Gary Floring

COM 538: Evolution and Trends in Digital Media TechnologiesInstructor: Kathy Gill

University of Washington – Seattle

Fall 2003

Video Media TechnologyPast, Present, and Future

• Introduction

• Purpose / Thesis

• The Past - ANALOG

• The Present – DIGITAL

• Media Capacity Comparison

• Innovation-Diffusion Theory

• The Future – Next Generation DVD

• Conclusions and Projections

• Q & A

Video Media TechnologyOutline

Topics of Discussion

Video Media TechnologyIntroduction and Purpose / Thesis

Definitions & Terminology• VIDEO: Root English word is vision, from the Latin videre, “to see” -- Originally, video referred to ”what is visible” in a TV broadcast

• MEDIA: Plural of medium, from the Latin medius, “the middle”

• ANALOG: Continuously varying value, such as a sine wave…

• DIGITAL: Discrete values representing data samples…

• DVD: Digital Versatile Disc

Purpose / Thesis• Examine the development of video media technology over the past 50 years

• Identify DVD technology as a major innovation process currently having a rapid

diffusion throughout social systems

• Determine current trends in the market battle over modern media formats and standardization; understand impacts on popular culture & end user needs• Contribute useful data / findings to the communications discipline on modern video media applications

Video Media 1890s to 1950s• 1891: Thomas Edison invents Kinetoscope;

others patented similar devices

• Late 19th century to mid-20th century:

plastic and celluloid film media

• Post-WWII: magnetic-based videotape

developed for television broadcasts Early 20th century Kinetoscope

• Apr. 1956: Ampex Corporation demonstrates

world’s first videotape recorder (VTR)

• Nov. 1956: CBS is first network to

broadcast using videotape

• Nov. 1957: KING-TV studios in Seattle

received one of the first production VTRs

Ampex VRX-1000, world’s first videotape recorder

Video Media TechnologyThe Past - ANALOG

Video Media 1960s to 1980s• 1960s: Sony and other Japanese companies

challenge Ampex for VTR dominance• 1970s: Sony emerges as a major innovator, introducing several advances in media and hardware miniaturization• 1975: Sony unveils Betamax, its flagship consumer VCR; pricey but very popular Sony SL-7200 Betamax VCR; $1,295

• 1976: JVC fights back with cheaper, rival VHS system

• 1977: Beta vs. VHS “format war” is on!

• 1978: VHS introduces two major innovations which consumers adopt immediately: -- Two hour tapes vs. Beta’s one hour -- RCA’s programmable VCT-400 allows time-shifting / tape delay recording

• 1980s: VHS outsells Sony’s Beta VCRs and tape format 4 to 1

• 1990s: Beta format widely considered obsolete; VHS had “won” the war

Video Media TechnologyThe Past - ANALOG

BETA VHS

• Records / stores “raw” digital video signal; little or no compression• Widely used in camcorders• Disadvantages: Prone to signal dropout, fading, stretching, age-degradation

Major Portable Media Types *

Magnetic Tape (DV) Compact Disc (CD) Digital Versatile Disc (DVD)

• Records / stores digital video using MPEG-1 compression• Capable of ~1 hour of VHS- quality video (240 lines res.)• 700 MB capacity• Advantages: Long term, non-volatile; compatible with most CD-DVD playback devices

• Records / stores digital video using MPEG-2 compression• Capable of ~2 hours of High Quality video (480 lines res.)• 4.7 GB capacity• Advantages: Long term, non-volatile; very high resolution; allows chapter and menu creation

Video Media TechnologyThe Present -- DIGITAL

* For this study, computer hard drives are excluded as “non-portable” media.

Digital Media Capacity Comparison*

Floppy Diskette (non-video data)

CD DVD (4.7 GB)

`

■

`

`

`

`

` `

`

1.44 MB

(700 MB)

Video Media TechnologyThe Present

Innovation-Diffusion Process Annual

DVDSales

(billions)

1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

0

Pre-recorded DVDs Recordable DVDs Next Generation DVD

Video Media TechnologyCommunications Theory

Video Media TechnologyThe Present

Recordable DVD Format Choices

Currently a “format war” underway• DVD-RAM

• DVD-R/-RW

• DVD+R/+RW

• DVD+VR

• “General” Type for mass consumers

• “Authoring” Type for professionals

• All use “red laser” technology

• Quality differences are not significant

• Manufacturers currently introducing “multi-format” recorders (e.g., Sony DRU 510A)

Red laser technologyfor “burning” and playback

Laser beam wavelength is 650 nm, with a focal point 350 nm wide

Findings to date indicate -R/-RW and +R/+RW formats exhibit highest consumer adoption rates; -R and +R have widest compatibility

Video Media TechnologyThe Future

Blue laser technologyfor “burning” and playback

Laser beam wavelength is 405 nm, with a focal point 70 nm wide

Currently under development, new DVD format uses “blue laser” technology

• Much greater storage capacity; up to 30 GB -- Over 6 times greater than current DVDs• Developed to handle storage demands of High Definition Television (HDTV) -- Over 1,000 lines of resolution

• “Backward compatibility” planned

with current DVDs; however…• Standardization war already under way between Sony and Toshiba / NEC -- Sony promoting “Blu-ray” format -- Toshiba / NEC promoting “HD-DVD” format

Next Generation DVD

First blue laser discs and hardware expected in U.S. market in 2005

Video Media TechnologyThe Future

Conclusions & Projections

Digital Media Technology will Continue to Rapidly Advance Adoption of DVD technology has been “revolutionary” vs. evolutionary Hollywood will use traditional film indefinitely

VHS and DV magnetic tape use will gradually decline as disc media dominates Current DVD format wars will be decided by consumers; –R and +R are leading Multi-format hardware will ease standardization issue Next generation blue laser DVD will accelerate trend toward HDTV this decade Sony’s “Blu-ray” format more likely to dominate Toshiba / NEC’s

-- More than 25% greater storage capacity than rival HD-DVD

-- Builds on current MPEG-2 compression standard for backward compatibility

Nanotechnology will drive storage capacities much higher within 5 years

-- By 2010, DVDs will be capable of holding over 100 GB

Video Media TechnologyQ & A

Questions?