1 - How it Works
A DVD player emits a laser beam onto the surface of the disc which enables it to read/decode the data. A DVD player decodes the video and transforms it into a standard composite video signal. The player also decodes the audio stream and sends it to a Dolby decoder, where it is amplified and sent to the speakers. The DVD drive consists of a drive motor to spin the disc, a laser and lens system that helps to focus the laser on the bumps and read them and a tracking system that ensures the laser is on the right spiral track.
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2 - Types of DVD Players
- Single disc DVD Player: This is the standard DVD player that can play only one disc at a time. This player is usually connected to the television.
- DVD Player with Screen: This is the portable variety of DVD players. They come with LCD screens up to 10-inch diagonal attached that make them convenient to watch movies almost anywhere. Some are transportable units but do not come with built-in or attached screens.
- Multi-disc DVD Player: This type of DVD player also referred to as DVD Jukeboxes can store from 2 to 3 to 30 to even 403 discs at a time. This is ideal for those who intend to use their players to play their CDs
- Multi Regional DVD Players: DVD-Video disc contain one or more region codes, which denotes the area of the world where it can be distributed and played back. This helps motion picture studios to control or restrict the many aspects of a movies release, including the content, data and price. All pre-recorded DVDs have one of six regional codes and region-locked DVD Players can only play DVDs from the region that it is permitted/tuned to play. A multi regional DVD player can play DVDs from any region allowing for a widest range of DVDs.
Zone |
Region converter |
Zone 1 |
USA , Canada |
Zone 2 |
Europe, South Africa, Japan, Middle East (including Egypt) |
Zone 3 |
South Korea , Hong Kong, Taiwan |
Zone 4 |
Australia , New Zealand, Latin America |
Zone 5 |
Africa, India, Asia |
Zone 6 |
China |
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Not all DVD players can play different format DVDs. Most DVD players play CDs. There are many DVD formats to choose from. The main formats among them are: DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD RAM. |
- DVD-R: a recordable DVD format, it is similar to DVD+R. Data can be recorded only once on the disc after which it becomes permanent. Within DVD-R formats there are two additional standards; DVD-RG for general use and DVD-RA for authoring.
- DVD-RW: a re-recordable format, it is similar to CD-RW and DVD+RW. Data on this disc can be erased and recorded over a number of times without causing much damage to the disc.
- DVD-ROM: was the first DVD standard to hit the market and is a read-only format.
- DVD-RAM: can be recorded and erased repeatedly but are compatible only with devices manufactured by companies that support the DVD-RAM format and are typically housed in cartridges.
- DVD+R: is a recordable DVD format similar to CD-R and can record data only once and then the data becomes permanent on the disc after which it cannot be recorded onto a second time.
- DVD+RW: is a re-recordable format similar to CD-RW. The data on a DVD+RW disc can be erased and recorded over numerous times without damaging the medium.
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4 - Progressive Scan
Progressive scanning or non-interlaced scanning is a method by which moving images are stored, transmitted or displayed by drawing the lines of each frame in a sequence. It is in essence a method used for painting images on a television screen where an entire single frame is painted/drawn every 1/60th of a second.
Progressive scanning presents images in greater detail on the screen and causes fewer flickers than in interlaced scanning. The television displays that are capable of progressive scanning are also capable of performing de-interlacing. This enables interlaced videos to be viewed on progressive scan TVs. Most DTVs and DVD videos are now enabled with progressive scan technology. In must be kept in mind that both the devices the DVD player and the display or TV must be progressive scan compatible, otherwise progressive scan technology will be futile.
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5 - File Formats
A file format is a way to encode information on a DVD/CD. DVD players may not play all compression file formats. Therefore it is important to get yourself acquainted with the different file formats available. Here are some file formats that are widely used.
MPEG-1 file for VCD: A Video Compact disc is nothing but a video format of a movie copied on a CD-ROM. It can be read CD-ROMs, VCD players, or even DVD players.
MPEG-2 file for DVD: MPEG-2 is used on DVDs, satellite television, digital cable TV and HDTV. MPEG-2 is highly compressed files of good quality. They can be played on most DVD players as well as on windows based computers with CD-ROM drive and MPEG-2 playback codec.
JPEG/JFIF: It is the format most used for storing and transmitting photographs on the World Wide Web. The name JPEG stands for Joint Photographic Experts Group. Not many DVD players are capable of playing JPEG format images.
| MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3: More commonly referred to as MP3, it is a popular digital audio encoding and compression format. In common usage, MP3 also refers to files of sound or music recordings stored in the MP3 format on computers. Most DVD players do play MP3 formats discs. |
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Windows Media Audio (WMA): Developed by Microsoft, WMA is a compressed audio file format and is a part of the windows media framework. Most DVD players support the playback of WMA files. WMA trails MP3 files in popularity and in the number of devices it is supported by.
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6 - Outputs
Before purchasing a DVD Player you must check to see what kind of inputs your TV has and ensure that the player is in conformance with it. Component video provides the best quality in sound and picture followed by S-video and thereafter composite video.
- Composite-video outputs: Essentially a video connection, composite video outputs are used for sending and receiving analog signals between a television set and a VHS tape player, DVD player or a game console or any electronic device. It is often a yellow female RCA jack that is accompanied by two audio jack colored red and white. This transmission is done either directly or with the help of intermediate devices such as an amplifier or receiver. The quality of transmission is not as good as the S-video and component video outputs.
- Component-video outputs: If your TV can support component-video output signals then it is advisable to purchase a DVD player with a component video output. DVD players with this output usually have three RCA jacks which are colored/coded green, blue, and red. This output provides better quality video signals to from the DVD player to the television. Usually only high-end TVs support this output. Component video outputs come in two type; progressive and interlaced.
- S-video outputs: A separate video or S-Video output is an analog video signal that carries the video data as two separate signals, unlike composite video output which carries the entire set of signals in one package. S-Video connections are more common and provide very good picture quality.
- Coaxial digital output and optical digital output: These outputs provide the highest-quality audio signals. They send the digital sound information to the receiver for decoding. You can use either one of these if you have a Dolby Digital receiver.
- 5.1 channel outputs: Dolby Digital, formerly known as AC-3, is a digital audio coding technique that decreases the amount of data required to produce high quality sound. Dolby Digital provides five full-bandwidth channels, front left, front right, center, surround left, and surround right, for true surround sound quality and one channel for a low frequency effect (LFE) also called the subwoofer. It is the audio standard for digital television. This multi-channel scheme is known as 5.1 channel output. T he DVD player decodes the Dolby Digital signal and uses its own DAC to output an analog signal. DVD players with 5.1 channel outputs come equipped with Dolby Digital decoders.
- Stereo outputs: These outputs carry only the stereo music signal. Ideal for hooking up to a TV that has only two speakers.
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7 - Additional Features
Remote-control type: There are two types of remote controls made available; a dedicated remote which only controls the DVD player, and a multi-brand remote which can control other components, such as; VCRs and TVs.
Dimensions: When it comes to portability, dimensions of a DVD player become important. DVD players are generally 7” to 17” wide and weigh up to 11 lbs.
Number of discs: This indicates the number of DVD discs the player can hold at any given point of time. If you frequently watch DVD’s or watch movies or recordings in succession then it is advisable to go for an increased number of disc holding capacity. The number of discs that players can hold varies from 1 to 400.
Price: Prices of DVD players range from as low as 25 USD to above 500 USD.
Warranty: Warranty offered varies and is in the range of 6 months to 3 years.
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