DVD explanation is it for you ? PART II
Aug 18 '00
I would like to begin by stating that this is an attempt to improve on a past written review, a rewrite if you will. The previous was written when I was rather new to the DVD experience and lacked some of the information on the finer points that are involved. The original can be viewed at the following URL http://www.epinions.com/elec-review-293D-87C366B-391A8834-prod4. Thus I would like to take this chance to place re-emphasis on the reasoning I have that people should switch to DVD format rather than VHS.
DVD is short for Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc. DVD disc's are a new generation CD-ROM Disc that are capable of storing a minimum of 4.7 GB of data which in turn is enough for a full length movie. DVD specifications support Disc's from 4.7Gb to 17GB. Although this information may be irrelevant to the home theater junky, it does however make a large impact on PC users.
DVD Disc's at this time a primarily used for movies and on PC's are used in limited quantities for gaming purposes. However the possibilities are endless at this time for this format to take over VHS much like the CD did to the cassette. The cassette is still around but in a largely limited quantity. At the moment DVD disc's are re-writable when it comes to PC applications and shortly the technology will be available to the average home theater buff at a price. Eventually as with everything the price of these recordable DVD player once introduced to the public will also slowly decrease in price, making them much more affordable to the average homeowner.
The picture quality of a DVD is a 100% digital. Thus the image is perfect every time much like that of the image a DSS satellite dish produces. For this reason the enjoyment gained from watching a movie on DVD rather than VHS is almost flawless at all times. The only downfall to the DVD disc is a small 1 to 2 second pause in the movie when a dual sided DVD disc switches to the other side of the disc. Other than this the image projected for your viewing pleasure is 100% digital at all times , thus producing flawless entertainment for all involved.
Another nice feature of DVD units is the fact that the unit is capable of playing standard audio CD's as well. This in turn can be used to eliminate the need for a separate CD player in your home theater setup. Some DVD players are available with dual laser assemblies, one used to read the DVD disc and the other used to read audio CD's. Newer DVD units are also capable of reading CD-R and CD-RW type media as well. By allowing users to be able to play Audio CD's with a DVD player in effect by only purchasing one unit you can in fact save money. However until the recordable DVD units are available and reasonably priced, anyone who records regular TV programs will still have need for a standard VCR. Another option to the VCR for regular TV recording could also be the new TIVO which allows for digital quality recording of these type of programs.
DVD disc's offer some impressive features over VHS type recordings. DVD disc's include things like scene selection, deleted scenes, actor commentary, director commentary, the making of, special effects generation, and alternate ending just to name a few. Now I know what you may be thinking they can add this to a VHS too and you would be right. But they would add it to the end and you would have to fast forward to that spot after the whole movie. Besides VHS is severely limited in size capabilities. With the DVD right from the main menu you can jump directly to any of these features without fast forwarding through the whole movie first. Thus if all you want to do is watch the " Bonus material" it would be in turn feasible.
DVD disc's can also be rented at your local video store for about the same as a VHS. At the time however, as the transition is taking place the amount of videos available to rent on DVD are less abundant than it's counter parts. As far as buying the movie for collecting purposes this is where the DVD is far superior to the VHS cassette. VHS cassettes can wear over time and become unusable or at the very least have degraded image quality after multiple viewing. DVD disc's are always the same exact digital quality every single time you watch the movie. They have a storage span of something like 100+ years so they will out live the average person , thus securing your investment. The down fall to the DVD disc much like a CD is that they are much more fragile than the hard battle armored cassette style. DVD's can become scratched or cracked causing issue during playback. However the price of DVD disc's are relatively close to or the same in some cases as it's VHS counter part.
DVD disc's tend to run approximately $5 more in most cases than a VHS of the same movie would be. The average cost of DVD disc's are around $20 - $30. However just like with all other products you can always find them cheaper by searching and finding the best price. DVD disc's can be purchased at local retailers such as Kmart, Circuit City, Media Play, Sam Goody, and the like. They can also be purchased online at various retailers. Online sales can often yield a great decrease in price but mind you there is still a shipping charge at the very least involved here. The best advice I can give you on buying your DVD movies is to search around for the best price. And if you are not in a big hurry and can wait don't purchase a new release for a couple of weeks after it has been released as prices tend to go down around that time. Also you can save substantially if you pre - order the movie from some of these online site.
Over all I feel that Anyone who is a movie buff should purchase themselves a DVD player. The image is wonderful and the extras can make all the difference in the world. For collectors the directors commentary can be an extraordinary feature and sometimes can even help you interpret something you did not understand when you watched the movie. Sometimes what you got out of it and what the director intended you to get from it are two different things. I think that the DVD style is going to be a large hit much like the CD and that they will eventually be a standard rather than a minority. A DVD player is a must for all home theater buffs as well and I recommend them to anyone who is in the above situation.
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artic00cat
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