DVD Demystified

DVD Overview
used to select from multiple programs, choose different versions of program
content, navigate through multilevel or interactive programs, activate features
of the player or the current disc, and more.
For example, a movie disc may have a main menu from which you can
choose to watch the movie, view a trailer, watch a “making of” featurette, or
peruse production stills. Another menu may also be available from which
you can choose to hear the regular sound track, foreign-language sound
track, or director’s commentary. Selecting the supplemental information
option from the main menu may bring up another menu with options such
as production stills, script pages, storyboards, and outtakes.
Interactivity
In addition to menus, DVD can be even more interactive when the creator
of the program takes advantage of the rudimentary command language
that is built into all DVD players. DVD-Video can be programmed for simple
games, quizzes, branching adventures, and so on. DVD brings a new
level of personal control to video programs. While it is not apparent just how
much control the average couch potato is interested in having, directing the
path and form of a presentation is definitely an appealing option. “Choose
your own ending” stories have graduated from paper to video. The creative
community could embrace an entire new genre of nonlinear cinema.
For example, a music video disc could provide an editing environment
where the viewers can choose music, scenes, and so on to create their own
custom version. An instructional video can include comprehension check
questions. If the wrong answer is chosen, a special remedial segment can be
played to further explain the topic.
On-Screen Lyrics and Slideshows
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The DVD-Audio format includes features for displaying lyrics on the screen
as the audio plays and optionally highlighting parts of the lyrics in time
with the audio. This is also possible using the subtitle feature of the DVD-
Video format, but it is not as straightforward.
The DVD-Audio format also includes a slideshow feature for showing pictures
as the audio plays. The pictures can appear automatically at preselected
points in the program, or the viewer can choose to browse through them at
will, independent of the audio. The DVD-Video format also supports programmed
slideshows but not browsable pictures that don’t interrupt the audio.