On Wednesday 01 June 2005 02:10, Jerry Feldman wrote:
The 1997 DVD specification called for a 4.7GB (DVD-5) data capacity however it did talk about dual layer (DVD-9). My point is that some older DVD ROM drives did not ever have the capability to read the dual layer DVDs. I'm not sure when DVDs with dual-layer capacity started tpo be included with PCS. Both of my DVD readers (my laptop and wife's computer) were build before 2000.
This is a quote from the rec.video.dvd FAQ published in February 2000 <quote> All DVD players and drives can read dual-layer discs -- it's required by the spec. All players and drives also play double-sided discs if you flip them over. No manufacturer has announced a model that will play both sides. The added cost is probably not justifiable since discs can hold over 4 hours of video on one side by using two layers. (Early discs used two sides because dual-layer production was not widely supported. This should no longer be a problem.) Pioneer LD/DVD players can play both sides of an LD, but not a DVD. (See 2.12 for note on reading both sides simultaneously.) </quote> This is from the alt.video.dvd from 1996 (the year the spec was made, btw, not 1997) http://www.dtvgroup.com/comdex/DVD/Robert/dvdfaq.html#1.18 <quote> [1.18] When will double-sided or dual-layer discs appear? Will they work in all players? Soon. Some replicators plan to produce double-sided discs, dual-layer discs, and double-dual discs from day one. Obviously the prices will be higher, but certain producers already require more space than is available on a single side or single layer. All players will play dual-layer discs -- it's required. </quote> I can't seem to find the actual spec to quote though, but these sources seem relatively authoritative