DVD Demystified

438
Product catalogs with thousands of photographs and video vignettes can
be put on a single disc for a fraction of the cost of printed catalogs. Of course,
the video catalog cannot be read at the kitchen table—at least not until thin
DVD “videopad” players become available. Environmental resource waste
from printed catalogs is becoming a big concern. Environmentally conscious
companies can replace tons of paper with polycarbonate discs. By producing
discs that connect back to the company via the Internet, the life of the discs
can be extended with updated prices, product information, new promotions,
and other supplements.
With the large capacity of DVD, companies can band together to put multiple
catalogs and product videos on a single disc. This type of cooperative
disc lowers the cost barrier for small companies and provides more for the
recipient to choose from. It also lets companies take advantage of relationships
between services and products to do cross-promotions.
A DVD can contain literally hundreds of hours of audio, any part of
which can be accessed in seconds, making it the perfect vehicle for instructional
audio programs.
Communications
Chapter 10
Companies spend billions of dollars a year producing printed information,
much of which requires unwieldy indexes and other reference material
merely to make it accessible. And much of it becomes out of date in a very
short time. Companies are learning to use CD-ROM and the Internet, but
for very large publications or those which benefit from a graphic or video
ingredient, DVD-ROM and DVD-Video provide an extremely cost-effective
means of distribution coupled with improved access to the content.
DVD is a high-impact business-to-business communications tool. It can
be used as a standalone, “no instructions needed” communication device, or
it can back up an in-person presentation. The message can include highquality
corporate videos, advertising clips, interviews with company officers,
video introductions, dynamic video press releases, visual instruction
manuals, and documentaries of corporate events such as new office openings
and seminars.
Companies can send free DVD discs in the mail to targeted audiences.
DVDs make this economically feasible, unlike tapes. Unlike VHS tapes,
which people often ignore because they do not want to have to sit through
the whole thing, video on DVDs can be broken into small, easily digested
segments that the viewer can select from on-screen menus. This will revo-