DVD Demystified Third Edition

Overview

U.S DVD sales will top $8.1 billion in 2002, an increase of over 50%, according to Adams Media Research. DVD sales this year surpassed video, even though only 30% of households have DVD players (compared to 90% for VCRs). In August 2002 the New York Times dubbed DVD “the most successful home entertainment device in history…a true pop-culture phenomenon.” DVD Demystified has served as DVD’s bible since the format first shipped in 1997. Demystifying not only basic technology issues but detailing production and authoring processes, making sense out of the plethora of battling video, audio, and data formats, and clearly explaining how DVD standards and specs dovetail or clash with related digital media standards, this book has not only become DVD’s standard reference, but also required reading for DVD enthusiasts who wanting to peer behind the scenes and figure out how to get the most from their technology. Since then, Jim Taylor has become DVD’s most visible guru, now President of the DVD Association, author of the internet DVD FAQ, and profiled by E!Online and DVD Report. This third edition will be almost completely rewritten to cover the major technology, format, and standard changes of the past three years, and will once again include a DVD designed to show the extreme limits of performance of this dynamic technology.

Table of contents

FOREWORD
TABLE OF FIGURES
TABLE OF TABLES
PREFACE
Introduction
Chapter 1: The World Before DVD
Chapter 2: DVD Arrives
Chapter 3: Technology Primer
Chapter 4: Features
Chapter 5: Content Protection
Chapter 6: Overview of the Formats
Chapter 7: Red Laser Physical Disc Formats
Chapter 8: Blue Laser Physical Disc Formats
Chapter 9: Application Details
Chapter 10: Players
Chapter 11: Myths
Chapter 12: What's Wrong with DVD
Chapter 13: New Interaction Paradigms
Chapter 14: DVD in Home, Business, and Education
Chapter 15: DVD on Computers
Chapter 16: Production Essentials
Chapter 17: DVD and Beyond
APPENDIX A: REFERENCE DATA
APPENDIX B: STANDARDS RELATED TO DVD
APPENDIX C: REFERENCES AND INFORMATION SOURCES
GLOSSARY
INDEX

Biographical note

Jim Taylor is Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Advanced Technology Group at Sonic Solutions, the leading developer of DVD and CD creation software. In addition to writing the first two editions of DVD Demystified, Jim is the author of Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About DVD, a book version of his acclaimed Internet DVD FAQ. Called a "minor tech legend" by E! Online, Jim is recognized worldwide as an expert on DVD and associated technology. Jim has actively participated in DVD Forum working groups since 1998 and serves as Chairman of the DVD Association. Jim was named one of the 21 most influential DVD executives by DVD Report, received the 2000 DVD Pro Discus Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Industry, was an inaugural inductee into the Digital Media Hall of Fame, and was named one of the pioneers of DVD by One to One magazine. Jim has worked with interactive media for over 25 years, developing educational software, laserdiscs, CD-ROMs, Web sites, and DVDs, and has taught workshops and courses on multimedia, computer-based education, computer applications, and DVD. Formerly VP of Information Technology at Videodiscovery, an educational multimedia publishing company, Jim then championed the format as Microsoft’s DVD Evangelist before joining Daikin U.S. as Chief Technology Officer. Jim Taylor lives on an island near Seattle, Washington.

Mark R. Johnson is the Vice President of Technology at Technicolor Creative Services (TCS), a Thomson company, and is a member of Technicolor’s HD Optical Launch Team. Mark actively participates in both the DVD Forum and Blu-ray Disc Association as a contributing member. As an award-winning DVD author, Mark helped set Technicolor's standards and practices with blockbuster titles such as Disney’s "Snow White" and "Beauty and the Beast." Prior to that, he was the "go to" guy at Daikin U.S. where he was the Product Manager for the Scenarist DVD authoring system. Formerly the Chief Technology Officer of DVant Digital, Mark was then known for his breakthroughs in advanced applications of the DVD specification. Mark lives in Pasadena, CA.

Charles G. Crawford (aka Chuck) has been involved with DVD technology since 1998 when he wrote the Operations and Reference Manuals for Panasonic's award winning DVD Authoring System. He thought the technology was so cutting edge that he convinced his partner to incorporate DVD title development into their line of products and services. Chuck comes from the world of broadcasting and production. He has been awarded three national EMMY awards for technical and directorial expertise and numerous other broadcast and DVD industry awards for his production skills. He is the Co-Founder of Television Production Services, Inc. (TPS), and Heritage Series, LLC, both production companies specializing in traditional and interactive video production and title development. Chuck lives in Washington, DC.

Back cover copy

"This series has launched many a DVD career including my own and should be required reading in any world class DVD facility… a perfect resource for any DVD professional or novice." -- Benn Carr, VP of New Technology, Walt Disney Studios, Burbank, CA

"Even DVD experts need a place to turn to for guidance, advice and reference. DVD Demystified IS THE place." -- Andy Evans, Chairman, The Pavement, London, England

"Jim Taylor is the smartest guy on the planet when it comes to DVD. Add Mark Johnson and Chuck Crawford and there's nothing this team can't help you with. No matter what you need to find out about DVD, this book gives you the answers you can understand, use, and count on." -- Fred Grossberg, President, Mill Reef Video, Washington, DC

REVISED AND EXPANDED INCLUDING THE NEWEST TECHNOLOGIES, FORMATS, AND PRODUCTION DETAILS

DVD INCLUDED
Hybrid DVD-Video/DVD-ROM
Showcases dynamic application of DVD technology with samples from Dolby, DTS, THX, IMAX, Joe Kane Productions, Microsoft, Widescreen Review, and others * Plus audio/video tests, WebDVD, HTML files, spreadsheets, and more

THE LEGENDARY GUIDE TO EVERYTHING DVD
Driving a business of over $50 billion per year, DVD is the all-encompassing media technology that has reshaped entertainment, professional video, business communications, and computing.

This updated edition of the renowned, reader-friendly guide defines, demystifies, and details DVD and related technologies. This book is a MUST read if . . .
You're in the audio/video or entertainment business
You're a multimedia developer
You work with educational technology or industrial training
You're an IT professional or technology consultant
You're a filmmaker or a musician
You cover cutting-edge technology as a journalist or analyst
You can't afford thousands of dollars for the standards and specifications books
You read the standards and specifications books but didn’t understand them
You're a technovideoaudiophile
You want to be in the know, up to speed, and on the leading edge of this fascinating technology