In attending any conventions, conferences or demonstration, DVD is being demonstrated as "the best of the best". However on the contrary, the first generation DVD both hardware and software are not what many though it would be. Here are some of the things that are expected from a first generation DVD.
DVD is hailed as revolutionary because of it potential to store movies on a single disc using a dual layer format that is two disc bonded together to form a single disc. There is a slight deception there in that the first generation DVD disc does not use dual layer technique but only use one of the layer while the other remains unused. Looking at the disc physically, one would not be able to tell if the two layer has program written on it because every DVD has two layers already bonded together. However only one layer has program material on it that means 133 minutes of movie or 4.9 gigabytes. This is because there has been no set format on the disc yet and this has caused further delay on DVD
This also matches the capabilities of the DVD player in that at the current moment no DVD player is able to read a dual layer disc and also no DVD player can automatically play a two sided disc. It is really complex in that there have been two proposal, one by Sony that propose a dual layer disc and the other by Toshiba/Warner Bros that suggest a dual sided disc. At the moment there is no hard evidence that any of these companies has success in their suggestion. The reason for this would be high cost and complication that would be encountered in the way, before there is an official launch of DVD. Therefore don't be to surprise that when you purchase a DVD player and want to play a dual sided or dual layer disc it does not work!!!
Copy protection is also another important aspect that the makers of DVD hope to achieve. There are currently two suggested copy protection by Macrovision used for the composite analog video output. The first will be to use s bright peak white pulse roughly at 130 IRE units and a blacker than black pulse designed to "fool" the automatic gain in the VHS producing a turn down video level thus creating a dark , ugly and unwatchable copy. The second consideration is a new technique that is panted by Macrovision by somehow changing the colour burst signal so the colour will flicker uncontrollably it passed through the VHS. These copy protection are said that they will only prevent the amateur from copying to a VHS, however professional video person with video processing amplifiers or switcher would be able to cut out the difference in colour signal.
In considering these copy protection that are planned, can it be possible that the picture from a DVD player be as good as laserdisc or even worst due to its unstability video output. There are also concern that high end line doublers and quadruplers in home theatre projection system would be totally confuse by the signal that is sent out on DVD player. Anyway these are based on assumption in theory that have not been tested or seen or even implemented to a DVD player. In the rush of things in attempting to release DVD players first generation players copy protection will be excluded. This does not mean that one would be able to copy the DVD disc to VHS or S-VHS because when there is a proper copy protection installed first generation will be called back to install the copy protection.
This would all come as a shock after all the continual delays that DVD has gone through. It would be expected that after all these delays, the manufactures would be able to solve the different problems that are faced through a new development. The reason for the premature release of DVD would be the aim to capture the early adopters and hoping that that there will be a big enough market before the next generation of DVD. This is so that there will be a continual line of customer wanting DVD since their announcement of the new technology. Besides this there are also many types of politics behind DVD.
These are the things that are expected from a first generation DVD players. These are information in informing yourself for the expectation on a first generation DVD player. It is not suggested that yourself purchase or not to purchase a new DVD player. Therefore a decision in purchasing a DVD player is ultimately up to yourself.