Gary Floring COM 538: Evolution and Trends in Digital Media Technologies Instructor: Kathy Gill University of Washington – Seattle Fall 2003 Video Media Technology Past, 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 Technology Outline Topics of Discussion

Video Media Technology Introduction 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 19 th century to mid-20 th century: plastic and celluloid film media Post-WWII: magnetic-based videotape developed for television broadcasts Early 20 th 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 Technology The 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, : 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 s: Beta format widely considered obsolete; VHS had “won” the war Video Media Technology The 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 Technology The Present -- DIGITAL * For this study, computer hard drives are excluded as “non-portable” media.

Digital Media Capacity Comparison* Floppy Diskette (non-video data) CDDVD (4.7 GB) ■ 1.44 MB (700 MB) Video Media Technology The Present

Innovation-Diffusion Process Annual DVD Sales ( billions ) Pre-recorded DVDsRecordable DVDsNext Generation DVD Video Media Technology Communications Theory

Video Media Technology The 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 technology for “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 Technology The Future Blue laser technology for “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 Technology The 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 Technology Q & A Questions?