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DVD Technology Re:Sources
Kirk L. Kroeker
EMedia Professional, January 1997Copyright © Online Inc.
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- Introduction
- DVD on the World Wide Web
- DVD-Oriented Newsletters and Newspapers
- The DVD Consortium Members
- Hitachi Home Electronics, Inc.
- JVC Information Products Company of America
- Matsushita Electronic Industrial
- Mitsubishi Chemical America, Inc. Company
- Philips Electronics North America Corporation
- Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc.
- Sony Corporation of America
- Thomson Multimedia
- Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc.
- Warner Home Video
- DVD By Way of Market Research Houses
- Where to Go From Here for Your DVD Fix
| For those who want to follow all the delays and developments of DVD closely, locating accurate and timely information has been, at best, difficult. |
First among equals, perhaps, as a source for information on DVD, is the World Wide Web, which has been heralded for its ability to provide information instantly. Although
bottlenecks from poor bandwidth and cumbersome graphics are today's norm, no argument can stand against the claim that solid and extensive information on DVD can be found on the Web. From DVD-oriented news sites which update their pages regularly, to the detailed information about DVD players offered by vendors who are only a URL away, the Web has evolved into a valuable resource for the DVD hungry.
But a search for DVD on popular retrieval engines can result in plenty of hits--from more than 7,000 in Excite! (http://www.excite.com![[LiveLink]](/file/36067/SIGCAT 97 - Conference on Convergence.ISO/Docs/webcd.gif "[LiveLink]"){kind=small}
) to over 4,000 in Alta Vista (http://www.altavista.com)--but many of the hits will turn up only a meager offering--just a mention of DVD in a discussion treating laserdiscs or a small press release on a planned DVD-ROM drive--and some will bring you to service bureaus who aren't DVD-compatible yet but who are advertising capability anyway.
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DVD ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB
Even so, non-HTML-based parts of the Internet, such as Usenet or FTP sites, shouldn't be ignored either. Among the Usenet sites that cover DVD technology are rec.audio.opinion, rec.games.video.sony, alt.video.laserdisc, alt.video.dvd, alt.home-theater.misc, and rec.video. The group alt.video.dvd may be the best among them. Occasionally, industry experts will join the fray and ground the conversation in good evidence. You can search Usenet groups by visiting the DejaNews Web page (http://www.dejanews.com), which catalogs and renders searchable most every user group extant.
CD Info
This page, produced by industry veteran Kathy Cochrane, offers one of the most full-bodied sources of information on DVD, providing perspective with industry experts on consortium member problems, on the delay of the specification, and more. It also offers links to many of the essential CD-ROM mastering, pre-mastering, replication, and CD-R sources, and provides a number of key full-length articles on DVD and related technology.
CompCore Multimedia, Inc.'s DVD Consortium
CompCore Multimedia, Inc. has determined that with DVD technology upon us, it is time to put our resources together in order to assure a smooth adoption of DVD by the PC market. CompCore has resultantly begun a new consortium, called OpenDVD, that will be responsible for promoting the standardization of DVD-related products--encoders and multimedia applications for DVD, MPEG-2, AC-3, Video CD 2.0, Video CD 1.1, and MPEG-1--across the PC market. There is no membership fee required to join the consortium, for which the charter, membership list, and meeting schedule can be found on the site.
Digital Video Disc Page
Only the video aspect of the DVD standard is covered on the DVD Page, hence the name of the page is Digital Video Disc and, according to those who have designed the page, it is explicitly for "dummies" who want to understand how DVD will affect the movie market. On the site, you'll find information on the finalized DVD specification and an explanation of how DVD works. Visitors can find information on DVD hardware, read answers to some of the most frequently asked questions, and be provided links to DVD resources on other sites.
Interactive Multimedia Association
The IMA is an international trade association representing the full range of multimedia industry players, from application developers, hardware and software companies, and system integrators, to publishers, distributors, educators, and users. What is most useful to the electronic media professional searching for information on DVD is the IMA Digital Video Disc Special Interest Group. On the IMA site, you'll be able to find information on how to join the SIG, and you'll also be able to read IMA's published articles on DVD, such as "DVD's Royalty: The Reign of Patents," "DVD Triggers Bid to Legislate Technical Safeguard Standards," and "Comparing Oranges and Mangoes--Another View of the Emerging Digital Video Disc."
Kilroy Hughes FAQ
The Multimedia Forum on CompuServe (Go Multimedia) has a DVD section led by Kilroy Hughes, who has also published an extensive FAQ on DVD technology, and has made it available on the Web site. It is among the most thorough DVD FAQs to be found on the Internet, and covers everything from the specification itself, to how to obtain a copy of the spec, to the consortium member companies. Other headings of the FAQ include adjustable aspect ratios, advanced TV displays, interactivity, branching, function list, video segments, subpictures, codecs, quality, production, what audio formats are used, wiring, and backward compatibility.
Optical Video Disc Association (OVDA)
The Optical Video Disc Association is eager to see DVD arrive. As long-time supporters of optical disc technology, OVDA's members--most of whom will have responsibility for DVD as well as laserdisc in their companies--believe that the marketing efforts made on behalf of DVD can arouse the curiosity of millions of new consumers about movies on disc, which may benefit laserdisc. The information to be had on the OVDA site is significant, and includes FAQs about the impact DVD will have on the laserdisc market, forecasts on how quickly DVD will penetrate the marketplace, and even information on how laserdisc developers can migrate to DVD.
MPEG Meta-Guide
The MPEG site--winner of Excite! and Magellan awards--provides a host of information not only on how MPEG relates to the DVD standard, but on the DVD specification itself. Beyond the multiple FAQs on MPEG and Video CD, visitors will be connected to an offering of links to other information-rich resources, including to articles on DVD, to major DVD vendor sites, and to other video and audio compression sites.
Robert Lundemo Aas's DVD Page
Robert Lundemo Aas, a graduate student researching semiconductor lasers at Norwegian Telecom, maintains the DVD Page, commonly known as "Robert's DVD Page." His pages are well-designed, comprehensive, and up-to-date. Robert's DVD Page provides the most extensive collection of links to DVD information on the Web. It has links to Web pages of DVD consortium companies; a complete chronological bibliography of articles and news releases about developments in DVD dating from the Sony/Philips announcement of MMCD in December 1994; a list of upcoming events and conferences concerning DVD; resource sites for DVD products, specifications, authoring, and development; information on related formats such as HDTV, DSS, DVC, D-VHS, DVB, and CED; and links to articles and columns about DVD from such diverse sources as Forbes magazine and 21st, the latter of which is a Web zine "covering technology convergence at the dawn of the next millennium." If you're looking for information on DVD, this is the place to start, and if you're already up to speed, this is the first place to check for new developments.
Some of the better links in Robert's collection are the ones to articles from the myriad industries that have a stake in the future of DVD. There are several articles from the Interactive Media Association's president, Phil Dodds, concerning, as you might suspect, multimedia publishing on DVD and the Web. There are articles from AV Video, CD-ROM Professional, PC Week, MacWorld News, and Digital Video. There are articles on DVD audio from Cyberfi (a British online magazine that covers audio from every angle for hi-fi enthusiasts), from Acoustic Renaissance for Audio, and plenty others. Covering the motion picture picture for DVD are articles from Cybertheatre, Home Computing and Entertainment, and others.
Tactical Marketing Group
The Tactical Marketing Group created their Web site in order to conduct a survey of computer users on the requirements and expectations of DVD drives used with computers. Over 1,200 participated in the survey, according to the company. The results are clearly presented and, though somewhat dated, provide an interesting angle on the forthcoming technology. On the site you'll also be able to read a study called "DVD: Impact Analysis and Forecasts" and you'll find plenty of up-to-date links to other valuable DVD-oriented sites.
Technophile
On the Technophile site, sponsored by Pandemonium Productions, you'll find general information on DVD's history, an overview of the technology driving the products, and projections for the future of the DVD marketplace. The site is regularly updated, and is worth visits now and then if you're looking for a bit of non-technical consumer-oriented information.
DVD-ORIENTED NEWSLETTERS
AND NEWSPAPERS
All the same, newsletters and newspapers usually offer more timely information for electronic media professionals willing to pay the often higher prices.
DVD Report
. ISSN 1088-7067, biweekly, $697.
DVD Report is the only newsletter that solely covers DVD technology. Written largely by frequent EMedia Professional contributor Debbie Galante Block and EMedia Professional contributing editor Dana J. Parker, the news covered in DVD Report is timely and informed by an industry-expert perspective.
Electronic Engineering Times
. Biweekly, free to qualified applicants, $110 to others.Electronic Engineering Times is one of the best biweekly newspapers for engineers and management in the electronic engineering field, and covers everything from cuts in capital spending to 3D graphics boards. But every issue (usually around 136 pages) generally offers at least one full-length article on the current state of DVD technology. For the most part, EET's coverage is broad, deep, and well-informed. The full text of Electronic Engineering Times is available via a variety of electronic services.
The Nikkei Weekly
. Weekly, $108.
Founded in 1876 in Japan, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, Inc., or Nikkei, serves as the primary business information source for corporate executives and decision-makers in Japan. It publishes The Nihon Keizai Shimbun and four other newspapers, including the English-language Nikkei Weekly, which is particularly useful for non-Japanese-speaking industry professionals to get a view of political, social, and science and technology events in Japan.
Inside Multimedia
One of Europe's leading multimedia industry newsletters, this 12-pager, edited by well-known industry veteran John Barker, contains up-to-date news, special reports, company activity, analysis, and quantitative sales data on charts covering the entire multimedia industry. Very useful for keeping up with events in the world of DVD, Inside Multimedia comes from the publishers of Multimedia Week, Interactive Video News, and Interactive Marketing News.
Cybernautics Digest
. ISSN 1079-2112, monthly, $79.
Cybernautics Digest summarizes feature-length stories from some 250 business and technical periodicals, and cites the sources from which the summaries are drawn. The focus is on articles that offer insightful analysis of key trends in converging information technologies, including but not limited to CD-ROM and multimedia developments. Cybernautics Digest saves a lot of time in its efficient coverage of industry developments, especially DVD.
Interactive Multimedia News
. ISSN 1067-3156, bimonthly, a benefit of IMA membership.
Interactive Multimedia News is the newsletter of the Interactive Multimedia Association, the oldest and most active trade association devoted to multimedia. It is written by and for IMA members. Established in 1990, the newsletter contains timely articles and commentary by leaders in the multimedia industry, as well as coverage of industry trends and member news. Interactive Multimedia News is a nicely rendered 48-page newsletter whose content reflects association housekeeping concerns but which also includes general, informative content, and regular updates on DVD.
Multimedia Monitor
Established in 1983, Multimedia Monitor is generally considered to be the elder statesman of the multimedia newsletter scene, and the editor, Rockley Miller, a trusted authority. Each 32-page issue is packed with the latest news and new product announcements, and frequently offers feature-length reports on DVD developments.
Replication News
Replication News is a bimonthly, four-color newspaper. The April 1996 issue (Volume 1, Number 2) focused on DVD, DVD-ROM, and the related technology and business issues, such as royalty legislation, piracy, and market analysis. Replication News covers the DVD market--especially as it relates to the tools and technologies of the replicator--by focusing on topics and issues surrounding the technology.
THE DVD CONSORTIUM MEMBERS
The consortium companies are some of the largest consumer electronics, computer, and entertainment companies in the world. Except for two European companies and one American company, the companies are Japanese. The leaders of the group have been Philips and Sony, Matsushita, and Toshiba and Time Warner. Pioneer is also important, bringing to the consortium experience as the main manufacturer of existing analog laserdisc technology. Hitachi, JVC, Thomson, and Mitsubishi round out the roster.
Of special interest to those wanting to follow DVD will be the DVD-oriented Web sites maintained by Toshiba (http://www.toshiba.com/tacp/SD/), Philips (http://www-eu.philips.com/pkm/laseroptics/dvd/), and Sony (http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/dvd/). All three are significant up-to-date resources worth repeat visits. But each of the consortium companies, if called, will either send you the company's own press releases or will be able to direct you to more information elsewhere.
It should also be noted that the DVD specification is available directly from Toshiba by paying $5000 and by signing a nondisclosure agreement. While the current draft version is 1.0, the specification does not cover copy protection and regional controls, because these aspects are not yet finalized.
Hitachi Home Electronics, Inc.
JVC Information Products Company of America
Matsushita Electronic Industrial
Mitsubishi Chemical America, Inc. Company
Philips Electronics North America Corporation
.
Pioneer New Media Technologies, Inc.
.
Sony Corporation of America
.
Thomson Multimedia
Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc.
.
Warner Home Video
DVD BY WAY OF
MARKET RESEARCH HOUSES
Those who aren't familiar with the market research firms for the electronic media industry will find it useful to look at EMedia Professional's "Facts, Figures, & Findings" index of the News Department each month, where the most important industry reports are summarized with contact information. Another great resource for information on market research houses is Paul Nicholls' "Market Research Houses for the Electronic Media Industry" [CD-ROM Professional, Volume 9, Number 11], which covers the research firms producing the most important serial and monographic reports.
There aren't many existing studies on DVD as of yet. Many of the market research firms are waiting in the wings, as it were, for the DVD market to resolve into an entity more readily analyzable. Even so, a few of the most respected market research firms have already released reports that cover DVD directly.
InfoTech Inc.
For over a decade, InfoTech has specialized in quantitative analysis and forecasting of information technology, electronic publishing, and the multimedia entertainment markets worldwide. Their flagship research product is the annual "Optical Publishing Industry Assessment" (OPIA), priced at $750. Now in its eighth edition, the OPIA tracks CD-ROM title and drive sales from 1986 to the present, and projects sales to the year 2000. In 294 detailed charts and tables, the OPIA is, in a real sense, a blueprint of the CD-ROM industry. But InfoTech has also released "DVD Assessment, Second Edition" ($750), which offers an analysis of existing DVD technologies and provides projections for how DVD will perform in the marketplace.
Market Vision
.
Market Vision offers a whole series of market research reports focused specifically on the new media industry and directed to marketing professionals, senior management, product developers, software publishers, systems integrators, and venture investors. "Multimedia Applications and Markets: 1996 Annual Forecast," for example, costs $1995 and includes 100 application revenue forecasts through the year 2000, an analysis of 10 major delivery strategies, and includes an assessment of how DVD will fit into the multimedia market. Other current Market Vision reports that touch on DVD technology include "Emerging Distribution Models for Consumer Interactive Media" ($125), "Multimedia Business Collaboration and Communications Forecast" ($2250), "Multimedia CD: An End User Perspective" ($1950), and "Networked Multimedia Assessment" ($2494).
SIMBA Information Inc.
.
Since 1989, SIMBA has published newsletters, research reports, and directories. SIMBA hosts conferences, manages an online information center, and provides consulting services on the global market for information publishing and distribution. With nearly 15,000 client companies worldwide, SIMBA is one of the largest players on the new media market research field. Current monographic market research reports from SIMBA include "Multimedia Title Publishing: Review, Trends, & Forecast" ($1165) and "Digital Versatile Disc 1996: Market Assessment, Competition, Opportunities" ($995).
WHERE TO GO FROM HERE
FOR YOUR DVD FIX
), Business Wire (1185 Avenue of the Americas, Third Floor, New York, NY 10036; 800/221-2462; Fax 212/575-1854; http://www.hnt.com/bizwire), Carthage Today (12770 Coit Road, Suite 1107, Dallas, TX 75251; 800/748-3737; Fax 214/526-0139; http://www.carthage.com), ClariNet e.News (4880 Stevens Creek Boulevard, Suite 206, San Jose, CA 95129; 408/296-0366; Fax 408/296-1668; http://www.clarinet.com/), or HeadsUp (Individual Inc., 8 New England Executive Park, Burlington, MA 01803; 800/414-1000; Fax 800/417-1000), all of which are fully customizable.The best-known news services are PR Newswire and Business Wire, which arguably are the two most-used channels for vendor announcements. PR Newswire and Business Wire send subscribers (via fax or email) daily press release abstracts from which full stories, including summaries of recently released reports, can be ordered.
Another channel to keep in mind is, of course, the World Wide Web, which is easy to search using any number of engines, such as WebCrawler (http://www.webcrawler.com), InfoSeek (http://www.infoseek.com), Lycos (http://www.lycos.com), AltaVista (http://www.altavista.com), or Yahoo (http://www.yahoo.com).
Major newspapers and journals are available on the Web; their technology sections frequently provide good reporting on DVD and the technologies that surround it. Time Magazine on the Web (http://www.pathfinder.com/time), for example, provides much the same sort of coverage the magazine does but updates certain sections daily and offers access to back issues. And then there is The New York Times on the Web (http://www.nytimes.com), whose CyberTimes section frequently address electronic media issues.
Also potentially useful are the well-known sites that harbor general links to the rest of the multimedia world. Among these, Rob's Multimedia Lab (http://www.acm.uiuc.edu:80/rml/) and the Multimedia Hotline (http://www.multihot.com/) are two of the most useful.
Your best bet for finding information and perspective on DVD is to explore all the channels you have time to explore because keeping up with the quickly materializing DVD market is imperative if you are vying for venture capital, if you are planning to develop software, or if you want to understand what the standard-setting vendors are doing.
Kirk L. Kroeker is Assistant Editor of EMedia Professional.
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