The movie rental we watched the other night advertised DVD. Everything I had researched for this DVD column was beautifully
commercialized in 90 seconds.  Not only could we see and hear all the things that DVD was about in this zippy, enlightening and
colorful teaser, we could get excited about it.  This column is my attempt at condensing endless DVD facts to less than 500
words.

Why do we care about DVD?
DVD has the capability to produce near-studio-quality video and better-than-CD-quality audio.  DVD will likely replace your
CDs and VHS videocassettes.

What does DVD  mean?
DVD refers to Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc.  Since there are a variety of applications for DVD technology, the
industry uses the acronym DVD as the name.  DVD-Video refers to both DVD movies and to the box that connects to your
television set.

What does DVD look like?
Like the CD-ROM, the disc is 4 ¾ inches in diameter.  Unlike the CD-ROM, it can be recorded on both sides.  When both
sides are used, a DVD can hold a full-length movie.  A dual-layer version means the DVD can have two layers on each side of
the disc and can contain over 8 hours of high-quality digital video.

Sound
DVDs have a much richer sound than audio CDs. DVD audio is 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.

Resolution
The standard VHS resolution is 210 horizontal lines, the laser disc comes in second at 425 lines but DVD wins with 540 lines of
resolution.  You can watch a DVD movie numerous times and it will still be as crisp and clear as the first time you played it.
DVD movie rentals are available at your local video store now.   There are a couple of factors to consider about DVD.  Like
anything else on the market, some DVDs may be poorly processed and produced. In addition, television sets may need to have
the sharpness adjusted for DVDs.  If not, it may exaggerate high-frequency video and cause distortion, just as the stereo treble
control set too high for a CD causes it to sound harsh.  See http://www.dvdreview.com/faq/dvdfaq.shtml#0.3, Frequently
Asked Questions, for more information about DVD quality.
 
 

                     You can change languages and camera angles and exert parental control

There is language choice for automatic selection of video scenes, audio tracks, subtitle tracks, and menus.  Parental lock allows
for denying playback of discs or scenes with objectionable material.  Choose from nine camera angles during playback.

DVD has many features, too numerous to mention here.  For more information, use your friendly search engine or try these
sources, especially this web site which has Frequently Asked Questions about DVD:
http://www.dvdreview.com/faq/dvdfaq.shtml#0.3

Sources:

      Computer Desktop Encyclopedia
      http://aol.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DVD.html
      http://boris.clntraining.com/~mreese/
      http://www.codefreedvd.com/dvd_dvdfaq.htm
      http://whatis.com/dvd.htm
      http://www.dvdreview.com/faq/dvdfaq.shtml#0.3
      http://www.dvdreview.com/faq/dvdfaq.shtml#1.2

(August)

 She can be reached by email at jana@barberio.com