DVD

Stands for "Digital Versatile Disc." A DVD is a type of optical media used for storing digital data. It is the same size as a CD but has a larger storage capacity. Some DVDs are formatted specifically for video playback, while others may contain different types of data, such as software programs and computer files.

The original "DVD-Video" format was standardized in 1995 by a consortium of electronics companies, including Sony, Panasonic, Toshiba, and Philips. It provided a number of improvements over analog VHS tapes, including higher quality video, widescreen aspect ratios, custom menus, and chapter markers, which allow you to jump to different sections within a video. DVDs can also be watched repeatedly without reducing the quality of the video and of course, they don't need to be rewound. A standard video DVD can store 4.7 GB of data, which is enough to hold over 2 hours of video in 720p resolution, using MPEG-2 compression.

DVDs are also used to distribute software programs. Since some applications and other software (such as clip art collections) are too large to fit on a single 700 MB CD, DVDs provide a way to distribute large programs on a single disc. Writable DVDs also provide a way to store a large number of files and back up data. The writable DVD formats include DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. While the different writable DVD formats caused a lot of confusion and incompatibility issues in the early 2000s, most DVD drives now support all formats besides DVD-RAM.

A standard DVD can hold 4.7 GB of data, but variations of the original DVD format have greater capacities. For example, a dual-layer DVD (which has two layers of data on a single side of the disc) can store 8.5 GB of data. A dual-sided DVD can store 9.4 GB of data (4.7 x 2). A dual-layer, dual-sided DVD can store 17.1 GB of data. The larger capacity formats are not supported by most standalone DVD players, but they can be used with many computer-based DVD drives.

Updated October 20, 2014 by Per C.

quizTest Your Knowledge

A dual processor computer has two separate what?

A
Hard drives
0%
B
Memory modules
0%
C
Motherboards
0%
D
CPUs
0%
Correct! Incorrect!     View the Dual Processor definition.
More Quizzes →

The Tech Terms Computer Dictionary

The definition of DVD on this page is an original definition written by the TechTerms.com team. If you would like to reference this page or cite this definition, please use the green citation links above.

The goal of TechTerms.com is to explain computer terminology in a way that is easy to understand. We strive for simplicity and accuracy with every definition we publish. If you have feedback about this definition or would like to suggest a new technical term, please contact us.

Sign up for the free TechTerms Newsletter

How often would you like to receive an email?

You can unsubscribe or change your frequency setting at any time using the links available in each email.

Questions? Please contact us.