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Recommended
DVD/
Meetings DVD Developers Aug. 18,
1997
Articles:
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Background and History
DVD-ROM, although often described as simply a bigger, faster CD-ROM, is a major leap
forward for interactive media. Unlike CD-ROM, which gained performance improvements
over a period of years in small increments, DVD-ROM was designed from the beginning to
deliver high-quality multimedia streams at high data rates.
The consumer and industry difficulties experienced with CD-ROM titles, however, reflect a
fundamental problem with this form of interactive multimedia. Over the past five years
computer hardware and software companies have continuously redesigned their products
with faster and more robust features and capabilities. This rapid rate of change effectively
"reset" the publishing format to zero every six to nine months as titles were issued
requiring the latest CPU, memory allocation, CD-ROM speed, video CODEC, etc. As a
result of this constant revision and change, many titles have been cut short for those
developers unable to continually revise and reissue their products.
The Interactive Multimedia Association (IMA) developed the outline for the DVD-ROM
Initiative during 1996 and early 1997 with the goal of setting industry guidelines and "best
practices" to avoid the problems that have hampered CD-ROM development and
publishing. In June 1997, IMA and the Software Publishers Association (SPA) joined
forces to support the DVD-ROM Initiative under the SPA banner.
SPA has played a critical role in developing multimedia standards within the software
industry by establishing the MPC standards in 1991. The rigorous MPC test suite, created
in conjunction with National Software Testing Laboratories, Conshohocken, Pa., is
designed to objectively assess multimedia systems, upgrade kits and components, ensuring
uniform, high-quality performance. The original MPC specification was adopted
worldwide, and the most recent MPC3 standard was adopted last year.
First announced during 1995, DVD and DVD-ROM has undergone an extended incubation
period during which optical media technology owners wrangled out complex technical and
financial arrangements. These agreements are now complete, and products are being
introduced.
Unlike previous media types, DVD has high leverage potential. The launch of DVD players
in the home for the delivery of high-quality movies is sparking a new generation of home
entertainment systems, which may eventually transform today's television set into an all-
digital media center. DVD's home entertainment launch will eventually be accompanied by
digital video delivery over the air, satellite and cable.
Unlike previous consumer electronics product introductions, the interactive version for
computers is being simultaneously released and is intended to be compatible with home
movie players. A growing installed base of DVD-ROM-equipped computers with the
capability to play movies may well hasten the arrival of the so-called PCTV.
DVD and DVD-ROM promise to deliver capacities and bandwidth that the Internet cannot
reasonably expect to support for years to come. This creates the opportunity to develop
highly sophisticated and rich media experiences that can be coupled to the Internet or used
stand-alone depending on the application. DVD may well be the best bandwidth "enhancer"
the industry will have over the next decade.
It would be unfortunate for the industry to experience a repeat of the problems that have
hampered all of the interactive media businesses over the past 15 years. There are also a
host of unique-to-DVD problems to be addressed. Although the technical specifications for
the medium are now well established, there is no media platform definition. This means
that without the intervention of groups such as SPA, the industry will tend to fall back on
the old CD-ROM wagon and invent a new series of platform definitions with each new
computer and operating system version. If this should happen, it is unlikely that a DVD-
based interactive media industry will prosper.
Another looming issue revolves around the development of a robust developer market and
gaining the confidence of buyers. Consumer confidence could take a long time to build as
each manufacturer delivers differing marketing messages.
Finally, there is the very real prospect that early DVD-ROM devices will be implemented
differently from one manufacturer to another. This would lead to potential incompatibilities
that could poison early adopters and further delay market adoption of the medium. The
DVD Consortium members are reluctant to establish implementation guidelines for fear of
running afoul of anti-trust laws. Such activities are more safely done within an open forum
such as the SPA DVD-ROM Initiative.
© 1997, Software Publishers Association. All Rights
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