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Glossary

DVD-Audio FAQ

Questions
1. What is DVD-Audio?
2. What is the physical size of a DVD-Audio disc?
3. Does DVD-Audio differ in quality from compact disc?
4. What is the benefit of DVD-Audio in the car?
5. Most people are satisfied with their CD collections. Why should I adopt DVD-Audio playback for the sake of a few audiophiles?
6. What other features are included on a DVD-Audio disc?
7. It sounds like I have to have a video monitor in my car or home for DVD-Audio playback. Is a screen and a navigation key or remote control required to effect playback selections?
8. How do these "value added" features affect retail prices for DVD-Audio discs and players?
9. What sort of hardware currently exists for DVD-Audio?
10. What options exist for my car?
11. If DVD-Audio is to be successful, shouldn't manufacturers make it compatible with a variety of platforms?
12. Will a DVD-Audio disc play in a DVD-Video player?
13. Will my CD collection be playable on DVD-Audio hardware?
14. Besides the player itself, what additions are necessary to include DVD Audio in an automotive package?
15. What companies are presently releasing DVD-Audio discs?
16. Are DVD-Audio discs playable on compact disc players?
1. What is DVD-Audio?

DVD-Audio is an extension of the highly popular DVD format, distinguished by its capability for delivering a new standard of quality previously unavailable in packaged audio media. Disc playback is bit-for-bit identical to studio masters. A highly compelling feature of DVD-Audio is its multichannel (5.1) audio capability, which wraps listener in rich, warm, natural sound. DVD-Audio also includes a host of value-added multimedia features not previously available on compact disc.

2. What is the physical size of a DVD-Audio disc?

The standard size is 120 mm, the same width as a compact disc or DVD-Video disc. As with compact discs, 3-inch (80 mm) DVD-Audio discs can be used. The 80 mm disc format is perfect for artist singles or audio samplers, either for sale or as promotional items. Every DVD-Audio player has the capability to load and play either disc.

3. Does DVD-Audio differ in quality from compact disc?

Yes, very dramatically. DVD-Audio playback is bit-for-bit identical to the studio master tapes. Every nuance of the artist's original performance is captured and reproduced with a warmth and natural timbre not available from compact disc technology.

4. What are the benefits of DVD-Audio in the car?

The physical properties of a car are ideally suited for a multichannel audio experience: an enclosed area where listeners can be surrounded by their favorite music and enjoy it in a manner never before available. Today's four-speaker systems destroy the essence of the stereo signal and can make it difficult for the listener to localize, or even identify, more subtle musical elements within a song. With DVD-Audio, you have six discrete channels of audio directed at listeners. Its performance is enveloping, highly realistic, more natural, and of significantly higher quality than a traditional CD. Just as compact discs replaced vinyl record, DVD-Audio is the natural successor to the compact disc. And, DVD—in all of its various incarnations—presents the automotive manufacturer the option to create products, such as mobile media centers, that combine related technologies such as Dolby Pro Logic II and DVD-Audio.


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