DVD Video is the new wave in home entertainment, an advanced technology designed to forever change the way we watch movies and music videos in the home.

DVD Video discs are the same size as traditional compact discs, but they can do much more. A single DVD Video disc can hold an entire movie on one side while bringing together the high-quality, digital surround sound of compact discs with crisp, high-resolution video.

Since DVD Video was first launched in early 1997, it has surpassed industry expectations and is quickly becoming the most successful new technology launch since compact discs were introduced.

DVD Video offers pictures that are twice as sharp and clear than VHS videotape for a substantially enhanced video experience. DVD Video has up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution, compared to 240 lines of horizontal resolution on standard VHS.

DVD Video discs can store up to 133 minutes (or 4.7 gigabytes) of full-motion video per side on a single-layer disc, enabling most movies to be stored on a single side. Dual-layer discs can store more than four hours, perfect for epic-length movies or for storing both widescreen and pan-and-scan versions on one side of a disc.

DVD Video players offer a variety of special video features accessible through an easy-to-use menu using a remote control. Detailed below, these features can be selected when a movie or music video is first placed in the DVD Video player for maximum enjoyment of the title. Consumers can access the DVD Video menu, which will offer unique features for different titles, at any time during playback to change their selections and then return immediately to their previous position in the movie or music video.

Multiple Aspect Ratios

Most DVD Video titles feature the widescreen or letterbox format, which presents movies in the same aspect ratio as shown in theaters, in addition to the full-screen format that completely fills traditional television screens.

Informational Features

Viewers who want to learn more about their favorite actors, directors and musical performers will appreciate DVD Video¹s special features, such as biographies of performers in a movie or music video, notes on the production of a motion picture, and recommendations for similar titles.

Scene Access

DVD Video discs make home entertainment more convenient by allowing viewers to immediately find specific scenes in a movie or music video -- no more rewinding or fast forwarding to find their favorite film moments.

Camera Angles

Some DVD Video titles let viewers control camera angles, allowing them to select their favorite angles while watching a music video or sports program, for example.

Durability

DVD Video discs have greater durability than VHS videotape. Picture quality will not degrade after numerous viewings, and the discs do not deteriorate over time.

DVD Video provides viewers with superior video images that are twice as clear as VHS videotape. DVD Video technology uses up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution for DVD Video, vs. 240 lines of horizontal resolution for VHS, which results in noticeably sharper pictures.

What are the storage capabilities of a DVD Video disc?

DVD Video discs can store up to 133 minutes of full-motion video per side on a single-layer disc. Dual-layer discs can store more than four hours, perfect for epic-length movies.

Will I be able to record?

Although DVD Video players are not yet able to record, the industry is currently exploring ways for consumers to record using DVD Video technology.

What are multiple aspect ratios?

Many DVD Video titles are available in multiple aspect ratios, meaning that the movie or music video can be viewed in widescreen format -- just as it was originally seen in movie theaters -- or in a full-screen format, which adjusts the picture to fill the entire television screen. By offering multiple aspect ratios, DVD Video allows consumers to select their favorite format for maximum entertainment enjoyment.

How long will DVD Video discs last without the video image degrading?

Unlike videotapes, DVD Video discs do not deteriorate over time or wear out from excessive use. For families with small children who watch their favorite movies over and over again, the durability of DVD Video will be a welcome sight. Likewise, music fans who enjoy repeated viewings of their favorite music videos or concert films will benefit from DVD Video's exceptional durability.

What kind of special video features are provided by DVD Video?

Among the most common special features of DVD Video are movies' original trailers, interviews with directors and actors, and biographies of movie and music personalities. In addition, DVD Video players make it easier to enjoy movies and music videos by allowing direct access to individual scenes -- no more fast forwarding or rewinding when looking for a specific scene. Some DVD Video programs even let the viewer control camera angles, so they can select their favorite shots while watching a sports video, for example.

I have small children and want to be able to monitor what they watch. How can DVD Video help me?

Parental control is available on DVD Video players, allowing parents to prevent children from watching movies with certain ratings, based on special encoding on the discs. Some DVD Video discs even come with an edited version of a movie that might be more appropriate for younger viewers.

DVD Video discs provide digital, surround sound capabilities and other audio enhancements to movies and music videos. When combined with the format's superior video capabilities, DVD Video's audio component ensures a superior home entertainment experience.

Because DVD Video utilizes digital sound, like that employed by compact discs, it offers better sound than is currently available with VHS videotapes, regardless of the home theater system's speaker system.

Surround sound

DVD Video discs are compatible with existing surround sound formats, including Dolby Surround, Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital 5.1 channel surround sound systems that feature five speakers (three in the front and two in the back) plus a subwoofer.

Alternate audio tracks

DVD Video discs can feature up to eight audio tracks, accessible through an easy-to-use, on-screen menu. These audio tracks allow for a variety of foreign language translations of a title on a single disc, as well as alternate audio tracks such as running commentary from actors and directors, or alternate soundtracks featuring music only.

Plays all CD's

Consumers can play existing compact discs (CDs) on DVD Video players, fulfilling two consumer needs with one component.

DVD Video employs a higher sampling rate than even audio CDs, producing fuller, more textured sound.

Will I be able to play my audio CDs on a DVD player?

Yes. One of the greatest advantages of DVD Video players is backwards compatibility -- the ability to play existing audio CDs. In that respect, DVD Video players function as two types of home entertainment components.

What kind of stereo equipment is needed to enjoy DVD Video surround sound?

The audio component of DVD Video discs is optimized for playback on Dolby Dolby Surround, Dolby Pro Logic and Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound system. This means that it's ideally designed for a system with five speakers (three in front, and two in back) plus a subwoofer. However, DVD Video offers superior digital sound when compared to VHS on all home entertainment systems, regardless of the number of speakers.

Does DVD Video offer subtitles and alternate audio tracks?

DVD Video offers up to eight alternate soundtracks, which can feature foreign language translations of movies and music videos or other special audio commentary, and up to 32 subtitles or karaoke tracks. These special audio functions make DVD Video accessible to a broad audience and allows multilingual households to enjoy DVD movies and music videos on many different levels. In addition, the alternate soundtracks can allow directors and actors to provide a running commentary on their movies, giving consumers a unique insight to the moviemaking process.

Many people who bought a DVD-ROM for their personal computers are finding that technology's not always all it's cracked up to be. While the drives may be just fine and dandy for reading program disks and such, it seems that getting them to correctly read DVD movies like 'The Matrix' is another kettle of fish. It seems that the instructions encoded on DVDs can sometimes be too much for PCs to handle.

"They're a whole separate file," says Jeff Stabenau, president of DVD authoring house Crush Digital in New York. Multi-tasking computers can have trouble figuring out what to do with the multitude of files and extras included on some DVDs. While set-top DVD players perform only one function, more versatile PCs can become confounded when confronted with the digital tidbits found on DVDs. "If instructions are not in the right order, the PC can be confused," Stabenau adds.

Stabenau estimates the PC failure rate at between 10 and 15 percent of ROM applications. So far, most of the DVD-ROM problems have occurred on Apple machines. Their DVD-ROM drives apparently weren't quite perfected before they released them, but Apple promises to have a solution to its DVD reading problems within six months. Other manufacturers expect to beat the glitches when their next generation of DVD-ROM drives emerges.

So if you're having trouble watching DVDs on your PC, the trouble is most likely not in the DVD itself, but in the technology of the ROM drive.  Rest assured, though, because it seems there's always a new breakthrough just around the corner...