DVDs have been around for a few decades now, and while they’ve largely been outclassed by later formats, they’ve found a way to stick around and remain popular. It’s not because of the picture or audio quality, because I can tell you that it falls far behind both 4K Blu-ray and regular Blu-ray. You might wonder why DVDs can’t just step it up and offer a better experience, but there’s a good reason for that.
The thing that forever holds DVD back is the fact that a dual-layer DVD can hold up to 8.5 GB, which pales in comparison to the dual-layer 4K Blu-ray disc that boasts 66 GB of space. I don’t need to do the math for you to realize that that’s a massive difference in size. Size isn’t everything, at least that’s how the saying goes, but it is here. A DVD can only fit so much on it before it’s jam-packed and has to cut corners. Those cut corners are diminished picture and audio quality. This is a big reason why you are capped at 480p and compressed audio in some cases. To be fair, it’s sort of amazing to see new movies come out on DVD with these types of limitations today, so I tip my cap to them. HD-DVDs could get up to 30 GB, but we all see how that format came and went. As a result, we have to deal with ~10 GB and accept them for what they are.
Blu-ray and DVD technology
Trivia challenge
From spinning discs to high-definition glory — how much do you really know about Blu-ray and DVD?
HistoryHardwareFormatsCapacityStandards
In what year was the DVD format officially launched for consumer use?
That’s right! DVD was officially launched in Japan in November 1996, before rolling out to North America in 1997. The format was developed by a consortium of major electronics companies including Sony, Panasonic, and Philips.
Not quite — DVD launched in Japan in November 1996. It then made its way to North American markets in 1997, quickly displacing VHS as the dominant home video format over the following years.
What colour laser does a standard Blu-ray player use to read discs?
Correct! Blu-ray players use a blue-violet laser with a wavelength of 405nm. This shorter wavelength compared to the red laser used in DVDs allows data to be packed much more densely on the disc surface.
The answer is blue-violet, with a wavelength of 405nm. This is actually what gives Blu-ray its name. The shorter wavelength compared to the red laser in DVDs is what enables the significantly higher storage capacity.
What is the storage capacity of a standard single-layer Blu-ray disc?
Spot on! A single-layer Blu-ray disc holds 25GB of data. Dual-layer discs double that to 50GB, while newer BDXL triple-layer discs can hold up to 100GB, making them ideal for 4K Ultra HD content.
The correct answer is 25GB for a single-layer Blu-ray disc. Dual-layer discs hold 50GB, which is why most feature films are released on dual-layer media to accommodate high-bitrate video and lossless audio tracks.
Which format did Blu-ray defeat in the high-definition disc format war of the mid-2000s?
Exactly right! Blu-ray defeated HD DVD in a format war that concluded in early 2008. The turning point came when Warner Bros. announced it would exclusively support Blu-ray, prompting Toshiba to discontinue HD DVD shortly after.
The correct answer is HD DVD, backed primarily by Toshiba and Microsoft. The format war ended in February 2008 when Toshiba officially discontinued HD DVD after Warner Bros. threw its exclusive support behind Blu-ray.
What is the maximum video resolution supported by a standard Blu-ray disc (not Ultra HD)?
That’s correct! Standard Blu-ray supports up to 1080p (Full HD) resolution at up to 60 frames per second. It was a massive leap over DVD’s 480p standard definition, and helped drive widespread adoption of HD televisions.
Standard Blu-ray tops out at 1080p Full HD resolution. This was a significant upgrade over DVD’s 480p and helped establish the format as the premium home video choice — until 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray arrived to raise the bar again.
Which company originally developed the DVD format alongside JVC, Sony, and others?
Correct! Philips was one of the founding members of the DVD Consortium alongside Sony, Panasonic, Hitachi, JVC, and others. Philips had already co-developed the CD format with Sony, so its involvement in DVD was a natural progression.
The answer is Philips, which co-developed the DVD standard alongside Sony, Panasonic, JVC, and Hitachi among others. Philips had significant experience in optical disc technology, having previously co-invented the CD with Sony back in the early 1980s.
What laser wavelength does a standard DVD player use to read discs?
Well done! DVD players use a red laser with a wavelength of 650nm. This is shorter than the 780nm infrared laser used in CD players, allowing DVDs to store more data, but longer than Blu-ray’s 405nm laser which enables even denser storage.
DVD players use a 650nm red laser. For comparison, CD players use a 780nm infrared laser, while Blu-ray uses a 405nm blue-violet laser. The progression to shorter wavelengths is what has driven increases in optical disc storage capacity over the decades.
What does the acronym ‘BD-ROM’ stand for in Blu-ray terminology?
Correct! BD-ROM stands for Blu-ray Disc Read-Only Memory. It is the standard format used for commercially pressed Blu-ray movies and games, as opposed to BD-R (recordable) or BD-RE (rewritable) formats used for home recording.
BD-ROM stands for Blu-ray Disc Read-Only Memory. This is the pre-pressed, non-recordable format you find on commercial movie and game releases. The Blu-ray family also includes BD-R for write-once recording and BD-RE for rewritable discs.
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DVDs make good with what they have
Can’t fault them there
There was a period when DVDs were the new kid on the block, and there was a lot of hype around them. You didn’t have to worry about rewinding a tape or a super grainy image anymore. DVD felt revolutionary, but times are way different now. Even the smallest Blu-ray disc is larger than a DVD, and that’s why I’d encourage people to move up just one format to get better quality. Blu-ray offers 1080p and, in some cases for newer discs, Dolby Atmos. With 4K TVs being so prevalent now, I don’t see any reason you’d want to pop in a DVD and watch a 480p image on a 2160p display.
The problem with DVDs is that this is the best they’re ever going to be, and if you want something of higher quality, you just need to get a different format. That’s tough for some people who only have DVD players, but you might already own a Blu-ray player without realizing it. The PS3 was one of the best Blu-ray players of its time, and every subsequent PlayStation after that can play Blu-ray discs. The same goes for the Xbox One, so if you have a game console, you already have a way to play a newer format.
I won’t sit here and say DVDs have no value in today’s world, because that’s obviously not true. DVD often offers a low-cost way to see if you like a movie before committing to a 4K Blu-ray version of it. It’s nearly impossible to beat the deals you can find on them at thrift stores and used disc shops. As long as you know it won’t be the best quality you can find, I don’t have much of a problem with it. I’ve found countless TV seasons on DVD for practically free, so I’m not complaining. I prefer having shows on Blu-ray or 4K Blu-ray, but sometimes a deal is too good to pass up.
A smaller disc size is good for this reason alone
It keeps the costs down
If you’ve noticed anything about the physical media world surrounding the Nintendo Switch, it’s that companies come up with many excuses to avoid shipping on the cartridge. Some companies have decided it’s not worth the price of paying for a cartridge because it’s too expensive, and Nintendo countered with smaller cartridges to make it more appealing to go full physical. It’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but DVD can stay as cheap as it is because these discs are just easier to get and manufacture.
4K discs are the best available on the market, but they’re also the most expensive. With production costs being low for a DVD, it’s easier to sell them at a lower price. Due to their lower price, people tend to gravitate toward them. Personally, I haven’t picked up a new DVD in an extremely long time, probably before 2010 even, so I’m not the target audience here. Statistically, I’m an outlier, because the DVD format is still the most popular among buyers. I don’t have all the answers as to why people are on board with DVD more than they are Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray, but I figure price has to be some factor. It’s also worth mentioning that there are legitimate people out there who can’t tell the difference between DVDs and 4K Blu-ray. I’m not one of those people, but they’re definitely out there.
