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DVD: A New Medium for Language Classrooms?

Date: 
September 1996
Issue: 
The Language Teacher - Issue 20.9; September 1996
Writer(s): 
Vernon Chun, Nagasaki University

 

When major electronics corporations first announced their intentions in late 1994 to develop digital video disks (DVD), many people were disappointed by reports that two different formats were being considered. Two consortiums, one led by Sony and Philips and the other by Toshiba and Time Warner, could not agree to develop a single format. It appeared at this time that consumers were destined to choose between Sony and Philips' double-layered, single-sided, 7.4 gigabyte MMCD (multimedia compact disk) and Toshiba and Time Warner's single-layered, double-sided, 10 gigabyte SD (super density) digital disk formats (Shima Media Network, 1995a, 1995b). In the minds of many, this dispute brought back memories of the videotape war two decades earlier between Sony's Betamax and Matsushita's video home system (VHS).

In September 1995 the two groups reached a compromise (Toshiba, 1995b). This agreement marked a victory for consumers and the future of DVD. In December 1995 the companies announced their agreed upon digital disk specifications, based on recommendations from the movie and computer industries (Toshiba, 1995a) -- a single-layered, double-sided, 9.4 gigabyte (4.7 gb per side) optical disk format, called simply "DVD." In terms of data capacity, MPEG-2 digital compression and DVD technologies will allow 266 minutes (133 minutes per side) of movie data to be stored on a single disk (Sony, 1995). This will represent an improvement over MPEG-1 and CD-ROM disk technologies that allow storage of only 74 minutes of movie data. Although VHS tapes can store more video data, depending on tape length and recorder settings, a study commissioned by Sony and Philips claims that more than 97% of movies run less than 135 minutes. DVD's 133 minute data capacity should be sufficient as a movie medium (Envisioneering, 1995).

Many people in the electronics, computer, and entertainment industries are very optimistic about DVD (Yonover, 1995; Change Magazine, 1996; Envisioneering, 1995; Purser, 1995; Eagle, 1995). Masami Sato of the Sakura Institute of Research believes that DVD will even replace VHS as the most popular movie medium, and will replace computer CD-ROM disks, hard disks, and diskettes as data storage peripherals (Sato, 1995). The first DVD products are scheduled to appear on the market as early as September 1996. These will be movie playback machines and movie disks (Arar, 1996).

Commercial movie videos can be used effectively and legally in language classrooms (Chun, 1995; Shea, 1995; Cady, 1995; Simons, 1995; Hess & Jasper, 1995). Most language teachers who use movies in their classrooms use VHS movie cassettes. When DVD products hit the market, teachers will need to decide whether to upgrade from VHS to DVD. By integrating information from World Wide Web sites on the internet, the following discussion compares DVD to VHS, and outlines potential benefits and obstacles to using DVD in language classrooms.

 

Potential Benefits of DVD as a Movie Medium

Nine characteristics of DVD movie players and disks that could benefit language teachers are: 1. physical size, 2. durability, 3. audio-visual quality, 4. world-wide compatibility, 5. backward compatibility, 6. eight sound tracks, 7. thirty-two subtitle channels, 8. programmable censoring, and 9. special interactive features, for example, slow motion, freeze frame, random-access viewing, multiple camera angles, and multiple movie endings.

DVD movie disks will be the same size as music compact disks (CD) and CD ROM disks -- 12 cm (4.72 inches) in diameter and 1.2 mm thick (two .6 mm disks bonded together). The smaller dimensions, compared to VHS cassettes, will benefit teachers in terms of storage and transportation.

With ordinary care, a DVD is also more durable than a VHS tape. Because digital signals are read by laser, a digital disk, unlike a videotape, never makes physical contact with the reading device. Thus, teachers will not be required to purchase back-up copies of DVD software.

The prime motive for developing DVD was to achieve playback quality equal to that of D-1, a digital videotape format used by movie studios (Videomaker Magazine, 1995). At present, movies are recorded on film, transferred to D-1 videotape, then copied onto VHS tapes or laserdisks (LD), or transmitted on-air for public consumption (Envisioneering, 1995). When DVD initially appears on the scene, movies will still need to be transferred from film to D-1 because the equipment necessary for transfer from film to DVD will not be available for several more years. However, audio-visual quality on DVD will be approximately four times better than on VHS tape (Purser, 1995). In language classrooms, DVD's clearer images and sounds will benefit teachers and students alike.

Another advantage of DVD is world-wide compatibility. Unlike VHS tapes, which are recorded in various incompatible formats (e.g., NTSC, PAL, SECAM), DVD movie disks will be recorded in one format readable by DVD players anywhere in the world. Also, various aspect ratios for viewing will be programmable so that movies can be viewed in standard 4x3 pan-and-scan, letterboxed (with black borders on the top and bottom), or 9x16 widescreen formats on most televisions (Toshiba, 1995a).

DVD movie players will be backward compatible (Interactive Media Association, 1996). Backward compatibility essentially means that existing software will be able to function in the new hardware. Thus, DVD movie players will be able to play music CDs. However existing music CD players will not be able to play DVD music or movie software. Pioneer will manufacture DVD/CD/LD players and this new technology will provide teachers with more pedagogical options in the classroom.

VHS tapes can offer two soundtracks and one set of closed captions. In Japan, American movies on VHS tape are sold in four formats -- bilingual (English and Japanese), captioned in Japanese, captioned in Japanese with English closed captions, and dubbed in Japanese. On the other hand, DVD will offer movies recorded in as many as eight languages and with as many as thirty-two sets of closed captions, selectable without the aid of a caption decoder (Toshiba, 1995a). Allowing all four VHS formats to be incorporated on a single disk, DVD technology will make shopping for movie software less confusing, and again will provide more pedagogical options.

It will also be possible for teachers to program DVD players to show either G, PG, PG-13, R, or NC-17 versions of the same movie (Toshiba, 1995a). With a digital code, teachers (and parents) will be able to lock-in or lock-out selected ratings levels. The DVD player will automatically censor portions of the movie according to the ratings level selected.

DVD will offer random-access viewing capabilities which will allow instantaneous playback of video scenes, and clearer and more stable freeze frame and slow motion replays (Change Magazine, 1996). Other special features which will allow greater audience interaction include programmable selection of up to nine camera angles for viewing the same movie, and selection of different endings to the same movie (Toshiba, 1995a).

 

Potential Obstacles to Using DVD in Language Classrooms

Unfortunately, DVD might not become an immediate option for all language teachers. The following discussion focuses on four potential areas of concern: 1. economics, 2. perceptions, 3. software availability, and 4. recording capabilities.

According to BASF (1996) and Sato (1995), economic factors will most likely determine the success or failure of DVD. Initial indications suggest that a low-end DVD player will cost slightly below US$500. The cost to produce a digital disk is about $1.40. However, with encoded copy protection, packaging, distribution, and marketing costs added, disks are expected to sell for about $20 (Arede Electronic Publishing, 1995). In Japan, low-end VHS recorders can easily be found for less than ･30,000 ($300), with VHS movies averaging about ･3,500 ($35) each. Prices alone provide no obvious economic incentive for schools to upgrade from VHS to DVD.

Second, the success or failure of a new technology can easily be influenced by perceptions in the marketplace. If consumers understand or sense a need to invest in a new technology, there will be a chance for the technology to succeed. Otherwise, consumers will wait to see what others do or will avoid the technology completely. Take, for example, the case of VHS and digital audio tape (DAT). The public perceived a need for VHS but not for DAT, so VHS succeeded and DAT failed (BASF, 1996). How teachers and school administrations perceive the need for DVD (i.e., DVD's improved audio-visual quality, special features, etc.) is uncertain.

Third, Arede Electronic Publishing (1995) has stated that 1,000 DVD movie titles could be available for purchase when DVD hardware is released onto the market. However, most industry analysts believe that the number of available titles will actually be between 250 and 400, far fewer than the 10,000 VHS titles already in shops (Moritani, 1995; Chamberlain, 1996).

Fourth, the first affordable DVD products will not include recording capabilities. The technology to record on DVD exists, and prototypes of the technology have been demonstrated, but the price of DVD recorders using MPEG-2 digital compression technology can cost upwards of $250,000 (Interactive Media Association, 1996; Yonover, 1995). Even with such expensive machines, consumers would be able to write only one time on a DVD storage disk. The data could not be erased. According to Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun (1995), tdK has developed a re-writeable digital video disk. However, to provide affordable machines with recording and erasing capabilities, manufacturers would have to offer machines with a compression technology inferior to MPEG-2 (Interactive Media Association, 1996).

 

Conclusion

Vast resources are being invested in this new technology, and DVD seems destined to have a tremendous impact in the market place. Electronics and computer companies presently developing DVD products include: Sony, Toshiba, Philips, Matsushita (National, Panasonic), RCA (Thomson), Pioneer, Hitachi, Samsung, JVC (Victor Company of Japan), Mitsubishi, Zenith, Magnavox, Marantz, Aiwa, Gundig, Bang and Olufson, Mitsumi, NEC, Gateway 2000, TEAC, Ricoh, Western Digital, Toray, Nokia, 3M, Kodak, Du Pont, Denon, Sharp, Sanyo, and SKC. Entertainment companies that will release movies and music on DVD include: Warner Brothers (Time Warner), MCA/Universal (Matsushita), MGM/UA, Turner Home Entertainment, Nippon Columbia, Columbia Pictures (Sony), Disney, Paramount, Viacom, 20th Century Fox, and Toshiba-EMI (Envisioneering, 1995; Yonover, 1995).

DVD could become one of the most successful technologies in decades, or else a huge financial disaster. Sato (1995) estimates ･150 billion (about $1.5 billion) in sales of DVD movie players alone, and total hardware and software sales amounting to trillions of yen world wide by the year 2000. BASF (1996) cites estimates of 12 million DVD units being sold in the same time frame. On the other hand, Chamberlain (1996) predicts that DVD will ultimately fail, and that its failure will force many companies into bankruptcy.

Whether DVD ultimately succeeds or fails there is one thing that is already certain -- DVD is coming -- and language teachers should consider the benefits of incorporating this technology into language classrooms.

 

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