone" on the disc (the AUDIO_TS directory) that DVD-Video players never look at. New DVD-Audio players are needed, or new "universal players" that can play both DVD-Video and DVD-Audio discs. Plea to producers: Universal players won't be available for some time, but you can make universal discs today. With a small amount of effort, all DVD-Audio discs can be made to work on all DVD players by including a Dolby Digital version of the audio in the DVD-Video zone. Plea to DVD-Audio authoring system developers: Make your software do this by default or strongly recommend this option during authoring. DVD-Audio (and universal) players will work with existing receivers. They output PCM and Dolby Digital, and some will support the optional DTS and DSD formats. However, most current receivers can't decode the high-definition PCM audio (see 3.6.1 for details), and even if they could it can't be carried on standard digital audio connections. DVD-Audio players with high-end digital-to-analog converters (DACs) can only be hooked up to receivers with two-channel or 6-channel analog inputs, but some quality will be lost if the receiver converts back to digital for processing. Future receivers with improved digital connections such as IEEE 1394 (FireWire) will be required to use the full digital resolution of DVD-Audio. DVD audio is copyright protected by an embedding signalling or digital watermark feature. This uses signal processing technology to apply a digital signature and optional encryption keys to the audio in the form of supposedly inaudible noise so that new equipment will recognize copied audio and refuse to play it. Audiophiles claim this degrades the audio, but extensive test performed by the 4C indicate that even golden-eared listeners can't detect the watermarking noise. Sony and Philips have developed a competing Super Audio CD format. (See 3.6.1 for details.) SACD provides "legacy" discs that have two layers, one that plays in existing CD players, plus a high-density layer for DVD-Audio players. Ironically, initial price for these dual-layer discs will be higher than for a standard CD plus a standard DVD. Sony released version 0.9 of the SACD spec in April 1998, the final version appeared in April (?) 1999. SACD technology is available to existing Sony/Philips CD licensees at no additional cost. Pioneer, which released the first DVD-Audio players in Japan at the end of 1999, included SACD support in their DVD-Audio players. If other manufacturers follow suit, the entire SACD vs. DVD-Audio standards debate will be moot, since DVD-Audio players will play both types of discs. Sony released an SACD player in Japan in May 1999 at the tear-inducing price of $5,000. The player was released in limited quantities in the U.S. at the end of 1999. Initial SACD releases are mixed in stereo, not multichannel. A number of studios have announced that they will release SACD titles by the end of 1999: Audioquest (2), DMP (5), Mobile Fidelity Labs, Sony (40), Telarc (12), Water Lily Acoustics (2). [1.13] Which studios are supporting DVD? When DVD players became available in early 1997, Warner and Polygram were the only major movie studios to release titles. Additional titles were available from small developers. The other studios gradually joined the DVD camp (see 6.2 for a full list, see 1.6 for movie info). Dreamworks was the last significant studio to announce full DVD support. Paramount, Fox, and Dreamworks initially supported only Divx, but in summer 1998 they each announced support for open DVD. [1.14] Can DVD record from VCR/TV/etc? Short Answer: Not yet, but soon. Pioneer and Philips have announced DVD home video recorders. (See 4.3.) Long answer: Recording analog video to DVD is a very tricky process. The minimum requirement for reproducing audio and video on DVD is an MPEG video stream and a PCM audio track. (Other streams such as Dolby Digital audio, MPEG audio, and subpicture are not necessary for the simplest case.) Basic DVD control codes are also needed. It's difficult in real time to encode the video and audio, combine them with DVD-Video info, and write the whole thing to a recordable DVD disc, especially in a form that's compatible with standard DVD-Video players. This is still extremely expensive for a home recorder, even though prices for DVD production systems have dropped over the space of three years from millions of dollars to thousands of dollars to hundreds of dollars for the simplest packages. Other obstacles: Price of blank discs initially will be $30 and up. Real-time compression requires higher bit rates for decent quality, lowering capacity. MPEG-2 compression works much better with high-quality source, so recording from VHS or broadcast/cable may not give very good results (unless the DVD recorder has special prefilters, which increases the cost). Don't be confused by DVD-R drives, DVD-RAM drives, or other recordable variations of DVD (see 4.3). These existing recorders can store data, but to create full-featured DVD-Videos requires additional hardware and software to do video encoding (MPEG), audio encoding (Dolby Digital, MPEG, or PCM), subpicture encoding (run-length-compressed bitmaps), still frame encoding (MPEG), navigation and control data generation, and multiplexing. In spite of all the difficulties, many of the major DVD manufacturers are working on recordable DVD for the home. We will see various DVD video recorders in the year 2000. Early units, especially those that can record from analog video sources such as TV, will be expensive: probably $2,000 and up. There will also be cheaper units that can record only from a source of already-compressed digital audio and video, such as satellite, DTV, or digital cable. At some point, DVD recorder/players will be built into satellite and cable receivers. Some people believe that recordable DVD-Video will never be practical for consumers to record TV shows or home videos, since digital tape is more cost effective. On the other hand, digital tape lacks many of the advantages of DVD such as seamless branching, instant rewind/fast forward, instant search, and durability, not to mention the coolness of small shiny discs. Once the encoding technology is fast and cheap enough, and blank discs are cheap enough, recordable DVD will reach the mainstream. [1.15] What happens if I scratch the disc? Aren't discs too fragile to be rented? Most scratches will cause minor channel data errors that are easily corrected. That is, data is stored on DVDs using powerful error correction techniques that can recover from scratches as big as 6 millimeters with no loss of data. A common misperception is that a scratch will be worse on a DVD than on a CD because of higher storage density and because video is heavily compressed. DVD data density (say that fast ten times!) is physically four times that of CD-ROM, so it's true that a scratch will affect more data. But DVD error correction is at least ten times better than CD-ROM error correction and more than makes up for the density increase. It's also important to realize that MPEG-2 and Dolby Digital compression are partly based on removal or reduction of imperceptible information, so decompression doesn't expand the data as much as might be assumed. Major scratches may cause uncorrectable errors that will produce an I/O error on a computer or show up as a momentary glitch in DVD-Video picture. Paradoxically, sometimes the smallest scratches can cause the worst errors (because of the particular orientation and refraction of the scratch). There are many schemes for concealing errors in MPEG video, which may be used in future players (see section D.12 of <http://icib.igd.fhg.de/icib/it/iso/cd_13818-2/read1.html>). See 1.39 for information on care and cleaning of DVDs. The DVD computer advisory group specifically requested no mandatory caddies or other protective carriers. Consider that laserdiscs, music CDs, and CD-ROMs are likewise subject to scratches, but many video stores and libraries rent them. Major chains such as Blockbuster and West Coast Entertainment rent DVDs in many locations. So far most reports of rental disc performance are positive. A nice list of DVD rental outlets is at <http://home.earthlink.net/~tlfordham/rental.html>. [1.16] VHS is good enough, why should I care about DVD? The primary advantages of DVD are quality and extra features (see 1.2). DVD will not degrade with age or after many playings like videotape will (which is an advantage for parents with kids who watch Disney videos twice a week!). This is the "collectability" factor present with CDs vs. cassette tapes. If none of this matters to you, then VHS probably is good enough. [1.17] Is the packaging different from CD? Manufacturers are worried about customers assuming DVDs will play in their CD player, so they would like the packaging to be different. There are a number of DVD packages such as Amaray's "keep case" and Time Warner's "Snapper" that are as wide as a CD jewel box and as tall as a VHS cassette box. This meets the guidelines of 7-3/8" height x 5-5/8" width suggested by the VSDA (Video Software Dealers association). However, no one is being forced to use a larger package size and many companies will undoubtedly use standard jewel cases. Divx discs came in jewel-case-sized paperboard and plastic Q-Pack cases. It remains to be seen if any package becomes standard, especially for DVD-ROM. [1.18] What's a dual-layer disc? Will it work in all players? A dual-layer disc has two layers of data, one of them semi-transparent so that the laser can focus through it and read the second layer. Since both layers are read from the same side, a dual-layer disc can hold almost twice as much as a single-layer disc, for over 4 hours of video (see 3.3 for more details). Many discs use dual layers. Initially only a few replication plants could make dual-layer discs, but most plants now have the capability. The second layer can use either a PTP (parallel track path) layout where both tracks run in parallel (for independent data or special switching effects), or an OTP (opposite track path) layout where the second track runs in an opposite spiral; that is, the pickup head reads out from the center on the first track then in from the outside on the second track. The OTP layout is designed to provide continuous video across both layers. The layer change can occur anywhere in the video; it doesn't have to be at a chapter point. There's no guarantee that the switch between layers will be seamless. The layer change is invisible on some players, but it can cause the video to freeze for a fraction of a second or up to 4 seconds on other players. The "seamlessness" depends as much on the way the disc is prepared as on the design of the player. OTP is also called RSDL (reverse-spiral dual layer). The advantage of OTP/RSDL is that long movies can use higher data rates for better quality than with a single layer. See 1.27 for layer change details. There are various ways to recognize dual-layer discs: 1) the gold color, 2) a menu on the disc for selecting the widescreen or letterbox version, 3) two serial numbers on one side. All DVD players and drives can read dual-layer discs -- it's required by the spec. All players and drives also play double-sided discs if you flip them over. No manufacturer has announced a model that will play both sides. The added cost is probably not justifiable since discs can hold over 4 hours of video on one side by using two layers. (Early discs used two sides because dual-layer production was not widely supported. This should no longer be a problem.) Pioneer LD/DVD players can play both sides of an LD, but not a DVD. (See 2.12 for note on reading both sides simultaneously.) [1.19] Is DVD-Video a worldwide standard? Does it work with NTSC, PAL, and SECAM? DVD-V has the same NTSC vs. PAL problem as videotape and laserdisc. The MPEG video on DVD is stored in digital format, but it's formatted for one of two mutually incompatible television systems: 525/60 (NTSC) or 625/50 (PAL/SECAM). There are three differences between discs intended for playback on different systems: picture size and pixel aspect ratio (720x480 vs. 720x576), display frame rate (29.97 vs. 25), and surround audio (Dolby Digital vs. MPEG). (See 3.4 and 3.6 for details.) Video from film is usually stored at 24 frames/sec but is preformatted for one of the two display rates. Movies formatted for PAL display are usually sped up by 4%, so the audio must be adjusted accordingly before being encoded. All PAL DVD players can play Dolby Digital audio tracks, but no NTSC players can play MPEG audio tracks. PAL and SECAM share the same scanning format, so discs are the same for both systems. The only difference is that SECAM players output the color signal in the format required for SECAM TVs. Some players will only play NTSC discs, some players will only play PAL discs, and some will play both. All DVD players sold in PAL countries play both. These multi-standard players partially convert NTSC to a 60Hz PAL (4.43 NTSC) signal, which requires a PAL TV that can handle 60-Hz signals. In this case the player uses the PAL 4.43 MHz color subcarrier encoding format but keeps the 525/60 NTSC scanning rate. Most modern PAL TVs can handle this kind of signal. A few multi-standard PAL players output true 3.58 NTSC from 525/60 NTSC discs, which requires an NTSC TV or a multi-standard TV. Some players have a switch to choose 60-Hz PAL or NTSC output when playing NTSC discs. In 1999, Samsung and others released standards-converting players that convert from a 525/60 NTSC disc to standard PAL output. Proper standards conversion requires expensive hardware to handle scaling, temporal conversion, and object motion analysis. Because the quality of conversion in DVD players is poor, using pseudo-PAL output with a compatible TV provides a better picture. A very small number of NTSC players can play PAL discs. External converter boxes are available, such as the Emerson EVC1595 ($350). A producer can choose to put 525/60 video on one side of the disc and 625/50 on the other. Most studios so far are including Dolby Digital tracks along with the MPEG audio tracks on their PAL discs. There are actually three types of DVD players if you count computers. Most DVD PC software and hardware can play both NTSC and PAL video and both Dolby Digital and MPEG audio. Some PCs can only display the converted video on the computer monitor, but others can output it as a video signal for a TV. [1.20] What about animation on DVD? Doesn't it compress poorly? Some people claim that animation, especially hand-drawn cell animation such as cartoons and anime, does not compress well with MPEG-2 or even ends up larger than the original. Other people claim that animation is simple so it compresses better. Neither is true. Supposedly the "jitter" between frames caused by differences in the drawings or in their alignment causes problems. An animation expert at Disney pointed out that this doesn't happen with modern animation techniques. And even if it did, the motion estimation feature of MPEG-2 would compensate for it. Because of the way MPEG-2 breaks a picture into blocks and transforms them into frequency information it can have a problem with the sharp edges common in animation. This loss of high-frequency information can show up as "ringing" or blurry spots along edges (called the Gibbs effect). However, at the data rates commonly used for DVD this problem does not occur. [1.21] Why do some discs require side flipping? Can't DVDs hold four hours per side? Even though DVD's dual-layer technology (see 3.3) allows over four hours of continuous playback from a single side, some movies are split over two sides of a disc, requiring that the disc be flipped partway through. Most "flipper" discs exist because of producers who are too lazy to optimize the compression or make a dual-layer disc. Better picture quality is a cheap excuse for increasing the data rate; in many cases the video will look better if carefully encoded at a lower bit rate. Lack of dual-layer production capability is also a lame excuse; in 1997 very few DVD plants could make dual-layer discs, but this is no longer the case. No players can automatically switch sides, but it's not needed since most movies less than 4 hours long can easily fit on one dual-layer (RSDL) side. There is a list of "flipper" discs in the Film Vault at DVD Review. Note: A flipper is not the same as a disc with a widescreen version on one side and a pan & scan version or supplements on the other. Please send additions to info@dvdreview.com. (The list has gotten too long to keep in this FAQ.) [1.22] Why is the picture squished, making things look too skinny? Answer: RTFM. You are watching an anamorphic picture intended for display only on a widescreen TV. (See 3.5 for technical details). You need to go into the player's setup menu and tell it you have a standard 4:3 TV, not a widescreen 16:9 TV. It will then automatically letterbox the picture so you can see the full width at the proper proportions. In some cases you can change the aspect ratio as the disc is playing (by pressing the "aspect" button on the remote control). On most players you have to stop the disc before you can change aspect. Some discs are labeled with widescreen on one side and standard on the other. In order to watch the fullscreen version you must flip the disc over. See Steve Tannehill's Why Does The Picture Look Squished? article for further explanation and pictures. [1.23] Do all videos use Dolby Digital (AC-3)? Do they all have 5.1 channels? Most DVD-Video discs contain Dolby Digital soundtracks. However, it's not required. Some discs, especially those containing only audio, have PCM tracks. It's also possible for a 625/50 (PAL) disc to contain only MPEG audio, but so far MPEG audio is not widely used. Don't assume that the "Dolby Digital" label is a guarantee of 5.1 channels. A Dolby Digital soundtrack can be mono, dual mono, stereo, Dolby Surround stereo, etc. For example, Blazing Saddles and Caddyshack are mono movies, so the Dolby Digital soundtrack on these DVDs has only one channel. Some DVD packaging has small lettering or icons under the Dolby Digital logo that indicates the channel configuration. In some cases, there is more than one Dolby Digital version of a soundtrack: a 5.1-channel track and a track specially remixed for stereo Dolby Surround. It's perfectly normal for your DVD player to indicate playback of a Dolby Digital audio track while your receiver indicates Dolby Surround: it means that the disc contains a two-channel Dolby Surround signal encoded in Dolby Digital format. See 3.6 for more audio details. [1.24] Can DVDs have laser rot? Laserdiscs are subject to what's commonly called laser rot: the deterioration of the aluminum layer due to oxidation or other chemical change. This often results from the use of insufficiently pure aluminum during replication, but can be exacerbated by mechanical shear stress due to bending, warping or thermal cycles (the large size of laserdiscs makes them flexible, so that movement along the bond between layers can break the seal). Deterioration of the data layer can be caused by chemical contaminants or gasses in the glue, or by moisture that penetrates the acrylic substrates. Like laserdiscs, DVDs are made of two platters glued together, but DVDs are more rigid and use newer adhesives. DVDs are molded from polycarbonate, which absorbs about ten times less moisture than the slightly hygroscopic acrylic (PMMA) used for laserdiscs. It's too early to know for sure, but DVDs will probably have few laser rot problems. There have been reports of a few discs going bad, possibly due to poor adhesive, chemical reactions, or oxidation of the aluminum layer. See http://www.mindspring.com/~yerington/. [1.25] Which titles are pan & scan only? Why? Some titles are available only in pan & scan because there was no letterbox or anamorphic transfer made from film. (See 3.5 for more info on pan & scan and anamorphic formats.) Since transfers cost $50,000 to $100,000, studios may not think a new transfer is justified. In some cases the original film or rights to it are no longer available for a new transfer. In the case of old movies, they were shot full frame in the 1.37 "academy" aspect ratio so there can be no widescreen version. Video shot with TV cameras, such as music concerts, is already in 4:3 format. The list of pan & scan only titles has gotten too big to keep here. You can get a list from the Internet Movie Database (which also includes discs with both widescreen and pan & scan versions), and you can search by screen format (which includes disc with video shot in fullscreen 4:3) at The DVD List. [1.26] How do I make the subtitles on my Pioneer player go away? On the remote control, press Subtitle, then either Clear or 0 (zero). No need to use the menus. [1.27] What is a layer change? Where is it on specific discs? Some movies, especially those over two hours long or encoded at a high data rate, are spread across two layers on one side of the disc. When the player changes to the second layer, the video and audio may freeze for a moment. The length of the pause depends on the player and on the layout of the disc. The pause is not a defect in the player or the disc. See 1.18 for details. There is a list of layer switch points in the Film Vault at DVD Review. Please send new times to info@dvdreview.com. (The list has gotten too long to keep in this FAQ.) [1.28] The disc says Dolby Digital. Why do I get 2-channel surround audio? Some discs (many from Columbia TriStar) have 2-channel Dolby Surround audio (or plain stereo) on track one and 5.1-channel audio on track two. Since some studios create separate sound mixes optimized for Dolby Surround or stereo, and they feel the default track should match the majority of sound systems in use. Unless you specifically select the 5.1-channel track (with the audio button on the remote or with the on-screen menu) the player will play the default 2-channel track. (Note: Some players such as the Sony 3000 have a feature to automatically select the first 5.1 track.) Dolby Digital doesn't necessarily mean 5.1 channels. See 3.6. [1.29] Why doesn't the repeat A-B feature work on some discs? Almost all features of DVD such as search, pause, and scan can be disabled by the disc, which can prevent the operation the player needs to back up and repeat a segment. If the player uses time search to repeat a segment, then a disc with fancy non-sequential title organization may also block the repeat feature. In many cases the authors don't even realize they have prevented the use of this feature. [1.30] What's the difference between first, second, and third generation DVD? There is no good answer to this question, since you'll get a different response from everyone you ask. The terms "2nd generation" and "3rd generation," and so on refer both to DVD-Video players and to DVD-ROM drives. In general, they simply mean newer versions of DVD playback devices. The terms haven't been used (yet) to refer to DVD products that can record, play video games, or so on. According to some people, second-generation DVD players came out in the fall of 1997 and third-generation players are those that came out in the beginning of 1998. According to others, the second generation of DVD will be "high-definition" players (see 2.12) that won't come out until 2003 or so. There are many confusing variations between these extremes, including the viewpoint that DTS-compatible players or Divx players or progressive-scan players constitute the third generation or fourth generation. Things are a little more clear cut on the PC side, where second generation (DVD II) usually means 2x DVD-ROM drives that can read CD-Rs, and third generation (DVD III) usually means 5x (or sometimes 2x or 4.8x or 6x) DVD-ROM drives, a few of which can read DVD-RAMs, and some of which are RPC2 format. Some people refer to RPC2 drives or 10x drives as fourth generation. See section 4.2 for more speed info. See section 1.10 for RPC2 explanation. [1.31] What's a hybrid DVD? Do you really want the answer to this one? Ok, you asked for it... 1. A disc that works in both DVD-Video players and DVD-ROM PCs. (The most common use of the term hybrid, but more accurately called an enhanced DVD) 2. A DVD-ROM disc that runs on Windows and Mac OS computers. (More accurately called a cross-platform DVD.) 3. A DVD-ROM or DVD-Video disc that also contains Web content for connecting to the Internet (More accurately called a WebDVD or Web-connected DVD.) 4. A disc that contains both DVD-Video and DVD-Audio content. 5. A disc with two layers, one that can be read in DVD players and one that can be read in CD players. (More accurately called a legacy or CD-compatible disc.) There are at least three variations of this hybrid (none were commercially available as of 9/99): 1. A 1.2mm CD substrate bonded to the back of a 0.6mm DVD substrate. One side can be read by CD players, the other side by DVD players. The resulting disc is 0.6mm thicker than a standard CD or DVD, which can cause problems in players with tight tolerances, such as portables. Sonopress, the first company to announce this type, calls it DVDPlus. It's colloquially known as a "fat" disc. 2. A 0.6mm CD substrate bonded to the front of a semitransparent 0.6mm DVD substrate. Both layers are read from the same side, with the CD player being required to read through the semitransparent DVD layer, causing problems with some CD players. 3. A 0.6mm CD substrate, with a special refractive coating that causes a 1.2mm focal depth, bonded to the back of a 0.6mm DVD substrate. One side can be read by CD players, the other side by DVD players. 6. A disc with two layers, one containing pressed (DVD-ROM) data and one containing rewritable (DVD-RAM, etc.) media for recording and re-recording. (More accurately called a mixed-media or rewritable sandwich disc.) 7. A disc with two layers on one side and one layer on the other. (More accurately called a DVD-14.) 8. A disc with an embedded memory chip for storing custom usage data and access codes. Did I miss any? [1.32] What's the deal with DTS and DVD? Digital Theater Systems Digital Surround is an audio encoding format similar to Dolby Digital. It requires a decoder, either in the player or in an external receiver. See 3.6.2 for technical details. Some people claim that because of its lower compression level DTS sounds better than Dolby Digital. Others claim there is no meaningfully perceptible difference. Because of the many variances in production, mixing, decoding, and reference levels, it's almost impossible to accurately compare the two formats (DTS usually produces a higher volume level, causing it to sound better). DTS originally did all encoding in house, but as of October 1999 DTS encoders are available for purchase. DTS titles are generally considered to be specialty items intended for audio enthusiasts. It's expected that most DTS will also be available in a Dolby Digital-only version. DTS is an optional format on DVD. Contrary to what some people claim, the DVD specification has included an ID code for DTS since 1996 (before the spec was even finalized). Because DTS was slow in releasing encoders and test discs, players made before mid 1998 (and many since) ignore DTS tracks. A few demo discs were created in 1997 by embedding DTS data into a PCM track (the same technique used with CDs and laserdiscs), and these are the only DTS DVD discs that work on all players. New DTS-compatible players arrived in mid 1998, but theatrical DTS discs using the proper DTS audio stream ID did not appear until January 7, 1999 (they were originally scheduled to arrive in time for Christmas 1997). Mulan, a direct-to-video animation (not the Disney movie) with DTS soundtrack did appear in November 1998. DTS-compatible players carry an official "DTS Digital Out" logo. A few manufacturers may provide upgrades to make existing players compatible with DTS discs. Dolby Digital or PCM audio are required on 525/60 (NTSC) discs, and since both PCM and DTS together don't usually leave enough room for quality video encoding of a full-length movie, essentially every disc with a DTS soundtrack also carries a Dolby Digital soundtrack. This means that all DTS discs will work in all DVD players, but a DTS-compatible player and a DTS decoder are required to play the DTS soundtrack. DTS audio CDs work on all DVD players, since the DTS data is encapsulated into standard PCM tracks that are passed untouched to the digital audio output. [1.33] Why is the picture black and white? You are probably trying to play an NTSC disc in a PAL player, but your PAL TV is not able to handle the signal. If your player has a switch or on-screen setting to select the output format for NTSC discs, choosing PAL (60-Hz) may solve the problem. See section 1.19 for more information. Or you may have connected one of the component outputs (Y, R-Y, or B-Y) of your DVD player to the composite input of your TV. See section 3.2 for hookup details. [1.34] Why are both sides fullscreen when one side is supposed to be widescreen? Many DVD's are labeled as having widescreen (16:9) format video on one side and standard (4:3) on the other. If you think both sides are the same, you're probably seeing uncompressed 16:9 on the widescreen side. It seems to be 4:3 pan & scan, but if you look carefully you'll discover that the picture is horizontally compressed. The problem is that your player has been set for a widescreen TV. See 1.22 for details. [1.35] Why are the audio and video out of sync? There have been numerous reports of "lip sync" problems, where the audio lags slightly behind the video, and even reports of the audio coming before the video. Perception of a sync problem is highly subjective--some people are bothered by it while others can't discern it at all. Problems have been reported on a variety of players (notably the Pioneer 414 and 717 models, possibly all Pioneer models, some Sony models including the 500 series, new Toshiba models including the 3109, and some PC decoder cards). Certain discs are also more problematic (notably Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels; Lost In Space; TRON; The Parent Trap; and Austin Powers). The cause of the sync problem is a complex interaction of as many as four factors 1. Improper sync in audio/video encoding or DVD-Video formatting. 2. Poor sync during film production or editing (especially post-dubbing or looping). 3. Loose sync tolerances in the player. 4. Delay in the external decoder/receiver. Factor 1 or 2 usually must be present in order for factor 3 or 4 to become apparent. Some discs with severe sync problems have been reissued after being re-encoded to fix the problem. In some cases, the sync problem in players can be fixed by pausing or stopping playback and then restarting, or by turning the player off, waiting a few seconds, then turning it back on. Pioneer has stated that altering the audio-visual synchronization of their players "to compensate for the software quality would dramatically compromise the picture performance." Unfortunately, there is no simple answer and no simple fix. More complaints from customers will motivate manufacturers to take the problem more seriously and hopefully correct it in future players or with firmware upgrades. [1.36] Why does the picture alternate between light and dark? You are seeing the effects of Macrovision copy protection (see 1.11), probably because you are running your DVD player through your VCR or VCR/TV combo (see 3.2.1). [1.37] How do I find "Easter eggs" and other hidden features? Some DVD movies contain hidden features, often called "Easter eggs." These are extra screens or video clips hidden in the disc by the developers. For example, Dark City includes scenes from Lost in Space and the Twin Peaks movie buried in the biography pages of William Hurt and Keifer Sutherland. There's also an amusing "Shell Beach" game entwined throughout the menus. On Mallrats, perhaps indicating that DVD has already become too postmodern for its own good, there's a hidden clip of the director telling you to stop looking for Easter eggs and do something useful. It's more fun to search for hidden features on your own, but if you need some help, the best list is at DVD Review. [1.38] How do I get rid of the black bars at the top and bottom? The black bars are part of the letterbox process (see 3.5), and in many cases you can't get rid of them. If you set the display option in your player to pan & scan (sometimes called fullscreen or 4:3) instead of letterbox, it won't do you much good since no DVD movies have been released with this feature enabled. In some cases, there may be both a fullscreen and a letterbox version of the movie on the same disc, with a variety of ways to get to the fullscreen version (usually only one works, so you may have to try all three): 1. Check the other side of the disc (if it's two-sided) 2. Look for a fullscreen choice in the main menu 3. Use the "aspect" button on the remote control DVD was designed to make movies look as good as possible on TV. Since most movies are wider than most TVs, letterboxing preserves the format of the theatrical presentation. (Nobody complains that the top and bottom of the picture are cut off in theaters.) DVD is ready for TVs of the future, which are widescreen. For these and other reasons, many movies on DVD are only available in widescreen format. Note: Most widescreen movies use 1.85 ("flat") aspect ratio. In this case, the actual size of the images on your TV are the same for a letterbox version and a full-frame version, unless the pan & scan processed is used (which cuts out parts of the picture). In other words, the picture is usually the same size, with extra stuff visible at the the top and bottom in the fullscreen version. In more other words, letterboxing covers over the part of the picture that was also covered in the theater (1.85 movies), or it allows the entire widescreen picture to visible (2.35 movies). For a detailed explanation of why most movie fans prefer letterboxing, see the Widescreen Cinema page and the Letterbox/Widescreen Advocacy Page. For an explanation of anamorphic widescreen and links to more information on other Web sites, see 3.5. For an anti-letterboxing viewpoint, see the FAQ About Letterboxing (Letterschlocking), after which you might want to read a rebuttal page. [1.39] How should I clean and care for DVDs? Since DVDs are read by a laser, they are resistant—to a point—to fingerprints, dust, smudges, and scratches (see 1.15 for more info). However, surface contaminants and scratches can cause data errors. On a video player, the effect of data errors ranges from minor video artifacts to frame skipping to complete unplayability. So it's a good idea to take care of your discs. In general treat them the same way as you would a CD. Your player can't be harmed by a scratched or dirty disc, unless there are globs of nasty substances on it that might actually hit the lens. Still, it's best to keep your discs clean, which will also keep the inside of your player clean. Never attempt to play a cracked disc, as it could shatter and damage the player. It probably doesn't hurt to leave the disc in the player (even if it's paused and still spinning), but leaving it running unattended for long periods of time is not advisable. In general, there's no need to clean the lens on your player, since the air moved by the rotating disc keeps it clean. However, if you commonly use a lens cleaning disc in your CD player, you may want to do the same with your DVD player. I recommend only using a cleaning disc designed for DVD players, since there are minor differences in lens positioning. There is no need for periodic alignment of the pickup head. Sometimes the laser can drift out of alignment, especially after rough handling of the player, but this is not a regular maintenance item. Care and feeding of DVDs Handle only at the hub or outer edge. Don't touch the shiny surface with your popcorn-greasy fingers. Store in a protective case when not in use. Do not bend the disc when taking it out of the case, and be careful not to scratch the disc when placing it in the case or in the player tray. Make certain the disc is properly seated in the player tray before you close it. Keep away from radiators/heaters, hot equipment surfaces, direct sunlight (near a window or in a car during hot weather), pets, small children, and other destructive forces. Magnetic fields have no effect on DVDs. Coloring the outside edge of a DVD with a green marker makes no difference in video or audio quality. Data is read based on pit interference at 1/4 of the laser wavelength, a distance of less than 165 nanometers. A bit of dye that on average is more than 3 million times farther away is not going to affect anything. Cleaning and repairing DVDs If you notice problems when playing a disc, you may be able to correct them with a simple cleaning. * Do not use strong cleaners, abrasives, solvents, or acids. * With a soft, lint-free cloth, wipe gently in only a radial direction (a straight line between the hub and the rim). Since the data is arranged circularly on the disc, the micro scratches you create when cleaning the disc (or the nasty gouge you make with the dirt you didn't see on your cleaning cloth) will cross more error correction blocks and be less likely to cause unrecoverable errors). * Don't use canned or compressed air, which can be very cold and may thermally stress the disc. * For stubborn dirt or gummy adhesive, use water, water with mild soap, or isopropyl alcohol. As a last resort, try peanut oil. Let it sit for about a minute before wiping it off. * There are commercial products that clean discs and provide some protection from dust, fingerprints, and scratches. Cleaning products labeled for use on CDs work as well as those that say they are for DVDs. If you continue to have problems after cleaning the disc, you may need to attempt to repair one or more scratches. Sometimes even hairline scratches can cause errors if they just happen to cover an entire ECC block. Examine the disc, keeping in mind that the laser reads from the bottom. There are essentially two methods of repairing scratches: 1) fill or coat the scratch with an optical material; 2) polish down the scratch. There are many commercial products that do one or both of these, or you may wish to buy polishing compounds or toothpaste and do it yourself. The trick is to polish out the scratch without causing new ones. A mess of small polishing scratches can cause more damage than a big scratch. As with cleaning, polish only in the radial direction. Libraries, rental shops, and other venues that need to clean a lot discs may want to invest in a commercial polishing machine that can restore a disc to pristine condition after an amazing amount of abuse. Keep in mind that the data layer on a DVD is only half as deep as on a CD, so a DVD can only be re-polished about half as many times. [1.40] What's a progressive DVD player? A progressive-scan DVD player converts the interlaced (480i) video from DVD into progressive (480p) format for connection to a progressive display (31.5 kHz or higher). (See 3.8 for an explanation of interlaced and progressive scanning.) Progressive players work with all standard DVD titles, but look best with film source. The result is a significant increase in vertical resolution, for a more detailed and film-like picture. Toshiba developed the first progressive-scan player (SD5109, $800) in mid 1998, but didn't release it until fall of 1999 because of copy protection concerns. Panasonic also released a progressive-scan player (DVD-H1000, $3000) at about the same time. At the January 2000 CES show, most DVD player manufacturers talked about upcoming progressive players. It's also possible to buy an external line multiplier, such as the DVDO, to convert the output of a standard DVD player to progressive scanning. All DVD computers are progressive players, since the video is displayed on a progressive monitor, but quality varies a lot. (See 4.1 and 2.12.) Converting interlaced DVD video to progressive video involves much more than putting film frames back together. There are essentially two ways to convert from interlaced to progressive: 1- Re-interleaving (also called weave). If the original video is from a progressive source, such as film, the two fields can be recombined into a single frame. 2- Line doubling (also called bob). If the original video is from an interlaced source, simply combining two fields will cause motion artifacts (the effect is reminiscent of a zipper), so each line of a single field is repeated twice to form a frame. Better line doublers use interpolation to produce new lines that are a combination of the lines above and below. The term line doubler is vague, since cheap line doublers only bob, while expensive line doublers (those that contain digital signal processors) can also weave. (3- There's actually a third way, called field-adaptive de-interlacing, which examines individual pixels across three or more fields and selectively weaves or bobs regions of the picture as appropriate. Most systems that do this well cost $10,000 and up, so it will be a while before we see it in consumer DVD players.) (4- And there's also a fourth way, called motion-adaptive de-interlacing, which examines MPEG-2 motion vectors or does massive image processing to identify moving objects in order to selectively weave or bob regions of the picture as appropriate. Most systems that do this well cost $50,000 and up (aside from the cool but defunct Chromatic Mpact2 chip). There are three common kinds of de-interlacing systems: 1- Integrated. This is usually best, where the de-interlacer is integrated with the MPEG-2 decoder so that it can read MPEG-2 flags and analyze the encoded video to determine when to bob and when to weave. Most DVD computers use this method. 2- Internal. The digital video from the MPEG-2 decoder is passed to a separate deinterlacing chip. The disadvantage is that MPEG-2 flags and motion vectors are no longer available to help the de-interlacer determine the original format and cadence. 3- External. Analog video from the DVD player is passed to a separate line doubler or to a display with a built-in line doubler. In this case, the video quality is slightly degraded from being converted to analog, back to digital, and often back again to analog. However, for high-end projection systems, a separate line multiplier (which bobs, weaves, and interpolates to a variety of scanning rates) may achieve the best results. (Note: from what I've been able to gather, the Panasonic DVD-H1000 and the Toshiba models (SD5109, SD9100, SD6200, SD9200) all use an internal Genesis gmVLX1A de-interlacing chip. The Princeton PVD-5000 uses a Sigma Designs decoder with integrated de-interlacing. Toshiba's "Super Digital Progressive" players and the Panasonic HD-1000 use 4:4:4 chroma oversampling, which provides a slight quality boost from DVD's native 4:2:0 format.) A progressive DVD player has to determine whether the video should be line-doubled or re-interleaved. When re-interleaving film-source video, the player also has to deal with the difference between film frame rate (24 Hz) and TV frame rate (30 Hz). Since the 2-3 pulldown trick can't be used to spread film frames across video fields, there are worse motion artifacts than with interleaved video. However, the increase in resolution more than makes up for it. Advanced progressive players such as the Princeton PVD-5000 and DVD computers can get around the problem by displaying at multiples of 24 Hz such as 72 Hz, 96 Hz, and so on. A progressive player also has to deal with problems such as video that doesn't have clean cadence (as when it's edited after being converted to interlaced video, when bad fields are removed during encoding, or when the video is speed-shifted to match the audio track). Another problem is that many DVDs are encoded with incorrect MPEG-2 flags, so the re-interleaver has to recognize and deal with pathological cases. In some instances it's practically impossible to determine if a sequence is 30-frame interlaced video or 30-frame progressive video. For example, the documentary on Apollo 13 is interlaced video encoded as if it were progressive. Other cases of improper encoding are Fargo and More Tales of the City. A growing problem is that many TVs with progressive input don't allow the aspect ratio to be changed. When a non-anamorphic signal is sent to these TVs, they stretch it out! Before you buy an HDTV, make sure that it allows aspect ratio adjustment on progressive input. Just as early DVD players did a poor job of progressive-scan display of DVDs, the first generation of progressive consumer players may be a bit disappointing. But as techniques improve, and as DVD producers become more aware of the steps they must take to ensure good progressive display, and as more progressive displays appear in homes, the experience will undoubtedly improve, bringing home theaters closer to real theaters. [1.41] Why doesn't disc X work in player Y? [Note: this is a new section with a small list of compatibility problems to start with. Please report other confirmed problems. Thanks.] The DVD specification is complex and open to interpretation. DVD-Video title authoring is also very complex. As with any new technology, there are compatibility problems here and there. A few discs have problems or wont play at all in certain players. In some cases, manufacturers can fix the problem with an upgrade to the player (check with tech support). In other cases, disc producers need to re-author the title to correct a problem. Below are problems reported by readers of this FAQ. The FAQ author has not verified these claims and takes no responsibility for their accuracy. Title Player Problem Solution various Polygram Early Toshiba and won't load or upgrade available from titles Magnavox players freezes Toshiba service centers various Central Park Media (anime) similar problems as The Matrix titles American Pie Philips 940 freezes at layer change (1:17:09) Arlington Road see Cruel Intentions unplug player with disc Armageddon Panasonic A115-U won't load inserted, plug in, turn and A120-U on Toshiba SD-3108 locks up player upgrade available from Avenger's TV Toshiba service centers series (A&E) check with Philips for Philips 930, 935 won't load firmware upgrade messes up reset the player or get parental the corrected version Cruel some JVC and controls, of the disc or set Intentions Yamaha causing other parental country code discs to not to AD with password of play 8888 Deep Blue Sea similar problems as The Matrix Toshiba upgrade available from SD-2109/3109 various Toshiba service centers Dragon's Lair check with Samsung most Samsung, Aiwa various (800-726-7864) or Aiwa for firmware upgrade Entrapment JVC freezes check with JVC for firmware upgrade Space Ace see Dragon's Lair Sharp freezes Lost In Space freezes, audio check for updated Creative DXR3 out of sync drivers details at PCFriendly tech support The Matrix various players various problems (for GE 1105-P, serial number beginning with 940 or lower, get upgrade from GE) The Mummy Philips 930, 935 won't load Idle Hands see Cruel Intentions Saving Private distortion at Ryan Toshiba SD-9000 end of ch. 4 freezes in Stargate SE Magnavox 400AT director's commentary Tomorrow Never Sharp 600U locks up player Dies Bush DVD2000 won't load Universal picture breakup might be a problem with Soldier Wharfedale 750 after ch. 30 the disc Samsung DVD 709; check with Samsung Wild Wild West Philips 930, 935; won't load (800-726-7864), GE 1105P Philips, or GE for firmware upgrade You've Got details at PCFriendly Mail various players various problems tech support For DVD and home theater problems, try Ask Digital Man, Doc DVD, or DVD Digest's Tech Support Zone. For troubleshooting DVD on computers, see 4.6. The Dell Inspiron 7000 DVD Movie List has Inspiron-specific problems. [1.42] How do the parental control and multi-rating features work? DVD includes parental management features for blocking playback and for multiple versions of a movie on a single disc. Players (including software players on PCs) can be set to a parental level so that discs rated above that level will not play. As an alternative to a single rating for the entire disc (or ratings for different sections of the disc), a disc can be designed so that it plays a different version of the movie depending on the parental level that has been set in the player. By taking advantage of the seamless branching feature of DVD, objectionable scenes are automatically skipped over or replaced during playback. This requires that the disc be carefully authored with alternate scenes and branch points that don't cause interruptions or discontinuities in the soundtrack. There is no standard way to identify which discs have multi-rated content. Unfortunately, very few multi-rating discs have been produced. Hollywood studios are not convinced that there is a big enough demand to justify the extra work involved (shooting extra footage, recording extra audio, editing new sequences, creating branch points, synchronizing the soundtrack across jumps, submitting new versions for MPAA rating, dealing with players that don't properly implement parental branching, having video store chains refuse to carry discs with unrated content, and much more). If this feature is important to you, let the studios know. A list of studio addresses is available at DVD File. Multi-ratings discs include Kalifornia, Crash, Damage, Embrace of the Vampire, Poison Ivy, Species II. Discs that use multi-story branching (not always seamless) for a director's cut or special edition version include Dark Star, Stargate (1999 release), The Abyss, Independence Day, Terminator 2 (2000 release). Another option is to use a software player on a computer that can read a "play list" telling it where to skip scenes or mute the audio, This allows play lists to be created for the thousands of DVD movies that were produced without parental control features. A number of projects are underway to develop this type of software, but nothing is available yet. Yet another option is TVGuardian, a device that attaches between the DVD player and the TV to filter out profanity and vulgar language. The box reads the closed caption text and automatically mutes the audio and provides substitute captions for objectionable words. [1.43] Which discs include multiple camera angles? There's actually a euphemism in the DVD industry, where "multi-angle titles" --spoken with the right inflection-- means adult titles. However, apart from hundreds of X-rated discs, not very many DVDs have multiple angles, since it takes extra work and limits playing time (a segment with two angles uses up twice as much space on the disc). Short Cinema Journal vol. 1 was one of the first to use camera angles, in the animated "Big Story," which is also available on the DVD Demystified sample disc. King Crimson: Deja Vroom has excellent angles, allowing you to focus on any of the musicians. Some movies, such as Ghostbusters SE, Terminator 2 SE, and Tomorrow Never Dies SE use multiple angles in supplements. You can get an incomplete list of multi-angle discs by doing an extended search at DVD File or a power search at DVD Express. To weed out the adult titles at DVD Express, select all entries in the category list (click top entry, Shift-click bottom entry) then deselect Adult (Ctrl-click). ------------------------------------------------------------------------ [2] DVD's relationship to other products [2.1] Will DVD replace VCRs? Not any time soon. Recordable DVD is for computer data only, not television video (see 1.14). It will take a while before the size of the market drives costs down to VCR levels. However, DVD has many advantages over VCRs, including fundamentally lower technology cost for hardware and disc production (which is appealing to manufacturers), so if DVD is a commercial success it might replace many VCRs in fifteen to twenty years. [2.2] Will DVD replace CD-ROM? Yes. Some CD-ROM drive manufacturers plan to cease CD-ROM drive production after a few years in favor of DVD-ROM drives. Because DVD-ROM drives can read CD-ROMs, there is a compatible forward migration path. [2.3] Can CD-R writers create DVDs? No. DVD uses a smaller wavelength of laser to allow smaller pits in tracks that are closer together. The DVD laser must also focus more tightly and at a different level. In fact, a disc made on a current CD-R writer may not be readable by a DVD-ROM drive (see 2.4.3). It's unlikely there will be "upgrades" to convert CD-R drives to DVD-R, since this would probably cost more than purchasing a new DVD-R drive. [2.4] Is CD compatible with DVD? This is actually many questions with many answers, covered in the following sections. [Note the differentiation between DVD (general case) and DVD-ROM (computer data).] [2.4.1] Is CD audio (CD-DA) compatible with DVD? Yes. All DVD players and drives will read audio CDs (Red Book). This is not actually required by the DVD spec, but so far all manufacturers have stated that their DVD hardware will read CDs. On the other hand, you can't play a DVD in a CD player. (The pits are smaller, the tracks are closer together, the data layer is a different distance from the surface, the modulation is different, the error correction coding is new, etc.) [2.4.2] Is CD-ROM compatible with DVD-ROM? Yes. All DVD-ROM drives will read CD-ROMs (Yellow Book). Software on a CD-ROM will run fine in a DVD-ROM system. However, DVD-ROMs are not readable by CD-ROM drives. [2.4.3] Is CD-R compatible with DVD-ROM? Sometimes. The problem is that CD-Rs (Orange Book Part II) are "invisible" to DVD laser wavelength because the dye used in CD-Rs doesn't reflect the beam. Some first-generation DVD-ROM drives and many DVD players can't read CD-Rs. The formulation of dye used by different CD-R manufacturers also affects readability. The common solution is to use two lasers at different wavelengths: one for reading DVDs and the other for reading CDs and CD-Rs. Variations on the theme include Sony's "dual discrete optical pickup" with switchable pickup assemblies with separate optics, Sony's dual-wavelength laser (to be initially deployed on Playstation 2), Samsung's "annular masked objective lens" with a shared optical path, Toshiba's similar shared optical path using an objective lens masked with a coating that's transparent only to 650-nm light, Hitachi's switchable objective lens assembly, and Matsushita's holographic dual-focus lens. The MultiRead logo guarantees compatibility with CD-R and CD-RW media, but unfortunately, few manufacturers are using it. An effort to develop CD-R "Type II" media compatible with both CD and DVD wavelengths was abandoned. DVD-ROM drives can't record on any media. There are a few combination DVD-ROM/CD-RW drives. Current writable DVD drives (see 4.3) can't record on CD-R or CD-RW, although future versions may be able to. [2.4.4] Is CD-RW compatible with DVD? Usually. CD-Rewritable (Orange Book Part III) has a lower reflectivity difference, requiring new automatic-gain-control (AGC) circuitry. CD-RW discs can't be read by most existing CD-ROM drives and CD players. The new "MultiRead" standard addresses this, and some DVD manufacturers have suggested they will support it. The optical circuitry in even first-generation DVD-ROM drives and DVD players is usually able to read CD-RW discs, since CD-RW does not have the "invisibility" problem of CD-R (see 2.4.3). Current writable DVD drives (see 4.3) can't record on CD-RW, although future versions may be able to. [2.4.5] Is Video CD compatible with DVD? Sometimes. It's not required by the DVD spec, but it's trivial to support the Video CD (White Book) standard since any MPEG-2 decoder can also decode MPEG-1 from a Video CD. Panasonic, RCA, Samsung, and Sony models play Video CDs. Japanese Pioneer models play Video CDs but American models older than the DVL-909 don't. Toshiba players older than models 2100, 3107, and 3108 don't play Video CDs. VCD resolution is 352x288 for PAL and 352x240 for NTSC. The way most DVD players and Video CD players deal with the difference is to chop off the extra lines or add blank lines. When playing PAL VCDs, the Panasonic and RCA NTSC players apparently cut 48 lines (17%) off the bottom. The Sony NTSC players apparently scale all 288 lines to fit. All DVD-ROM computers can play Video CDs (with the right software). Standard VCD players can't play DVDs. Note: Many Asian VCDs achieve two soundtracks by putting one language on the left channel and another on the right. The two channels are mixed together into babel on a stereo system unless you adjust the balance or disconnect one input to get only one channel. [2.4.6] Is Super Video CD compatible with DVD? Not generally. Super Video CD (SVCD) is an enhancement to Video CD that was developed by a Chinese government-backed committee of manufacturers and researchers, partly to sidestep DVD technology royalties and partly to create pressure for lower DVD player and disc prices in China. The final SVCD spec was announced in September 1998, winning out over C-Cube's China Video CD (CVD) and HQ-VCD (from the developers of the original Video CD). In terms of video and audio quality, SVCD is in between Video CD and DVD, using a 2x CD drive to support 2.2 Mbps VBR MPEG-2 video (at 480x567 resolution) and 2-channel MPEG-2 Layer II audio. As with DVD, it can overlay graphics for subtitles. It's technically easy to make a DVD-Video player compatible with SVCD, but it's being done mostly on Asian DVD player models. The Philip's DVD170 player can be upgraded (using a special disc) to play SVCD discs. It's not likely that SVCD will be released outside of China and nearby countries. SVCD players can't play DVDs, since the players are based on CD drives. [2.4.7] Is Photo CD compatible with DVD? Not yet. Since Photo CDs are usually on CD-R media, they may suffer from the CD-R problem (see 2.4.3). That aside, DVD players could support Photo CD with a few extra chips and a license from Kodak. No one has announced such a player. Most DVD-ROM drives will read Photo CDs (if they read CD-Rs) since it's trivial to support the XA and Orange Book multisession standards. The more important question is, "Does the OS or application support Photo CD?" but that's beyond the scope of this FAQ. [2.4.8] Is CD-i compatible with DVD? In general, no. Current DVD players do not play CD-i (Green Book) discs. Philips once announced that it would make a DVD player that supported CD-i, but it has yet to appear. Some people expect Philips to create a "DVD-i" format in an attempt to breathe a little more life into CD-i (and recover a bit more of the billion or so dollars they invested in it). A DVD-ROM PC with a CD-i card should be able to play CD-i discs. There are also "CD-i movies" that use the CD-i Digital Video format that was the precursor to Video CD. Early CD-i DV discs won't play on DVD players or VCD players, but newer CD-i movies, which use standard VCD format, will play on any player that can play VCDs (see 2.4.5). See Jorg Kennis' CD-i FAQ for more information on CD-i. [2.4.9] Is Enhanced CD compatible with DVD? Yes. DVD players will play music from Enhanced Music CDs (Blue Book, CD Plus, CD Extra), and DVD-ROM drives will play music and read data from Enhanced CDs. Older ECD formats such as mixed mode and track zero (pregap, hidden track) should also be compatible, but there is a problem with Microsoft and other CD/DVD-ROM drivers skipping track zero. [2.4.10] Is CD+G compatible with DVD? Only the Pioneer DVL-9 player and Pioneer karaoke DVD models DV-K800 and DVK-1000 are known to support CD+G. Most other DVD-V players probably won't support this mostly obsolete format. All DVD-ROM drives support CD+G, but special software is required to make use of it. [2.4.11] Is CDV compatible with DVD? Sort of. CDV, sometimes called Video Single, is actually a weird combination of CD and laserdisc. Part of the disc contains 20 minutes of digital audio playable on any CD or DVD player. The other part contains 5 minutes of analog video and digital audio in laserdisc format, playable only on a CDV-compatible system. Pioneer's combination DVD/laserdisc players are the only DVD players that can play CDVs. LD/CDV players can't play DVDs. (See 2.5 for more LD info.) [2.4.12] Is MP3 compatible with DVD? Mostly no. MP3 is the MPEG-1 Layer 3 audio compression format. (MP3 is not MPEG-3, which doesn't exist.) The DVD-Video spec allows only Layer 2 for MPEG audio. MP3 can be played on computers with a DVD-ROM drive. A few DVD players (KiSS, Monyka, Lasonic, Raite, Sampo, Shinco) can play MP3 CDs. (See 6.2 for company Web sites.) [2.4.13] Is HDCD compatible with DVD? Yes. Pacific Microsonics' HDCD (high-definition compatible digital) is an encoding process that enhances audio CDs so that they play normally in standard CD and DVD players (and allegedly sound better than normal CDs) yet produce an extra 4 bits of precision (20 bits instead of 16) when played on CD and DVD players equipped with HDCD decoders. [2.5] Is laserdisc compatible with DVD? No. Standard DVD players will not play laserdiscs, and you can't play a DVD disc on any standard laserdisc player. (Laserdisc uses analog video, DVD uses digital video; they are very different formats.) However, Pioneer produces combo players that play laserdiscs and DVDs (and also CDVs and audio CDs). Denon and Samsung are rumored to have LD/DVD players in the works also. [2.6] Will DVD replace laserdisc? When this question was first entered in the FAQ, before DVD was even available, people wondered if DVD would replace laserdisc (and some argued it never would -- that DVD would fail and it's adherents would come groveling back to laserdisc). After DVD was released, it became clear that it had doomed laserdisc to quick obscurity. Pioneer Entertainment, the long-time champion of laserdisc, abandoned it in June of 1999. This was sooner than even Pioneer thought possible, (in September 1998, Pioneer's president Kaneo Ito said the company expected laserdisc products to be in the market for another one-and-a-half to two years). Laserdisc still fills important niches in education and training, but is fading very quickly as an entertainment format. Existing players and discs will still be around for a very long time, and new discs are still being produced, since laserdisc has become well established over 20 years as a videophile format. There are over 9,000 laserdisc titles in the US and a total of over 35,000 titles worldwide that can be played on over 7 million laserdisc players. It will take DVD several years to reach this level, and even then there's no reason for laserdisc player owners to stop buying or playing laserdiscs, especially rare titles that may not appear on DVD for a long while if ever. One bright point is that laserdiscs (especially used discs) can now be had at bargain prices. [2.7] How does DVD compare to laserdisc? * Features: DVD has the same basic features as CLV LD (scan, pause, search) and CAV LD (freeze, slow) and adds branching, multiple camera angles, parental control, video menus, interactivity, etc., although some of these features are not available on all discs. Unlike CAV LD, DVD can't play backwards (it's technically possible, but no current players can do it). * Capacity: Single-layer DVD holds over 2 hours, dual-layer holds over 4 hours. CLV LD holds one hour per side, CAV holds half an hour. A CAV laserdisc can hold 104,000 still images. DVD can hold thousands of still pictures accompanied by hundreds of hours of audio and text. * Convenience: An entire movie fits on one side of a DVD, so there's no need to flip the disc or wait for the player to do it. DVDs are smaller and easier to handle. DVD players can be portable, similar to CD players. Discs can be easily and cheaply sent through the mail. On the other hand, laserdiscs have larger covers for better art and text. * Noise: Most LD players make a whirring noise that can be heard during quiet segments of a movie. Most DVD players are as quiet as CD players. * Audio: LD has better quality on Dolby Surround soundtracks, which are stored in uncompressed PCM format. DVD has better quality on Dolby Digital or music only. LD has 2 audio tracks: analog and digital. DVD has up to 8 audio tracks. LD uses PCM audio sampled with 16 bits at 44 kHz. DVD LPCM audio can use 16, 20, or 24 bit samples at 48 or 96 kHz (although PCM won't be used with most movies). LD has surround audio in Dolby Surround, Dolby Digital (AC-3), and DTS formats. 5.1-channel surround sound is available by using one channel of the analog track for AC-3 or both channels of the digital track for DTS. DVD uses the same Dolby Digital surround sound, usually at the same data rate (384 kbps) but can go up to 448 kbps for better quality, and can optionally include DTS (at data rates up to 1536 kbps compared to LD's 1411 kbps, but in practice DTS data rates will probably be lower on DVD than on LD). DVD players convert Dolby Digital to Dolby Surround. This conversion (downmix) process can reduce dynamic range. Combined with the effects of compression, this usually results in lower-quality sound than from LD Dolby Surround tracks. * Video: DVD usually has better video. LD suffers from degradation inherent in analog storage and in the composite NTSC or PAL video signal. DVD uses digital video, and even though it's heavily compressed, most professionals agree that when properly and carefully encoded it's virtually indistinguishable from studio masters. Nevertheless, this doesn't mean that the video quality of DVD, especially at first, WILL be better than LD. Only that it CAN be better. Also keep in mind that the average television is of insufficient quality to show much difference between LD and DVD. Home theater systems