What's so good about a DVD player

By Katharine MacColl

�

What exactly is a DVD

A DVD is very similar to a CD, but it has a much larger data capacity.

�

What films are now available on DVD

Nearly every film produced today is available on DVD and many older movies are being moved to DVD format.

�

What does DVD stand for

DVD stands for Digital Versatile Discs.

�

How much does a DVD player cost

The players cost anything from �150 to �2000.

�

How much do DVD discs cost

The discs range in price from �14 to �30.

�

What are the typical contents of a DVD movie then

You get up to 133 minutes of high resolution video in letterbox or pan-and-scan format. The soundtrack is produced in up to eight different languages with Dolby Stereo Surround, and the film itself will have subtitles in up to 32 languages.

�

What else can DVDs be used for

You can also store almost eight hours worth of CD quaility music on your DVD, although this isn't as popular for some reason.

�

What difference does it make to watching movies at home

DVD players can change the way you watch films and listen to music at home. Firstly, they are said to improve the quality of the picture and the sound and they are more versatile than video recorders, because

you can skip to your favourite part of the movie as there is a screen index. You can watch the movie in different formats, play audio CDs and some DVDs have a commentary track during which the film-maker talks as the movie is running. That is seriously exciting for movie buffs. Some DVDs also carry extra unreleased scenes and a DVD is sometimes a director's cut so it's the film the director originally intended to make.

�

When was the first DVD produced and how many are there now

The first DVD came on the market in March 1997 and over 10 million have since been produced.

�

Can DVDs record from the TV

DVDs are currently unable to record from the analogue TV signal, but you can record some data from your computer on to DVD.

�

If you have any more questions to ask about film and TV click here