History Platform / DVD

The DVD, more technically accurately known as the Digital Versatile Disc, was already unofficially being referred to as the Digital Video Disc while being developed and up to launch but received the former name to reflect the non-video capabilities. Even by that point people were just using DVD as probably everybody does nowadays. Some people like to say that [[TakeAThirdOption it's just DVD]] with no proper name but they're not fooling anybody. Like a UsefulNotes/CompactDisc, but it uses more sophisticated hardware[[note]]A DVD has its pits packed more densely than a CD (thus allowing even more UsefulNotes/BinaryBitsAndBytes), so that is why even a single-layer DVD can hold much more than a CD. Because of this, [=DVDs=] need to be read with red lasers rather than the longer infrared ones (note that a laser's strength is proportional to its frequency and inversely proportional to its wavelength; red light has a shorter wavelength, and a higher frequency, than infrared). Combined with the ability to add a second layer, the need for multiple discs is reduced when one layer isn't enough, as a dual-layer disc can hold (almost) twice as much as a single-layer disc.[[/note]] and different media compression that is able to store more data (In addition, the terminology is slightly different; unlike how CD-ROM only referred to data [=CDs=], DVD-ROM refers to ''all'' [=DVDs=] that aren't recordable or rewritable, regardless of what is stored on them). Single-layer [=DVDs=] hold about 4.7 gigabytes, while double-layer discs hold around 8.5 gigabytes. Double-sided discs can hold up to 9.4 gigabytes and double-layer double sided discs can hold about 18 gigabytes.

[=DVDs=] are now common media, and it provides reasonable quality video to the end user, especially when compared to [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], the leap in quality is pretty astonishing. DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007. The format was used by video game companies the world over (Platform/PlayStation2 games, Platform/{{Xbox}} games, Platform/{{Wii}} games and Platform/{{Xbox 360}} games, until [[UsefulNotes/BluRay Blu-ray's]] higher storage capacity made it the format choice for the Platform/PlayStation3, Platform/PlayStation4 and Platform/XboxOne). DVD is also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US $20-30 for a small set-top player). While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, [=DVD's=] reach has been so great and so vast for the past 29 years that this idea hasn't really happened for a variety of factors; a price premium of 33% compared to [=DVDs=] (DVD of a film would normally be $10, Blu-ray would be $14-17), a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a "wait-and-see" stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the rise and convenience of online video sales and online streaming sites leading to a stifling of any consumer demand for yet another physical media format to keep track of.

The DVD, more technically accurately known as the Digital Versatile Disc, was already unofficially being referred to as the Digital Video Disc while being developed and up to launch but received the former name to reflect the non-video capabilities. Even by that point people were just using DVD as probably everybody does nowadays. Some people like to say that [[TakeAThirdOption it's just DVD]] with no proper name but they're not fooling anybody. Like a UsefulNotes/CompactDisc, but it uses more sophisticated hardware[[note]]A DVD has its pits packed more densely than a CD (thus allowing even more UsefulNotes/BinaryBitsAndBytes), so that is why even a single-layer DVD can hold much more than a CD. Because of this, [=DVDs=] need to be read with red lasers rather than the longer infrared ones (note that a laser's strength is proportional to its frequency and inversely proportional to its wavelength; red light has a shorter wavelength, and a higher frequency, than infrared). Combined with the ability to add a second layer, the need for multiple discs is reduced when one layer isn't enough, as a dual-layer disc can hold (almost) twice as much as a single-layer disc.[[/note]] and different media compression that is able to store more data. (In addition, the terminology is slightly different; unlike how CD-ROM only referred to data [=CDs=], DVD-ROM refers to ''all'' [=DVDs=] that aren't recordable or rewritable, regardless of what is stored on them.) Single-layer [=DVDs=] hold about 4.7 gigabytes, while double-layer and double-sided discs can hold up to 9.4 gigabytes, and double-layer double sided discs can hold about 18 gigabytes.

[=DVDs=] are now common media, and it provides reasonable quality video to the end user, especially when compared to [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], the leap in quality is pretty astonishing. DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007. The format was used by video game companies the world over (Platform/PlayStation2 games, Platform/{{Xbox}} games, Platform/{{Wii}} games and Platform/{{Xbox 360}} games, until [[UsefulNotes/BluRay Blu-Ray's]] higher storage capacity made it the format choice for the Platform/PlayStation3, Platform/PlayStation4 and Platform/XboxOne). DVD is also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US $20-30 for a small set-top player). While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, [=DVD's=] reach has been so great and so vast for the past 29 years that this idea hasn't really happened for a variety of factors; a price premium of 33% compared to [=DVDs=] (DVD of a film would normally be $10, Blu-ray would be $14-17), a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a "wait-and-see" stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the rise and convenience of online video sales and online streaming sites leading to a stifling of any consumer demand for yet another physical media format to keep track of.

For fun fact's sake, the first four major films ever released on DVD in 1996 were ''Film/TheFugitive'', ''Film/{{Eraser}}'', ''Film/{{Assassins}}'', and ''[[Film/BladeRunner Blade Runner: The Director's Cut]]'', all from the Creator/WarnerBros library.[[note]]Here's a fun fact within a fun fact: ''Blade Runner'' was selected as one of the first [=DVD=]s not only for its growing popularity but also on the merit that [[RewatchBonus it rewarded multiple viewings]].[[/note]] As this four-title batch didn't come out until over a month after the first DVD players debuted, most DVD titles until then were limited to music video releases; no documentation seems to exist regarding what the first actual title released on DVD was. In the United States, the DVD format debuted with the aforementioned ''Blade Runner: The Director's Cut'' as well as the then-recent ''Film/{{Twister}}''.

[=DVDs=] are now common media, and it provides reasonable quality video to the end user, especially when compared to [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], the leap in quality is pretty astonishing. DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007. The format was used by video game companies the world over (UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} games and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games, until [[UsefulNotes/BluRay Blu-Ray's]] higher storage capacity made it the format choice for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne). DVD is also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US $20-30 for a small set-top player). While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, [=DVD's=] reach has been so great and so vast for the past 29 years that this idea hasn't really happened for a variety of factors; a price premium of 33% compared to [=DVDs=] (DVD of a film would normally be $10, Blu-ray would be $14-17), a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a "wait-and-see" stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the rise and convenience of online video sales and online streaming sites leading to a stifling of any consumer demand for yet another physical media format to keep track of.

Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] and UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} optical formats are [=DVDs=] that use constant angular velocity, meaning they always spin at the same speed from center to rim; the [=GameCube=] uses a variant on the 8 cm DVD, while Wii discs are at the same 12 cm size as conventional optical discs. The use of CAV-based playback lowers their capacity slightly, and is an attempt to curtail piracy. [[note]]It also cut down on production costs, since Nintendo didn't have to license any of the software technology they would need if they had adhered to the standard. This didn't stop homebrew developers from making DVD playback software for the Wii, though the newer drive chip on later Wii consoles makes it incompatible with them.[[/note]]

[=DVDs=] are now common media, and it provides reasonable quality video to the end user, especially when compared to [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], the leap in quality is pretty astonishing. DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007. The format was used by video game companies the world over (UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} games and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games, until [[UsefulNotes/BluRay Blu-Ray's]] higher storage capacity made it the format choice for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne). DVD is also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US $20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, [=DVD's=] reach has been so great and so vast for the past 29 years that this idea hasn't really happened for a variety of factors; a price premium of 33% compared to [=DVDs=] (DVD of a film would normally be $10, Blu-ray would be $14-17), a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a "wait-and-see" stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the rise and convenience of online video sales and online streaming sites leading to a stifling of any consumer demand for yet another physical media format to keep track of.

Unlike [=CDs=], [=DVDs=] allow for UsefulNotes/RegionCoding, something movie studios use to control their copyright and licensing (and, in turn, screws over fans of a show or movie if a disc turns out to be a NoExportForYou case.) Generally, this has resulted in law violations in certain countries and in turn resulted in the appearance of Region-Free DVD players. Even many brand name DVD players sold in the market today contain a key sequence one could enter to disable or change region as needed. Granted, the studios, ignoring the potential government lawsuits of these countries, attempted to counter the release of such devices by introducing an enhanced region-locking scheme. However, this scheme was so badly thought out that it not only didn't work with most of these region-free players, but these enhanced discs would also refuse to work on some ''region-locked players of the correct region''. Sadly these companies continue to push this enhanced scheme, screwing over anyone who had bought a player that is affected but is otherwise still working fine.

[=DVDs=] were also experimented with as an outlet for music. DVD-Audio was developed as a method of providing music in surround sound and at a higher resolution than a CD, but unlike its main competitor, Super Audio CD, it lacked support for backwards compatibility. The music industry attempted to rectify this with [=DualDisc=] and [=DVDplus=], a double-sided disc with CD and DVD sides. The DVD side usually included a high-resolution surround version of the CD side's audio, plus video content such as music videos and documentaries. However, both formats were incompatible with many CD players -- [=DualDisc=] because the CD side was slightly too thin, and [=DVDplus=] because the more conventionally-sized CD side made the disc too ''thick''. Combined with the rise of digital downloads, the inability to actually ''hear'' the difference in resolution, and the cumbersome nature of upgrading to a surround sound setup, DVD-Audio and its variants fizzled out, despite attracting a cult following along with SACD among digital audiophiles. DVD-Audio remains in use for the occasional BoxedSet, but [=DualDisc=] and [=DVDplus=] have firmly gone the way of the dodo, being discontinued in 2009.

[=DVDs=] were also experimented with as an outlet for music. DVD-Audio was developed as a method of providing music in surround sound and at a higher resolution than a CD, but unlike its main competitor, Super Audio CD, it lacked support for backwards compatibility. The music industry attempted to rectify this with [=DualDisc=] and [=DVDplus=], a double-sided disc with CD and DVD sides. The DVD side usually included a high-resolution surround version of the CD side's audio, plus video content such as music videos and documentaries. However, both formats were incompatible with many CD players -- [=DualDisc=] because the CD side was slightly too thin, and [=DVDplus=] because the more conventionally-sized CD side made the disc too ''thick''. Combined with the rise of digital downloads, the inability to actually ''hear'' the difference in resolution, and the cumbersome nature of upgrading to a surround sound setup, DVD-Audio and its variants fizzled out. DVD-Audio remains in use for the occasional BoxedSet, but [=DualDisc=] and [=DVDplus=] have firmly gone the way of the dodo, being discontinued in 2009.

The high capacity of a DVD (about six-and-a-half times that of conventional compact disc) also offers an advantage in terms of computer gaming. Computer games that use up a lot of space can be loaded on just one or two [=DVDs=], instead of multiple [=CDs=]. As an example, compare ''VideoGame/MicrosoftFlightSimulator 2004'' and ''Microsoft Flight Simulator X''. The former takes up something like 1.5-3 gigabytes of space and has to be installed using four [=CDs=]. The latter takes up 15 gigabytes, but is installed using only two [=DVDs=].

It should be noted that [=DVDs=] allow for UsefulNotes/RegionCoding, something movie studios do to control their copyright and licensing (and, in turn, screws over fans of a show or movie if a disc turns out to be a NoExportForYou case.) Generally, this has resulted in law violations in certain countries and in turn resulted in the appearance of Region-Free DVD players. Even many brand name DVD players sold in the market today contain a key sequence one could enter to disable or change region as needed. Granted, the studios, ignoring the potential government lawsuits of these countries, attempted to counter the release of such devices by introducing an enhanced region-locking scheme. However, this scheme was so badly thought out that it not only didn't work with most of these region-free players, but these enhanced discs would also refuse to work on some ''region-locked players of the correct region''. Sadly these companies continue to push this enhanced scheme, screwing over anyone who had bought a player that is affected but is otherwise still working fine.

The remaining consumer base for DVD (and physical media in general) consists mainly of collectors who like having physical copies of movies, families with children using them on portable DVD players in cars, and people who lack access to decent broadband internet and are unable to use streaming services. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD thanks to players being made intentionally backwards-compatible.

The continuing popularity of DVD even as it loses ground to streaming and the lower uptake of Blu-ray has caused studios to favor "combo packs" for physical releases containing a DVD and Blu-ray copy of a film, often with a coupon code for a digital version to cover all bases as well.

It should be noted that [=DVDs=] allow for UsefulNotes/RegionCoding, something movie studios do to control their copyright and licensing (and screws fans of a show or movie over in turn if a disc turns out to be a NoExportForYou case.) Generally this has resulted in law violations in certain countries and in turn resulted in the appearance of Region-Free DVD players. Even many brand name DVD players sold in the market today contain a key sequence one could enter to disable or change region as needed. Granted, the studios, ignoring the potential government lawsuits of these countries, attempted to counter the release of such devices by introducing an enhanced region-locking scheme. However, this scheme was so badly thought out that it not only didn't work with most of these region-free players, but these enhanced discs would also refuse to work on some ''region-locked players of the correct region''. Sadly these companies continue to push this enhanced scheme, screwing over anyone who had bought a player that is affected but is otherwise still working fine.

The continuing popularity of DVD even as it loses ground to streaming and the lower uptake of Blu-ray has caused studios to favor "combo packs" for physical releases containing a DVD and Blu-ray copy of a film, often with a coupon for a digital version to cover all bases as well.

Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s [[UsefulNotes/NintendoGameCube GameCube]] and UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} optical formats are [=DVDs=] that always spin at the same speed from center to rim. This lowers their capacity slightly, and is an attempt to curtail piracy. [[note]]It also cut down on production costs, since Nintendo didn't have to license any of the software technology they would need if they had adhered to the standard, and the only type of discs the [=GameCube=] uses are mini-discs. This didn't stop homebrew developers from making DVD Playback Software for the Wii, though the newer drive chip on later Wii consoles makes it incompatible with them.[[/note]]

[=DVDs=] are now common media, and it provides reasonable quality video to the end user, especially when compared to [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], the leap in quality is pretty astonishing. DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007. The format was used by video game companies the world over (UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} games and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games, until [[UsefulNotes/BluRay Blu-Ray's]] higher storage capacity made it the format choice for the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne). DVD is also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US $20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, [=DVD's=] reach has been so great and so vast for the past 29 years that this idea hasn't really happened for a variety of factors; a price premium of 33% compared to [=DVDs=] (DVD of a film would normally be $10, Blu-ray would be $14-17), a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a "wait-and-see" stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the rise and convenience of online video sales and online streaming sites leading to a stifling to any consumer demand for yet another physical media format to keep track of.

[=DVDs=] are now common installation media and provide reasonable quality video (in comparison to hi-def programming and UsefulNotes/BluRay; compare DVD to its forerunner, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], and the leap in quality is pretty astonishing; DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007.) The format is used by the vast majority of UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games (the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne use Blu-ray). It's also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US $20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, DVD's reach has been so great in the past 29 years that this will take a while. Blu-ray was further hobbled by a price tag significantly higher than that of [=DVDs=], a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a wait-and-see stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the convenience of online video sales/streaming sites leading to an end to any consumer demand for yet another new physical media format, in that chronological order. The remaining consumer base for DVD consists mainly of collectors who like having physical copies of movies, families with children using them on portable DVD players in cars, and people who lack access to broadband internet and are unable to use streaming services. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD, due to the similarity in construction.

The continuing popularity of DVD even as it loses ground to streaming and the lower uptake of Blu-ray has caused studios to favor "combo packs" for physical releases containing a DVD and Blu-ray copy of a film, often with a coupon for a digital version to cover all the bases as well.

[=DVDs=] are now common installation media and provide reasonable quality video (in comparison to hi-def programming and UsefulNotes/BluRay; compare DVD to its forerunner, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], and the leap in quality is pretty astonishing; DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007.) The format is used by the vast majority of UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games (the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne use Blu-ray). It's also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US$20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, DVD's reach has been so great in the past 29 years that this will take a while. Blu-ray was further hobbled by a price tag significantly higher than that of [=DVDs=], a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a wait-and-see stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the convenience of online video sales/streaming sites leading to an end to any consumer demand for yet another new physical media format, in that chronological order. The remaining consumer base for DVD consists mainly of collectors who like having physical copies of movies, families with children using them on portable DVD players in cars, and people who lack access to broadband internet and are unable to use streaming services. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD, due to the similarity in construction.

The continuing popularity of DVD even as it loses ground to streaming and the lower uptake of Blu-ray has caused studios to release "combo packs" containing a DVD and Blu-ray copy of a film, often with a coupon for a digital version to cover all the bases as well.

[=DVDs=] are now common installation media and provide reasonable quality video (in comparison to hi-def programming and UsefulNotes/BluRay; compare DVD to its forerunner, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], and the leap in quality is pretty astonishing; DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007.) The format is used by the vast majority of UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games (the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne use Blu-ray). It's also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US$20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, DVD's reach has been so great in the past 29 years that this will take a while. Blu-ray was further hobbled by a price tag significantly higher than that of [=DVDs=], a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a wait-and-see stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the convenience of online video sales/streaming sites leading to an end to any consumer demand for yet another new physical media format, in that chronological order. The remaining consumer base for DVD consists mainly of collectors who like having physical copies of movies, families with children using them on portable DVD players in cars, and people who lack access to broadband internet and are unable to use streaming services. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD, due to the similarity in construction. The continuing popularity of DVD even as it loses ground to streaming and the lower uptake of Blu-ray has caused studios to release "combo packs" containing a DVD and Blu-ray copy of a film, often with a coupon for a digital version to cover all the bases as well.

[=DVDs=] are now common installation media and provide reasonable quality video (in comparison to hi-def programming and UsefulNotes/BluRay; compare DVD to its forerunner, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], and the leap in quality is pretty astonishing; DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007.) The format is used by the vast majority of UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games (the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne use Blu-ray). It's also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US$20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, DVD's reach has been so great in the past 29 years that this will take a while. Blu-ray was further hobbled by a price tag significantly higher than that of [=DVDs=], a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a wait-and-see stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the convenience of online video sales/streaming sites leading to an end to any consumer demand for yet another new physical media format, in that chronological order. The remaining consumer base for DVD consists mainly of collectors who like having physical copies of movies, families with children using them on portable DVD players in cars, and people who lack access to broadband internet and are unable to use streaming services. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD, due to the similarity in construction.

[=DVDs=] are now common installation media and provide reasonable quality video (in comparison to hi-def programming and UsefulNotes/BluRay; compare DVD to its forerunner, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], and the leap in quality is pretty astonishing; DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007.) The format is used by the vast majority of UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games (the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne use Blu-ray). It's also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US$20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, DVD's reach has been so great in the past 29 years that this will take a while. Blu-ray was further hobbled by a price tag significantly higher than that of [=DVDs=], a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a wait-and-see stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the convenience of online video sales/streaming sites leading to an end to any consumer demand for yet another new physical-media format, in that chronological order. The remaining consumer base for DVD consists mainly of collectors who like having physical copies of movies, families with children using them on portable DVD players in cars, and people who lack access to broadband internet and are unable to use streaming services. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD, due to the similarity in construction.

[=DVDs=] are now common installation media and provide reasonable quality video (in comparison to hi-def programming and UsefulNotes/BluRay; compare DVD to its forerunner, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], and the leap in quality is pretty astonishing; DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007.) The format is used by the vast majority of UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games (the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne use Blu-ray). It's also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and DVD players of all shapes and sizes are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US$20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, DVD's reach has been so great in the past 29 years that this will take a while. Blu-ray was further hobbled by a price tag significantly higher than that of [=DVDs=], a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a wait-and-see stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the convenience of online video sales/streaming sites leading to an end to any consumer demand for yet another new physical-media format, in that chronological order. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD, due to the similarity in construction.

It should be noted that [=DVDs=] allow for UsefulNotes/RegionCoding, something movie studios do to control their copyright and licensing (and screws fans of a show or movie over in turn if a disc turns out to be a NoExportForYou case.) Generally this has resulted law violations in certain countries and in turn resulted in the appearance of Region-Free DVD players. Even many brand name DVD players sold in the market today contain a key sequence one could enter to disable or change region as needed. Granted, the studios, ignoring the potential government lawsuits of these countries, attempted to counter the release of such devices by introducing an enhanced region-locking scheme. However, this scheme was so badly thought out that it not only didn't work with most of these region-free players, but these enhanced discs would also refuse to work on some ''region-locked players of the correct region''. Sadly these companies continue to push this enhanced scheme, screwing over anyone who had bought a player that is affected but is otherwise still working fine.

[=DVDs=] are now common installation media and provide reasonable quality video (in comparison to hi-def programming and UsefulNotes/BluRay; compare DVD to its forerunner, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], and the leap in quality is pretty astonishing; DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007.) The format is used by the vast majority of UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games (the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne use Blu-ray). It's also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US$20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, DVD's reach has been so great in the past 29 years that this will take a while. Blu-ray was further hobbled by a price tag significantly higher than that of [=DVDs=], a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a wait-and-see stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the convenience of online video sales/streaming sites leading to an end to any consumer demand for yet another new physical-media format, in that chronological order. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD, due to the similarity in construction.

For fun fact's sake, the first two films ever released on DVD were ''Film/{{Twister}}'' and ''Film/BladeRunner: The Director's Cut'', both from the Creator/WarnerBros library.[[note]]And here's a fun fact within a fun fact: ''Blade Runner'' was selected as one of the first [=DVD=]s not only for its growing popularity but also on the merit that [[RewatchBonus it rewarded multiple viewings]].[[/note]]

[=DVDs=] are now common installation media and provide reasonable quality video (in comparison to hi-def programming and UsefulNotes/BluRay; compare DVD to its forerunner, [[UsefulNotes/{{VCR}} VHS]], and the leap in quality is pretty astonishing; DVD more or less replaced UsefulNotes/LaserDisc as the opposing format to VHS until 2007.) The format is used by the vast majority of UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 games, UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}} games, and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox 360}} games (the UsefulNotes/PlayStation3, UsefulNotes/PlayStation4 and UsefulNotes/XboxOne use Blu-ray; Nintendo's disc-based consoles-- the UsefulNotes/{{Gamecube}}, UsefulNotes/{{Wii}} and UsefulNotes/WiiU-- utilized DVD-esque disc formats developed with Panasonic but didn't actually use [=DVDs=]; and Sega's final console, the [[UsefulNotes/SegaDreamcast Dreamcast]], used a propreitary format called the GD-ROM, developed with Yamaha and essentially a CD-ROM with up to 1GB of storage capacity; both of these cases were intended to help prevent piracy). It's also a major standard for video players; the first models came out in UsefulNotes/{{Japan}} in 1996, and in North America in 1997, and are still readily available today (sometimes for as little as US$20-30 for a small set-top player.) While Blu-ray was expected to replace it eventually, DVD's reach has been so great in the past 29 years that this will take a while. Blu-ray was further hobbled by a price tag significantly higher than that of [=DVDs=], a format war with HD-DVD leading to even early adopters taking a wait-and-see stance, the Great Recession's effect on discretionary income, and the convenience of online video sales/streaming sites leading to an end to any consumer demand for yet another new physical-media format, in that chronological order. On the plus side it helps that, unlike the switch from VHS to DVD, even the cheapest Blu-ray players can play a standard DVD, due to the similarity in construction.