The advantage of the DVD over conventional VHS home video is higher quality picture, sound, and new interactive features not available with linear media.  Interactive features can include subtitles, navigational menus, secondary audio tracks, and links to websites.  The DVD functions much like a CD, allowing a program to be indexed for easy access.

There are now a number of different DVD-Video discs. Our feeling is that the DVD industry itself is attempting to confuse and frustrate consumers with so many types of discs. We will attempt to explain the differences here, as this is essential to understanding the process of DVD:

    Pressed Discs and Recordable discs = DVDs come in two basic types - pressed and recordable. Pressed discs are mass market DVD discs that are used for major DVD releases that you buy at the video store. DVD recordable discs are discs that are burned by computers or stand-alone recorders. Pressed discs offer compatiblity with virtually every DVD player that has been sold whereas the newer DVD-R discs are compatible with MOST, but not all players on the market. We recommend pressed discs for projects that need 1000 or more discs, and DVD-R for one-off or small quantity runs under 1000.

     DVD Glass Master = A glass master disc is the source for replicating DVD 5, 9, 10, and 18 discs.  A glass master is made from a disc image containing your video and audio files in authored form usually stored on DLT or DVD-Authoring discs. Glass masters are used to create stampers that are then used to stamp out DVDs.

     DVD 5 = This is the standard type of pressed DVD that is compatible with ALL players and recommended by us for most projects because of it's universal compatibility.  DVD 5 discs hold 4.7 GB which is enough for a two hour feature. 

     DVD 9 =  A DVD 9 is a dual-layer pressed disc that holds 8.5 GB - enough for 4 hours of video.  DVD 9 discs sometimes do not play on older DVD players.

     DVD 10 =  This is a dual-sided pressed disc with 4.7 GB on each side. In order to access the b side, manually flipping over the disc is required. A DVD 10 can only be printed on the inside edge of the stacking ring.

     DVD 18 =  This is a dual-sided pressed disc with 8.5 GB on each side. In order to access the b side, manually flipping over the disc is required. A DVD 18 can only be printed on the inside edge of the stacking ring.

     DVD-R General = this is a new lower cost recordable disc that will play in most, but not all DVD players. The first DVD players released will likely not play this format. **Update** Although DVD-R general purpose discs lack the CMF (cutting master format) track necessary to create a glass master, some replicators have been able to insert the CMF track while reading the disc. This process usually requires two identical DVD-R discs because of the higher error rate of the general purpose discs. We recommend DVD-R Authoring or DLT for projects requiring replication. Most replicators still prefer DLT as of early 2003.

     DVD+R General = this is a new lower cost recordable disc that is usable in Philips brand stand alone recorders. This disc is not compatible with DVD-R because it does not comply to standards set by the DVD Forum for DVD-Video discs. Although some say that DVD+R discs are more compatible, our experience has shown that DVD+R discs are less compatible than DVD-R in most standard players. **Update** Book Setting DVD+R to DVD-ROM will allow playback on players that do not support recordable discs. Recent tests have shown that DVD+R book set discs may actually be more compatible than DVD-R discs.

     DVD-R Authoring = this is a recordable disc that can be used to create a DVD Glass Master for replication. DVD-R Authoring discs hold 4.7 GB of data and play on most newer players. DVD-R Authoring discs have a higher degree of accuracy and a CMF track necessary for replication.

     DVD-R/W General = Yet another type of DVD recordable disc that can rewritten multiple times. Rewriteable discs often experience skipping and freezing on standard players.

     DVD-R+W General = Yet another type of DVD recordable disc that is recordable by Philips brand stand-alone recorders.

     DVD-RAM =  This disc was developed before the advent of DVD-R General Use media and is playable only on computer systems or on stand-alone recorders. DVD-RAM cannot be played by most standard DVD players.

     BluRay = The furture of DVD??  It now seems official that BluRay will be the next generation disc format.   We have acquired BluRay tools and plan to offer encoding and authoring for BluRay in the near future.