Video CD Vs. DVD
The multimedia market has seen a significant increase in the discs provided to consumers. Formats such as VCD, DVD, SVCD, MPEG can be confusing to the average customer who simply wants to purchase a movie. In addition, each disc format comes with its own set of playback restrictions. The hierarchy of these discs quality is as follows: 1) DVD (digital video recorder); 2) SVCD (super video compact disc); and 3) VCD (video compact disc).
What is a Video CD?
A video CD is a video compact disc that stores moving pictures and sound. A video CD can hold up to eighty minutes of footage on a 700 MB compact disc. Full motion and stereo sound is included in this capacity.
Playback for the Video Compact Disc
A video CD can be played back on almost all DVD players; computers with a CD-ROM; computers with DVD-ROM; Sega Saturn with a VCD add-on; and Dreamcast with VCD add-on.
What is a DVD?
The DVD or digital video is dominating the market in the preferred consumer format. A DVD’s storage capacity is up to four hours of video and audio. This enables movie production houses to offer additional features on a DVD because the capacity is so large.
DVDs that are targeted for consumer release have extra features such as alternative endings, a photo gallery, deleted scenes, an interview with the director and/or producer, box office trailer release, teasers, and television and radio advertisements. These features are important to the production houses because the targeted audience can now have a deeper understanding of the film. Also the director’s vision and character motivations can become clear.
Playback for the DVD
A DVD can be played back on all computers with a CD/DVD ROM and all DVD players. It can also be played back on Playstation 2 and 3, Xbox. Xbox 360, and Panasonic Q, and the Nintendo Wii when it comes out.
Video CD or a DVD?
Clearly, the benefits of the DVD far outweigh those of the Video CD, although the DVD is more expensive. DVD is the industry standard with a four-hour storage capacity that allows for bonus features, although high-quality video and stereo sound can be stored in both.
The DVD’s playback options do not require consumers to purchase any add-ons.
The DVD is built with the specifications for chapters that allow for easy navigation. Viewers can continue watching a movie that’s been paused from where they left it without starting from the very beginning.
Tags: compact disc, computers with, played back, video compact, digital video