Preparations for Use: Basic Information

DVD disc box information

When you buy a DVD-Video in the shops, the back of the disc box usually contains various information about the contents of the disc. Below is an example, with an explanation of each section.

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1: English (5.1ch Surround)

 

1: English

 

 

2: Spanish (2ch Surround)

 

2: Spanish

 

 

 

 

Scope Size

NTSC

 

1Audio languages and audio formats DVD-Video discs can contain up to 8 separate soundtracks with a different language on each. The first in the list is the original soundtrack. This section also details the audio format of each soundtrack—Dolby Digital, DTS, etc.

Dolby Digital 1

Dolby Digital is the most widespread DVD-Video audio format. Dolby Digital soundtracks can be mono, stereo, or contain up to 5.1 channels (the

.1 refers to a special low-frequency effects channel).

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DTS

DTS is another 5.1 channel surround format sometimes used on DVD-Video discs, often in addition to a Dolby Digital track.

Linear PCM

Linear PCM audio also sometimes appears on DVD-Video discs, usually on music related material. Linear PCM sountracks are mono or stereo only.

2Subtitle languages

DVD discs can contain up to 32 subtitle languages. You can watch the disc with any of these subtitle languages, or with no subtitles displayed at all.

3Screen aspect ratio

Movies are shot in a variety of screen formats. This box tells you what the original format was (in this case, Cinemascope), and what it is best viewed as on a widescreen TV and a regular 4:3 TV. In this case, if you have a regular 4:3 TV, it is recommended that you watch it in letterbox mode.

4Region code and TV format

The world is divided into 6 DVD regions. Both discs and players are coded for a particular region, and to be able to play a disc, it must contain the same region code as the player.

This section also contains the TV format of the disc. In this case, NTSC.

5DVD-Video logo

Angle mark ( )

Some DVD-Video discs feature scenes shot simultaneously from two or more angles. During playback, you can switch between these different angles.

•Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby” and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

•“DTS” and “DTS Digital Surround” are registered trademarks of Digital Theater Systems, Inc.

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