DVD stands for Digital Versatile/Video Disc, DVDR stands for
DVD Recordable and DVDRW for DVD ReWriteable. If you're familiar with regular audio/music CDs or regular DVD-Video
discs, then you will know what a recordable DVDR/W looks like. A recordable DVDR/W stores up to 2 hours of very good quality
DVD-Video, including several audio tracks in formats like stereo, Dolby Digital or DTS and also advanced menu systems, subtitles
and still pictures that can be played by many standalone DVD Players and most computer DVD-ROMs. If you choose to lower the
video quality it is possible to store several hours video on a recordable DVDR/W using low bitrates and low resolution with
video quality more like VHS, SVHS, SVCD, VCD or VCD. It is also possible to have up to 4.38* GB ordinary data or mix DVD-Video and data on a recordable DVD that can be played by most computer DVD-ROMs.
There
are three competing DVD Recording standards, DVD-R/W and DVD+R/W have pretty similar features and are compatible with many standalone
DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs while DVD-RAM has less DVD Player
and DVD-ROM compatibility but better recording features.
DVD-R and DVD-RW DVD-R/W was the first DVD
recording format released that was compatible with standalone DVD Players. DVD-R is a non-rewriteable format and it is
compatible with about 93% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD-RW is a rewriteable
format and it is compatible with about 78% of all DVD Players
and most DVD-ROMs. DVD-R/W supports single side 4.37 computer GB* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double sided 8.75 computer GB* DVDs(called DVD-10). These formats
are supported by DVDForum.
DVD+R and DVD+RW DVD+R/W has some "better"
features than DVD-R/W such as lossless linking and both CAV and CLV writing. DVD+R is a non-rewritable format and it is
compatible with about 87% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD+RW is a rewritable
format and is compatible with about 78% of all DVD Players
and most DVD-ROMs. DVD+R/W supports single side 4.37 computer GB* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double side 8.75 computer GB* DVDs(called DVD-10). These formats
are supported by the DVD+RW
Alliance.
DVD+R DL DVD+R DL or called DVD+R9 is a Dual Layer writeable DVD+R. The dual layered discs can hold 7.95 computer GB* (called
DVD-9) and dual layered double sides 15.9* computer GB (called dvd-18).
DVD-RAM DVD-RAM has the best recording features but it is not compatible with most DVD-ROM drives
and DVD-Video players. Think more of it as a removable hard disk. DVD-RAM is usually used in some DVD Recorders.
DVD Sizes, What is DVD-5, DVD-10, DVD-9DVD-18? How much does a DVDR/W fit? Is it 4.7GB or 4.38GB? 8.54 GB or 7.95 GB? The
DVD sizes can be a bit confusing. There are basicly 4 different dvd sizes, DVD-5,
holds around 4 700 000 000 bytes and that is 4.37 computer GB where 1 kbyte is 1024 bytes. DVD+R/W and DVD-R/W supports this
format. Also called Single Sided Single Layered. DVD-10, holds
around 9 400 000 000 bytes and that is 8.75 computer GB where 1 kbyte is 1024 bytes. DVD+R/W and DVD-R/W supports this format.
Also called Double Sided Single Layered. DVD-9, holds around
8 540 000 000 bytes and that is 7.95 computer GB where 1 kbyte is 1024 bytes. DVD+R supports this format. Also called Single
Sided Dual Layered. DVD-18, holds around 17 080 000 000 bytes
and that is 15.9 computer GB where 1 kbyte is 1024 bytes. DVD+R supports this format. Also called Double Sided Dual Layered.
Other non-standard special DVD formats:
DVD-VCD is basicly a VCD authored on a DVDR/W. DVD supports the VCD resolution but the audio has to be resampled to
48 khz. If the audio is resampled to 48 khz it is standard DVD-Video.
DVD-SVCD is basicly a SVCD authored on a DVDR/W. DVD do not supports the SVCD resolution but it may anyway work
and the audio has to be resampled to 48 khz like the DVD-VCD.
DVD-MP3 is MP3s burned on a DVDR/W but very few MP3 capable standalone DVD Players supports it because most Players
verify DVDR/W as DVD-Video only.
DVD-ISO is MPEG,MPG,VOB files burned on a DVDR/W without any DVD Authoring(making the vob,ifo files) but very few
standalone DVD Players supports it because most Players verify DVDR/W as DVD-Video only.
Technical Info for DVD-Video |
PAL
Video: Up to 9.8 Mbit/sec MPEG2 or up to 1.856 MBit/sec MPEG1 video 720
x 576 pixels MPEG2 (Called Full-D1) 704 x 576 pixels MPEG2 352 x 576 pixels MPEG2 (Called Half-D1, same as the CVD Standard) 352
x 288 pixels MPEG2 352 x 288 pixels MPEG1 (Same as the VCD Standard) 25 fps (frames/second) 16:9 Anamorphic
(only supported by 720x576)
Audio: 48000 Hz 32 - 1536 kbit/sec Up to 8 audio tracks containing Dolby
Digital, DTS, PCM(uncompressed audio), MPEG-1 Layer2. One audio track must have MPEG-1, DD or PCM Audio.
Extras: Menus, still pictures, subtitles and more.
|
NTSC (NTSC Film)
Video: Up to 9.8 Mbit/sec MPEG2 or up to 1.856 MBit/sec MPEG1 video 720
x 480 pixels MPEG2 (Called Full-D1) 704 x 480 pixels MPEG2 352 x 480 pixels MPEG2 (Called Half-D1, same as the CVD Standard)
352 x 240 pixels MPEG2 352 x 240 pixels MPEG1 (Same as the VCD Standard) 29,97 fps (frames/second) 23,976 fps
with 3:2 pulldown = 29,97 playback fps (NTSC Film, this is only supported by MPEG2
video) 16:9 Anamorphic (only supported by 720x480)
Audio: 48000 Hz 32 - 1536 kbit/sec Up to
8 audio tracks containing DD (Dolby Digital/AC3), DTS, PCM(uncompressed audio), MPEG-1 Layer2. One audio track must have DD
or PCM Audio.
Extras: Menus, still pictures, subtitles
and more.
|
DVD File/Folder Structure |
Explanation:
. BUP = Backup files of the IFO files.
. IFO = The IFO files includes
information such as chapters, subtitle tracks and audio tracks.
. VOB = The VOB files contains the actual video,audio,subtitles
and menus.
Folder |
Files |
Explanation |
AUDIO_TS |
(undefined) |
DVD Audio |
VIDEO_TS |
VIDEO_TS.BUP |
|
|
VIDEO_TS.IFO |
The
first video play item, IFO, usally a copyright
notice or a menu |
|
VIDEO_TS.VOB |
The
first video play item, VOB |
|
VTS_01_0.BUP |
|
|
VTS_01_0.IFO |
Title
01, IFO,
usually the main movie |
|
VTS_01_0.VOB |
Title
01, VOB 0, the menu for this title |
|
VTS_01_1.VOB |
Title
01, VOB 1, the video for this title |
|
VTS_01_2.VOB |
Title
01, VOB 2, if larger than 1 GB it will
be splitted into several vobs |
|
VTS_01_3.VOB |
Title
01, VOB 3 |
|
VTS_01_4.VOB |
Title
01, VOB 4, up to 10(0-9) VOB files if necassary |
|
VTS_02_0.BUP |
|
|
VTS_02_0.IFO |
Title
02, IFO,
usually movie extras |
|
VTS_02_0.VOB |
Title
02, VOB 0, the menu for this title |
|
VTS_02_1.VOB |
Title
02, VOB 1, the video for this title |
|
VTS_xx_x.BUP |
|
|
VTS_xx_x.IFO |
And so on |
|
VTS_xx_x.VOB |
|
|
VTS_xx_x.VOB |
|
|
VTS_99_9.VOB |
Up to 99(1-99)
titles with max 10(0-9) VOB files each |
Format |
VCD |
SVCD |
DVD |
DivX XviD WMV |
MOV |
ASF SMR nAVI |
RM |
DV |
Resolution NTSC PAL |
352x240 352x288 |
480x480 480x576 |
720x480 720x576² |
640x480² |
640x480² |
320x240² |
320x240² |
720x480 720x576 |
Video Compression |
MPEG1 |
MPEG2 |
MPEG2, MPEG1 |
MPEG4 |
Sorenson, Cinepak, MPEG4 |
MPEG4 |
RM |
DV |
Video bitrate kbit/sec |
1150 kbit/s |
1000~2500 kbit/s |
3000~9000 kbit/s |
300~1000 kbit/s |
300~2000 kbit/s |
100~500 kbit/s |
100~500 kbit/s |
25 Mbit/s |
Audio Compression |
MP1 |
MP1 |
MP1, MP2,
AC3, DTS, PCM |
MP3, WMA,
OGG, AAC, AC3 |
Sorenson,
Cinepak, MP3 |
MP3, WMA |
RM |
DV |
Audio bitrate kbit/sec |
224 kbit/s |
128~384 kbit/s |
192~448 kbit/s |
64~448 kbit/s |
64~192 kbit/s |
64~128 kbit/s |
64~128 kbit/s |
1000~1500 kbit/s |
Size/min |
10 MB/min |
10 - 20 MB/min |
30 - 70 MB/min |
1 - 10 MB/min |
1 - 20 MB/min |
1 - 5 MB/min |
1 - 5 MB/min |
216 MB/min |
Min/74min CD |
74min |
35-60min |
15-20min |
60-180min |
60-180min |
120-300min |
120-300min |
3min |
Hours/DVDR |
N/A |
N/A |
2-4hrs (3-7hrsª) |
13-26hrs |
13-26hrs |
26-40hrs |
26-40hrs |
20min |
DVD Player Compatibility |
Great |
Good |
Excellent |
Few |
None |
None |
None |
None |
Computer CPU Usage |
Low |
High |
Very High |
Very High |
High |
Low |
Low |
High |
Quality |
Good |
Great* |
Excellent* |
Great* |
Great* |
Decent* |
Decent* |
Excellent |
² approximately
resolution, it can be higher or lower ~ approximately bitrate, it can be higher or lower ª DVD with lower video quality,
similiar to VCD/SVCD video quality * the video quality depends on the bitrate and the video resolution, higher bitrate
and higher resolution generally means better vid |
|
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