DVD Video


DVD Video is the original home theater application for DVD technology.

The standard audio format for DVD Video is Dolby Digital. Dolby Digital is a 5.1 channel audio standard, but not all DVD videos will be recorded in that many channels. The decision as to how much of the audio standard's potential to use is up to the team conducting the transfer of the original material. Older movies recorded in mono aren't likely to be presented in more than 1 channel, unless it has been through a processing of remastering and specifically states that it is 5.1 channels on the box.
Usually a DVD is encoded with Mpeg-2, a method of compressing hours of audio and video onto disc. Although Mpeg-2 reproduces near-perfect audio and video, it is in fact a "lossy" compression method. This means that Mpeg-2 removes redundant information or information that it decides is beyond human perception. There are instances when the losses do in fact show in the form of subtle visual flaws. Flaws in Mpeg-2 can be attributed to poor processing on the part of the part of the DVD player or trying to use too much compression in the transfer to DVD. Sometimes these visible flaws are called artifacts and can be present in the video for a variety of reasons.

The audio quality of Dolby Digital presented on a DVD Video disc is excellent, but it's still encoded in lossy compression. The amount of loss depends on the processing ability of the player and on the amount of compression applied at the point of the soundtrack's transfer.

DTS is an alternative audio soundtrack that appears on many DVDs. Its compression is arguably less lossy than Dolby Digital. This means it takes up more space on the disc but also has potential to provide higher audio quality.