DVD
In 1994, the industry sought a successor to the CD-ROM. Storage needs were growing, digital video was advancing, and the CD was showing its limitations. Two camps formed around competing technologies: Super Disc on one side, Multimedia CD on the other. Nobody wanted to relive the same fratricidal war that had left its mark in the 1980s between VHS and Betamax. The manufacturers eventually agreed on a common standard.
This convergence brought together players who could have been at odds: Japanese consumer electronics manufacturers, Hollywood studios, American computing giants. Together they created a disc the size of a CD but capable of storing seven times more data. The Japanese discovered the first players in November 1996. Americans had to wait until August 1997.
The DVD relies on a simple but effective technical trick. Where the CD stacks 1.2 mm of polycarbonate in a single layer, the DVD superimposes two 0.6 mm substrates. This architecture allows the use of a laser with a reduced wavelength: 650 or 635 nanometers versus 780 for the CD. The tracks tighten, the pits shrink. A single-layer DVD contains 4.7 GB. The dual-layer reaches 8.5 GB per side. A double-sided disc stores 17 GB in theory, but this format remains marginal.
Hollywood embraced the DVD enthusiastically. MPEG-2 compression fits a two-hour feature film on a single layer, with an image that surpasses that of VHS tapes and LaserDiscs. The studios appreciate the interactive menus, multiple audio tracks, and bonus features. Viewers choose their language, activate subtitles, discover deleted scenes. It’s no longer just a film you watch: it’s an experience you explore.
Manufacturers learned from the past. Every DVD player can read existing CDs. This backward compatibility reassures consumers who keep their collections of audio CDs and game CD-ROMs. The transition happens painlessly, without the obligation to replace everything. Microsoft integrates DVD support in Windows 98, standardizing its use in the PC world.
Computing benefits from this story. DVD-ROM drives progressively replace their predecessors in computer towers. Video game and multimedia software developers suddenly have generous spaces for their creations. Myst and Riven had to make do with multiple CDs; their successors will fit on a single DVD.
The market becomes complicated with the arrival of recordable formats. DVD-R appears in 1997 for single-write use. Then come DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, each with its supporters and technical specificities. This profusion creates confusion but also stimulates innovation and drives prices down. Consumers sometimes get confused, but multi-standard burners eventually prevail.
Content protection obsesses the studios. IBM and Disney collaborate to develop the Content Scrambling System, an encryption meant to prevent pirated copies. The CSS system doesn’t impact playback performance but gives film producers the guarantee they demand. Without this protection, many of them would likely have been reluctant to adopt the format.
The sales figures speak for themselves. Between 1997 and 2002, more than 27 million players found buyers in the United States. The entry price plummeted: more than $1,000 in 1997, less than $200 in 2001. This lightning-fast democratization sealed the fate of VHS. Video stores transformed their shelves, households renewed their equipment.
The DVD attempted a few ventures outside its natural territory. DVD Audio, with mixed success, wanted to dethrone the CD with superior sound quality and multimedia functions. DVDPlus, also called DualDisc, offered a DVD side and a CD side on the same disc. These variations enriched the ecosystem without really taking hold, as DVD remained primarily associated with home video.
Beyond entertainment, the format found its place in education and professional training. Its ability to combine high-quality video, multichannel sound, and interactivity made it a valued pedagogical tool. Libraries used it to digitize and distribute their audiovisual collections. Companies distributed their product catalogs on interactive DVDs.
From the early 2000s, laboratories explored the future. Holographic DVD promised 100 GB per disc. This research prepared the arrival of Blu-ray and high definition. The DVD accomplished its mission: democratizing digital video, standardizing practices, preparing the ground for subsequent generations.