| DVD is the new generation of optical disc storage technology.
DVD is essentially a bigger, faster CD that can hold cinema-like
video, better-than-CD audio, still photos, and computer data.
DVD aims to encompass home entertainment, computers, and business
information with a single digital format. It has replaced laserdisc,
is well on the way to replacing videotape and video game cartridges,
and could eventually replace audio CD and CD-ROM. 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 became the most successful consumer
electronics product of all time in less than three years of its
introduction. In 2003, six years after introduction, there were
over 250 million DVD playback devices worldwide, counting DVD
players, DVD PCs, and DVD game consoles. This was more than half
the numbers of VCRs, setting DVD up to become the new standard
for video publishing.
It's important to understand the difference between the physical
formats (such as DVD-ROM and DVD-R) and the application formats
(such as DVD-Video and DVD-Audio). DVD-ROM is the base format
that holds data. DVD-Video (often simply called DVD) defines
how video programs such as movies are stored on disc and played
in a DVD-Video player or a DVD computer (see 4.1). The difference
is similar to that between CD-ROM and Audio CD. DVD-ROM includes
recordable variations: DVD-R/RW, DVD-RAM, and DVD+R/RW (see
4.3). The application formats include DVD-Video, DVD-Video Recording
(DVD-VR), DVD+RW Video Recording (DVD+VR), DVD-Audio Recording
(DVD-AR), DVD Stream Recording (DVD-SR), DVD-Audio (DVD-A),
and Super Audio CD (SACD). There are also special application
formats for game consoles such as Sony PlayStation 2 and Microsoft
Xbox.
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