DVD technology is getting more and more popular

DVD technology is getting more and more popular

Sudibyo M. Wiradji, Contributor, Jakarta

Even though many home entertainment owners are hanging onto
their VCDs or video cassette recorders (VCRs) for one reason or
another, DVD technology is becoming more and more popular in
Indonesia.

Prior to the emergence of VCD and DVD technology,
entertainment enthusiasts were only familiar with video cassettes
using analog technology with its VHS and Betamax systems for home
video viewing.

However, frequent use of the cassettes will wear out the tape
causing distortions to the quality of the picture it produces.
The advent of digital technology in the music and entertainment
industry in the 1980s has improved analog technology. DVD players
started to appear on the market in the late 1990s in line with
the advancement of computer technology. But the new video
technology only made it to Indonesia's shores a few years ago.

The launch of more sophisticated audio and video technology
such as VCD, DVD and SACD does not mean the end of the world for
CD players. With slight modifications, CD players will still be
able to win the heart of music, audio and video lovers.

By equipping CD players with a 24 Bit/96 kHz digital to analog
converter (DAC), the Musical Fidelity A3.2 CD player can, for
example, produce a better quality of sound compared to even more
sophisticated VCD and DVD technology.

DVD, which stands for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile
Disc, is similar to a CD (Compact Disc) but it has a much larger
capacity to hold data. Technologically speaking, a standard DVD
holds about seven times more data than a CD does. This huge
capacity means that a DVD has enough room to store a full-length,
MPEG-2 encoded movie, as well as a lot of other information.

Commonly, a DVD player produces a much higher quality picture
and resonance, compared to the VCD or video cassette recorders,
which is the primary reason why a DVD player is preferred more
even though you have to have a TV with three output portals in
order to produce clearer motion pictures.

DVD players commonly feature a Dolby Digital decoder, which
allows the DVD player to decode the Dolby Digital information
from a DVD and convert it to six separate analog channels.

Others feature a Digital Theater System (DTS), which allows
the DVD player to decode DTS information from a DVD and convert
it to six separate analog channels. Usually, all DVD players are
DTS compatible. But when it comes to the sounds that the DVD
player produces, this will entirely depend on the quality of your
TV and the sound system.

DVD players usually also feature simulated surround sound. If
you are going to hook the DVD player up to a TV or a stereo
system with only two speakers, a DVD player with simulated
surround processing will give you some sense of surround sound
without the extra speakers.

DVD players of various brands and models are available at
electronics shops around town. They include Sony, Phillips, Bang
& Olufsen, Samsung, Toshiba, Panasonic, JVC, Pioneer and
Polytron. But when it comes to price, the saying 'ada harga ada
rupa' (the quality lies in the price) also applies to electronic
goods, such as DVD players.

You can find DVD players priced below Rp 1 million on the
market, but the quality of a machine of an unknown brand is
questionable. "It is different from a well-known brand that costs
more. It has longer durability, and as long as you take
care of it well, you'll be able to use it for 10 years," said one
audio-visual equipment shop assistant.

On average, prices for branded DVD players range from Rp 1.25
million to Rp 10 million, depending on the brand, series and
model. If you want to own a DVD player but are on a tight budget,
you can go cheaper. The TCL TDE F-60, for instance, will only
cost you Rp 1.25 million, while the Hyundai HV-510 will set you
back about Rp 1.37 million. The Samsung DVD-S128 costs Rp 1.35
million, and the Toshiba SD2550b sells for Rp 1.55 million.

But if money is not an issue, then you can invest in a machine
with a higher price. The Panasonic DVD-R45 costs Rp 3.44 million,
the Yamaha DVD-5510 goes for Rp 3.15 million and the Pioneer DV-
633A is Rp 4.75 million.

A sales executive at PT Sarana Elektrindo Utama which sells
equipment manufactured by Bang & Olufsen of Denmark said that
despite the high price, a DVD player from Bang & Olufsen was in
big demand because discerning audiophiles and videophiles do not
consider money an issue.

"The superiority of our product is that it has advanced
technology and allows for a higher quality picture and sound. But
many also enjoy its design," a spokesperson from the company
said, adding that the machine was designed for the future.

She said that Bang & Olufsen started to have an authorized
dealer in Indonesia only one year ago. The price of a Bang &
Olufsen DVD player is about S$2,200.

A source at PT Sony Indonesia said that despite the declining
trend in the price of several brands of DVD players, the company
did not want to follow suit.

Prices for Sony DVD players range from over Rp 1.5 million to
over Rp 2 million, depending on the model and series.

Sony, one of the pioneers in developing DVD players, sells a
DVD player with the ability to play CDs, VCDs, Super VCDs, CD
Recordables, CD Rewritables, DVD+Rs, DVD-Rs, DVD+RWs, MP3s and
DVDs.

The Sony DVD player's precision drive system and its exclusive
precision Drive 2 pick-up mechanism ensures excellent readouts
and superior picture quality. "With the Dynamic Tilt Compensation
System, it can accommodate scratched discs," a spokesman from PT
Sony Indonesia said.