Disc Format, Capabilities and Capacity

Introduction

The purpose of this article is to provide a quick introduction to the most common DVD types. Notice that it's essential to understand these formats before starting to burn DVD discs. DVD stands for Digital Versatile Disc (or Digital Video Disc as well) and it was designed for digital media storage, more specifically for replacing the previous VHS and SVHS technology. A DVD is basically a CD with larger capacity; but the DVD has two major attributes that makes it different from the CD: The ability to store data on both sides of the disc, and with dual data layers on each side as well. The total DVD capacity ranges from 4.7 to 17.1 GB. DVD Applications The DVD disc is a highly versatile discs, due to its different applications. Below is a brief description of the most common applications for DVD: DVD-Video, introduced in 1997, it has become the most successful format due to the ability of storing high quality movies with surround sound and several languages. DVD-ROM is the most immediate replacement for the CD-ROM format since it provides a much higher capacity for games and media. This format has been adopted by gaming consoles such as Microsoft's XBox and Sony's PS2 already. DVD-Audio, introduced in 2000, is slowly expanding into the music industry by offering a very high quality music with special features such as surround sound. Recordable Formats such as DVD-RAM and DVD-R are being rapidly extended to the computer area because of its high capacity which can be used for backup and games. DVD Physical Structure A DVD disc has the same physical dimensions than those from the CD, but it's composed by two substrates attached by a bonding layer in the middle, with a structure similar to a sandwich.

Each substrate is 0.6 mm thick. The above view corresponds to a double sided DVD, which stores information on both disc sides.

Formats and Capacities

Name DVD-5 DVD-9 DVD-10 DVD-14** DVD-18** indicated cap 4.7 GB 8.5 GB 9.4 GB 13.2 GB 17.1 GB actual cap 4.38 GB 7.92 GB 8.76 GB 12.29 GB 15.9 GB sides/ layers 1/1 1/2 2/1 2 / 1+2 2/2 max time 120 mins 4 hrs 4 hrs 8 hrs 8 hrs

* The indicated disc capacities are higher than the useable ones because they consider each GB as 1000 MB, while in computers 1 GB equals to 1024 MB. ** The DVD-14 is a double sided disc, one of them is single layer while the other is dual layer. This one and DVD18 are extremely hard to manufacture and are for all practical purposes not available commercially.

DVD-5 (4.7 GB) single sided / single layer

The DVD-5 is the simplest type of disc, because it features and unique data layer on one of its sides. Its effective capacity is 4.38 GB, and its structure is very similar to the used in the CD.

These discs can have a printed label on the unused side.

This is the simplest disc format and is known as DVD-5. It holds 4.7 GB of data, seven times the capacity of a CD. DVD-5 can hold 120 minutes of digital video and audio (DVD-video) or 74 minutes of high-resolution music (DVDaudio). Tip: The "5" in DVD-5 stands for the nearly 5 GB of data a single-sided, single-layered disc can hold.

DVD-9 (8.5 GB) single sided / dual layer

The single sided, dual layer DVD-9 features two reflective surfaces on the same side of the disc, and this provides almost twice the capacity of the single layered DVD-5. The reading laser can read each layer independently. This provides 7.92 GB for data storage.

Its capacity is slightly smaller than twice the single layer version because its pits are 10% longer to make the second layer easier to read. This disc can be have a label on the unused side.

DVDs can layer data. This is referred to as dual layering. A single-sided, dual-layered disc, which is also known as DVD-9, holds 8.5 GB of data. The benefit of layering is that the DVD player automatically switches to the next layer of data by refocusing the laser. Thus, you never have to turn the disc over. A layered disc format is often used commercially to add bonus features to a film on a single disc. DVD-9 can hold 4 hours of data.

DVD-10 (9.4 GB) double sided / single layer

The DVD-10 disc uses both sides to store data, each of them with a single reflective layer. Its capacity doubles the one from the DVD-5. To playback the other side of the disc, the disc must be extracted and turned over in most drives.

Since both sides of the disc contain data, the label printing can only be done on a thin ring in the center of the disc.

Known as DVD-10, this format holds more data than any single-sided format. The capacity is 9.4 GB. You see this type of disc when you rent a movie and have to pick between watching the widescreen version on one side and the full-screen version on the opposite side. All double-sided, singled-layered discs require manual intervention to turn the disc over. They also hold about 4 hours worth of data.

DVD-18 (17.1 GB) double sided / dual layer

DVD-18 provides the highest capacity of the DVD family, because it stores data on both sides using a dual layer structure on each of them. This provides almost 16 GB for effective storage.

This type of DVD is the most complex to manufacture, because the four data layers must be stamped on the same substrate. In the DVD-Video family, these discs usually contain a movie in Widescreen on one of its sides and the Fullscreen version on the other side.

This is the largest capacity disc -- it supports up to 17 GB of data. Also known as DVD-18, it doubles the capacity of a single-sided, dual-layered disc. Eight hours of DVD-video can be included. These discs are not used regularly in the commercial realm of DVD production. Note also that you have to turn this disc over to play the entire contents of the disc.

Recordable DVD Formats Understanding how DVDs store data on different layers and sides is just part of what you need to know before buying DVDs for your own system. There are three recordable DVD formats to choose from so to make a knowledgeable decision about the best format for you, you need to understand each format and how they differ from each other. The three DVD recordable formats are: DVD-R/RW DVD+R/RW DVD-RAM

Remember, not all DVD players or recorders can play all these types of DVDs, so check the documentation that came with your device to understand which options are available to you.

DVD-R/RW This format is pronounced "DVD dash R" for the write-once DVD-R and "DVD dash RW" for the rewritable DVDRW. The write-once format was created along with the DVD in 1997, whereas the rewritable format was developed in 1999. Both are backward compatible to most DVD players. These discs are single-sided and singlelayered. Note: Backward compatibility allows any DVD player to read the information on a DVD-R/RW formatted disc. With DVD-R, you can record to the disc only once, and the original recording can never be erased. DVD-RW, on the other hand, allows you to reuse the disc to record over previously recorded segments. The Sony DVPNS90Vplays both these formats, as well as others. There are two types of DVD-R: Authoring and General. DVD-R Authoring allows the creation of content for commercial use. This type of DVD-R requires special equipment. DVD-R General, on the other hand, is for consumer use. With DVD-R General, backward compatibility is assumed at 90 percent, so any DVD player should be able to play your recorded DVD. The DVD-R is perfect for copying home videos or data that you want to keep a long time. It can not be recorded over and experts project the durable DVD-R will safely store your data up to 100 years. Tip: When buying DVD-R discs, buy the discs labeled "DVD-R General Format," which is for consumer use. DVD-RW records video and data incrementally and then uses a finalization process to complete the recording at the end. This completion process allows the disc to be backward compatible with most DVD players, and the disc is expected to last up to 30 years. You can view a DVD-RW disc on any newer DVD player purchased in the last 2 years, like the SonyDVP-NC80V/S 5-Disc Progressive Scan Changer. Note that this is not the type of disc you want to use when copying your home videos to DVD for the first time. This disc is more suited to recording disposable programming, such as television programs, for later viewing. DVD+R/RW This format is pronounced "DVD plus R" for the write-once DVD+R and "DVD plus RW" for the rewritable DVD+RW. In a switch from the norm, the rewriteable format was actually made available in 2001, followed by the write-once format in 2002. The DVD+R/RW format competes with the DVD-R/RW format. Backward compatibility is also an option with the DVD+R/RW formats. Approximately 85 percent of old DVD players support DVD+R and 65 percent support DVD+RW but newer DVD Players, like the Sony DVP-NS70H, support both these formats easily. These discs are packaged in both single-sided, single-layered and double-sided, single-layered options.

This format gives you more flexibility when recording video. The DVD+R format allows you to perform edits up until the disc is finalized, and the finalization process is quicker than with DVD-R discs. You can record in high quality/standard play with up to 500 lines of resolution or in long play/extended play with 250 lines of resolution. The format supports recording in CAV (constant angular velocity) and CLV (constant linear velocity). Warning: DVD players cannot read CAV recordings. If you use this type of disc, record using CLV mode only. The DVD+R/RW format is a perfectly acceptable format to use; however, it's slightly less backward compatible than the DVD-R/RW format. That means you may not be able to view your copied DVD+R/RW discs when you purchase a new machine, and your friends may not be able to view your home movies on their DVD players. DVD-RAM The final recordable format is DVD-RAM (DVD-random access memory), pronounced just how it looks -- "DVD ram." This disc type has been available since 1998. It stores data in random, non-linear blocks. For video editing, this is beneficial. You can cut and insert edited video without having to re-record edited video in sequential order. This format also minimizes content loss by checking for defects in the disc and then recording only in nondefective areas of the disc. Warning: This product is not widely supported by manufacturers and is not compatible with all DVD players. Most manufacturers are developing DVD recorders that support more than one format. If you value your choice of format, opt for a machine that supports multiple formats, like the Sony SLV-D560P DVD/VCR Progressive Scan Combo Player. This player supports both DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW. DVD-RAM will probably not evolve as the format of choice. Once you understand the difference between the various DVD types and formats, deciding on the best DVD, DVD recording device, and DVD player is easy. Knowing which formats are backwards compatible and which are likely to disappear in the future means you can make informed choices that will ensure your home movies, favorite television shows, and cherished audio collection can be safely and securely stored on durable DVDs for long-term enjoyment.