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Why
should I buy a DVD player or movies in the DVD-Video format?
DVD technology represents a number of
significant advancements, including:
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Digital video for crystal clear and
pristine picture quality--a significant improvement over VHS
picture quality
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State-of-the-art digital audio with
Dolby Digital and/or DTS 5.1-channel surround sound
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Random access to scenes
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Multiple language dialogs and
soundtracks
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Multiple camera angle options
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Bonus and extra materials, such as:
alternate endings, storyboards, the "making-of"
featurette, director's audio commentary, music video, cast and
crew information
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Parental control--lock out
capability
Additionally, DVD players are very
affordable, with solid performing, brand name, entry-level models for
as low as $140 (as of April
2002). Unlike VHS videotapes which deteriorate with use and age,
DVD-Video discs can last a long, long time--just like audio CDs.
For additional information, read our DVD
Overview page and DVD
Tutorial pages.
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Is
DVD technology compatible with Digital TV (DTV)?
Yes, DVD-Video is essentially 480
interlaced horizontal lines of resolution, 480i, in either 4:3 aspect
ratio (full frame) or 16:9 aspect ratio (widescreen TV). The
Digital TV
format consists of 18 different formats. One of which
is standard definition TV (SDTV), consisting of 480i in either 4:3 or
16:9 aspect ratios. Therefore, DVD-Video is equivalent to the
standard definition TV format of Digital TV.
Additionally, some newer DVD-Video players
feature progressive scan component video to output a progressive scan
signal, or 480p. This is also known as Enhanced
Definition TV, part of the Digital TV standard. The
result is a picture free of interlace scanning artifacts during motion
scenes (e.g., motion artifacts).
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Will the
DVD-Video format be upgraded to capture HDTV-quality video in 1080i or
720p (so-called "HD-DVD" format)?
Currently, DVD-Video is capable
of 480 interlaced horizontal lines of resolution (480i). Progressive
scan DVD players can output 480 lines of progressive-scan video
(480p). In the near future (we're guessing this is still at least a
couple of
years away, i.e., 2005-2006 timeframe), there will be a new high definition DVD format introduced.
This new format would capture video in 1080i or 720p, which is
HDTV-quality video.
Right now, the industry to still trying to decide between two principal
formats, (1) Blue-Ray
Disc (backed by Hitachi, LG Electronics, Matsushita, Pioneer,
Philips, Samsung, Sharp, Sony and Thomson Multimedia) and (2) a Toshiba
"next-generation" DVD proposed format (also backed by NEC). New blue-violet
or blue laser technologies have to be developed to
read either of these new disc formats, as the pits
and tracking pitch are much smaller than that of DVD-Video. Once
manufacturers can agree on a (single) standard high definition DVD format, and can cost effectively
produce these new blue-violet/blue laser
pickups, we should see the introduction of the new High Definition DVD
format. Some observers have coined this new format as HD-DVD, for
High Definition DVD. That's a catchy name, so we'll use it on our
web site too.
For more information on the
development and standardization of the High Definition DVD format, check out these
external links:
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Will
the new High Definition DVD format (so-called "HD-DVD") make my
current DVD-Video collection obsolete? No,
we believe your DVD-Video collection is a safe investment. The new High Definition
DVD (HD-DVD) players should be backwards compatible with your current
DVD-Video library. Of course, to watch HD-DVDs, you'll need to
upgrade your DVD-Video player to the new HD-DVD player (that is, when it
becomes available). And to see HD-DVDs in its full high resolution
glory, you'll also need to upgrade your TV to an HDTV or HDTV monitor (if
you haven't done so already). Your current DVD player will not be
able to read the new HD-DVD discs, unless the forthcoming HD-DVD format
provides for hybrid construction. This is where one side of
the disc is HD-DVD and the other side is DVD-Video. Existing
DVD-Video players would be able to play back the DVD-Video side. Of
course, the actual format of HD-DVD has not been finalized as of January 2003.
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What
is meant by "DVD-ROM features"?
DVD-ROM features are those accessible by
personal computers with a DVD-ROM drive. The content of the
DVD-Video disc includes data files and executable code that can be run
on personal computers, like CD-ROM. Currently, there are no DVD
players that can take advantage of DVD-ROM features.
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What
movies are available on DVD-Video?
There are over 15,000 titles available on
DVD-Video as of April 2002, with hundreds of new titles released each
week (usually on Tuesday). Many new movies are released on
DVD-Video on the same day and date with their VHS format. To find out if
your favorite movies are currently available on DVD-Video, try
searching by title at Amazon.com
or Buy.com.
Be aware that not all older movies (i.e., "catalog titles")
have been released to the DVD-Video format. Studios are
releasing most older movies, but it can be some time until they
release the title that you are interested in. You just have to
keep checking every few months. To learn what new blockbuster, mainstream or family-oriented titles
come out each week, check out our New
Releases page. To find out which ones will come out in
the near future, check out our Upcoming
Releases page.
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When
is a good time to buy a DVD player?
With budget DVD players starting below $100
(as of January 2001) and the adoption rate of stand-alone DVD players
at well over 30% for U.S.
and Canada,
now is as good a time as any to buy a DVD player. Now in its
fifth year (DVD-Video debut in March 1997), DVD-Video have been considered
mainstream in the U.S. and Canada markets. To date (as of
December 2001), there
have been 30 million dedicated DVD players shipped for the U.S. and
Canada market
alone. This number does not include DVD-ROM drives, which allow
personal computers so-equipped to playback DVD-Video titles. So
what are you waiting for? It's "time for DVD". 
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Can
I record movies from a DVD player to my VCR?
Most movies on DVD-Video are copy
protected with Macrovision or Content Scrambling System (CSS) so that
you can't record it to your VCR. It is the movie studios' way of
preventing you from making nearly perfect copies of movies from
DVD-Video's digital video and audio source. The picture quality
recorded on the VHS, S-VHS, or 8mm video tape is severely degraded
with poor image quality and/or color fidelity. If you want to
hook up your VCR such that it can record from your DVD player, click
here.
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Should
I buy from a local retailer, a mail-order merchant, or an online merchant?
DVD-Video players are considered a
commodity item. Given a particular brand and model, you can
literally shop for the best price. As long as you buy from an
authorized dealer, you are assured of getting full warrantee service
in the (unlikely) event should you require warrantee
service. Having said this, we encourage you to shop around for
the best price. Mail-order and online merchants can offer
greater brand and model selection than most local retailers (except
for the finest of specialty consumer electronics retailers), while
offering potentially better prices and purchases free of sales tax.
Editor's note: As a service to our
readers (and a source for generating revenues), we provide links to
various affiliated
online merchants (such as Crutchfield.com,
Amazon.com,
CameraWorld.com,
hifi.com,
and Buy.com)
for your consideration. Additionally, we list current retail
price by DVD player brand and model on our DVD
player comparison charts, and special
offers, savings, and discounts on DVD players on this page.
If you decide to buy (any merchandise) online, please click through and buy from one of
our affiliated online
merchants, we derive a small commission which helps us
produce and maintain this web site. We sincerely appreciate your
support.
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