A few months ago, an article on MSNBC’s Web page stated “DVD players closed 2001 as the hottest-selling holiday item.” According to that article the DVD players, including those on personal computers, were expected to reach about 36 percent of US households by at the end of 2001 and estimates that by the end of 2002 that number will rise to 54.5 percent. That article also states “Blockbuster has planned to rid itself of about 25 percent of its tape library to make room for the fast-growing DVD discs.”
As DVD content has become mainstream, DVD writers have recently seen a tremendous price drop. A Pioneer DVD writer cost $15,000 dollars just a few years ago, an internal Pioneer A03 DVD writer is now selling for as little as $410.
To the professional as well as the prosumer market, inexpensive DVD writers are changing the video landscape. Combined with DV cameras and relatively inexpensive digital non linear editing systems, high quality video production can truly be produced on the desktop at a price point unheard of just a few years ago.
What is a DVD?
As with CDs, DVDs are plastic disks that are used to store digital content. Data is recorded on a disc in a spiral trail of tiny pits burned into the surface by a laser beam. DVD’s larger capacity is achieved by making the pits smaller and spiral trail tighter. On the current CD-ROM, the track pitch is 1.6 microns. On a DVD-ROM, the track pitch is 0.74 microns and the pits are not as long. All DVD content is compressed content using some type of MPEG compression. DVD can be used for digital storage (4.7Gb), or for video and audio playback. Because of artifacting, DVDs are seldom used for master content. Probably the most important software besides the video editing software for producing a DVD is the DVD authoring software and several companies have entered the market.
SONIC
Sonic is the world’s leading supplier of authoring systems for digital media production. Beginning in 1986, Sonic set the standard for digital audio workstations, and in 1996 lead the way into DVD with the introduction of the first commercial systems for DVD production.
For high-end commercial title production in Hollywood and the top post facilities worldwide, SonicScenarist is the de-facto standard for highly featured productions, which carry the confidence of ultimate compatibility across the broadest range of DVD players. Using a cross-platform DVD authoring engine and database, Sonic Scenarist provides accelerated performance within an integrated workflow environment. Commercial DVD producers can create title templates, re-use data across multiple video titles, share assets and simultaneously access DVD projects among multiple users. Scenarist is designed for Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP platforms and is available as authoring-only or complete workstation configurations utilizing Sonic’s SD-Series Advanced MPEG Encoders. According to Sonic, the SD-Series encoder video quality is unsurpassed and provides the quality difference that will set your work apart, and enable you to lead the pack in the digital video revolution. The Scenarist Advanced costs $15,000 and he Pro costs $22,000.
Built from the ground up as a completely integrated, professional level system for the most efficient DVD production, Sonic’s DVD Creator provides a very efficient user experience and in-depth control combined with an extreme-level of creative freedom designed to save precious hours of time on every DVD deadline. DVD Creator, priced at $15,000, is available in authoring-only and workstation configurations using the Sonic SD-2000 Advanced MPEG encoder, and utilizes the Apple Macintosh platform G4 platform.
Available for $4,000, the DVD Fusion for Windows is an integrated and complete DVD production system for the corporate or business video professional. DVD Fusion for Windows has been designed to make the job of creating compelling DVD titles for corporate and industrial use very easy and fast. The system combines cutting-edge authoring functionality with Sonic’s Hollywood-proven DVD formatting technology.
Sonic DVD Fusion for Macintosh is the only DVD publishing system designed from the ground up to integrate with professional NLE systems. Based on the same technology used in Sonic’s DVD Creator product line, DVD Fusion for Macintosh combines the best of DVD Creator’s high-end feature-set with integration with the most popular NLE systems. DVD Fusion for Macintosh is designed for Apple Macintosh G4 systems. The DVD Fusion LE for Mac is $800 and DVD Fusion SE for Mac is 4,000 Sonic ReelDVD is designed especially for independent and corporate video producers who use Windows-based OS. Built upon the same DVD formatting technology from Scenarist, ReelDVD combines the proven strength of professional-level software with a very friendly user interface and simple workflow, making the process of creating professional-quality DVDs quick and easy and is available for $1,500.
DVDit! allows you to create professional quality DVDs on your PC using your existing AVI and MPEG files and digital stills. Combining a simple and straightforward user interface with Sonic’s AuthorScript DVD formatting technology, DVDit! gives video professionals, graphic designers, artists and video enthusiasts the power to create interactive DVD content on their PC. DVDit! is also compatible with AVI and QuickTime video files, so that virtually any video content – from DV to D1 – can be incorporated into a DVDit! project. With an intuitive interface, building DVD titles is as easy as selecting a menu background and then dragging and dropping an AVI, QuickTime or MPEG video file. DVDit! automatically builds buttons and interactivity, multiplexes and formats content and records to CD-R or DVD-R for playback in consumer set-top DVD players or DVD-equipped PCs. DVDit! can create interactive titles in DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, and CDVD formats. The DVDit! SE costs $299 and DVDit! Professinal costs $599.
MyDVD Plus is an entry level DVD software for recording and editing DVD for personal computers. MyDVD is a fast and easy way for amateurs to share your video memories with friends and family on a DVD. For $79, MyDVD Plus allows for capture of video directly to a DVD or CD, just like recording on a VCR.
PINNACLE
Much of the power of the DVD format lies in the ability to access more than one stream of content at any given time. Pinnacle Impression DVD-Pro is a truly professional DVD authoring system that fully supports multiple video streams. DVD-Pro allows up to eight audio tracks and supports the DVD format maximum of 32 subtitle tracks. Unlimited menus, including Hollywood-style motion menus, Dolby Digital support and multi-angle titles round out the feature set. Writes to DLT, CD or DVD and includes Real-Time simulation
Pinnacle impression is bundled with many of Pinnacle’s video editing systems. Impression is a mid level – Corporate and Professional capable authoring system available for $599. Pinnacle Express is a quick and easy way to watch your home movies or digital pictures on DVD. Simply connect your DV camcorder to your PC, and Pinnacle Express lets you capture video or digital still pictures, add menus and titles and burn CDs or DVDs that play in your set top DVD Player. Pinnacle Express will also import AVI files so any movies that you’ve already made on your PC can be easily shared. The Express costs $49.
APPLE
Apple has been very active in the DVD arena having been the first to offer DVD writers with their machines. DVD Studio Pro is a new software application from Apple that makes it affordable and simple for non-specialists to encode, author, and write professional-quality DVDs on their Mac desktop. If you’re shooting and editing using digital video, you can now retain digital quality and precision all the way to the final product. Projects authored with DVD Studio Pro can include every feature that the DVD standard allows, including motion or still menus, web links, multiple language tracks, up to 99 video tracks – each enhanced with up to 8 different shot angles, eight separate audio streams, and up to 32 subtitle streams. DVD Studio Pro even includes a Dolby-certified AC-3 encoder for top quality audio.
DVD Studio Pro reads native Adobe Photoshop files directly making it easy to add menus, buttons, and overlays. You can also design animated menus using full-motion clips imported from a video editor such as Final Cut Pro. System Requirements: Power Macintosh G4 computer with Apple-supplied AGP graphics card and DVD drive (configuration must support Apple DVD Player 2.0 or later), and Mac OS 9.0.4 or 9.1. DVD Studio Pro 1.1 is priced at $999.
MORE TO COME
Just as I was finishing this article, I got notice that both Adobe and Microsoft had purchased technology from Sonic. This probably means that both these companies will also be entering the DVD arena. From Adobe I would expect a low to mid level DVD authoring tool, or an addition to its Premiere video editing software, From Microsoft I would expect that its next version of Windows would probably contain DVD writing capability. Both of the above uses are guesses on my part, but one thing can be certain: the DVD writer and DVD software are becoming mainstream, and they will revolutionize the way we create, store video content for the amateur, corporate and professional users alike.
