DVD
An acronym for Digital Video Disc, DVD is a next-generation form of the compact disc (CD) capable of rendering a digitized movie for playback with picture and sound quality that far surpasses that of VHS tapes.
Blu-ray Disc
One of two superior DVD formats -- along with HD-DVD (see below) -- designed to replace conventional DVDs, Blu-ray Discs (BD) allow movie fans to enjoy films in high definition, delivering far more crisply detailed images than standard DVDs. The more technically robust of the two new formats (they hold more data), Blu-ray discs are the same size as DVDs and CDs. Blu-ray Discs, however, will play only in machines emblazoned with the Blu-ray logo. Blu-ray players will play back the earlier formats, although with no improvement in video or audio performance.
HD-DVD
The HD in HD-DVD stands for "high definition." This superior DVD format -- like Blu-ray Discs (see above) -- delivers far more crisp images than standard DVDs. HD-DVD discs, which are the same size as DVDs and CDs, will play only in machines emblazoned with the HD-DVD logo. HD players, however, will play back the earlier formats, although with no improvement in video or audio performance.
Wide-Screen
Wide-Screen presentations mirror a film's original, theatrical height-to-width ratio, with thin black strips across the top and bottom of a traditional square television screen. The plus side of this is that you view the film pretty much as the filmmakers intended you to see it. The minus side, though, is that the image itself could be smaller, a drawback when viewing the film on a 20-inch or smaller TV or computer monitor. If you own a newer Wide-Screen television, then the Wide-Screen DVD will enable you to see the full picture as it was originally filmed.
"Anamorphic" or "Enhanced" Wide-Screen
DVDs marked as "Anamorphic" or "Enhanced" for wide-screen viewing are designed for improved playback on wide-screen TV sets (including 16:9 and HDTV-ready designs). Such discs are fully compatible with conventional televisions.
Full-Screen (a.k.a. Pan-and-Scan)
Full-Screen presentations adapt a movie to fill a TV screen's contours, eliminating portions of the picture deemed expendable by the producers. This means the film has been cropped to provide maximum impact for your TV or computer. As a result of the pan-and-scan presentation -- created by panning around the film image and scanning the crucial characters and action -- less of the filmmakers' original vision appears on your screen.
Superbit DVD
High-resolution Superbit™ DVDs use all available space on each disc to optimize the quality of the movie's image and sound. That is why there are no special features on Superbit DVDs. While these discs play in all DVD machines, their enhanced performance is best appreciated on today's high-end home entertainment systems. To make up for the dearth of extras, some Superbit titles include one or more additional DVDs with traditional DVD special features.
DVD Single
As the name suggests, DVD Single is a digital-age update of the old 45 rpm record -- a music format that showcases at least one music video and other features.
DVD Audio
A DVD that is usually dedicated to enhanced sound reproduction. While some DVD Audio releases also contain accompanying video footage, not all do. These items will not play on a CD player.
UMD
The UMD (Universal Media Disc) is a high-capacity disc designed for use in the Sony PSP handheld entertainment system. The discs, which measure half the diameter of DVDs and CDs, can offer everything from movies to games, music, and more. UMDs can be played back only in Sony PSP devices, not in DVD or CD players.
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