DVD

Lore & Background

The DVD format emerged from a format war between two competing designs: the Multimedia Compact Disc (MMCD) backed by Philips and Sony, and the Super Density (SD) disc supported by Toshiba, Time Warner, and others. In May 1995, five computer companies (IBM, Apple, Compaq, Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft) threatened to boycott both formats unless a single standard was agreed upon. After compromises, including adopting the EFMPlus source code from MMCD and the dual-layer reading method from SD, the unified DVD specification was finalized on December 8, 1995.

The format launched in Japan on November 1, 1996, with music video releases, followed by Warner Home Video titles on December 20, 1996. The U.S. launch was delayed multiple times, finally occurring on March 24, 1997, in seven test markets with about 32 titles. A nationwide rollout followed on August 22, 1997. DVD players outsold VCRs for the first time in the United States in 2001, and by 2007 about 80% of Americans owned a DVD player.

Reader's Guide

The DVD format's significance lies in its successful replacement of the VHS tape as the primary consumer video distribution format, offering higher storage capacity than compact discs while maintaining the same physical dimensions. A standard single-layer DVD stores up to 4.7 GB, dual-layer up to 8.5 GB, and dual-layer double-sided discs up to 17.08 GB. The format also enabled new applications: game consoles such as the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and Xbox 360 used DVDs as their source medium, and contemporary Windows games were distributed on DVD. The term 'DVD' became popularly used in English to describe a full-length movie released on the format. The DVD Forum, established to promote broad acceptance of DVD products, continues to publish specifications as DVD Books. The format's legacy includes its role in the transition from analog to digital home entertainment, though it has since been largely superseded by streaming and Blu-ray.

Did You Know?

• The name DVD originally stood for 'digital video disc' but was changed to 'digital versatile disc' after computer companies complained it left out their applications.
• A standard single-layer DVD can store up to 4.7 GB of data, while a dual-layer double-sided DVD can store up to 17.08 GB.
• DVD players outsold VCRs for the first time in the United States in 2001.
• The first major Warner Home Video DVD releases arrived on December 20, 1996, with four titles.