Sony Handycam DCR-DVD100 Technology Handbook page 11

Video Coding Format
DVD Handycam camcorder movies recorded by the
DVD-Video application standard use MPEG 2 coding to
fit more data on a disc. Widely employed in
communication and broadcasting, MPEG 2 offers
excellent image quality and flexible data handling. Within
the MPEG 2 standard, DVD-Video recordings adopt
MP@ML (Main Profile at Main Level) -- a profile that
provides advanced functions, at a level that maintains
high-quality images.
DVD Handycam camcorder recordings also use
Audio Coding Format
For audio, DVD Handycam camcorders adopt the Dolby
AC-3 (2-channel) format. This format provides an ideal
balance between audio quality and data requirements
-- and is also suitable for a wide range of channel
configurations, including monaural, 2-channel stereo,
and 5.1-channel surround sound applications.
About Initializing and Finalizing
"Initializing" means preparing a disc for recording. DVD-R discs do not require initializing. DVD-RW discs must be initialized,
and this is done inside the DVD Handycam camcorder. Each time you insert a new or uninitialized DVD-RW disc, you will
see a prompt that asks if you wish to initialize your disc. Initializing erases all previously recorded information. If your disc
has already been initialized and partially recorded, it does not require initializing for subsequent recording sessions.
"Finalizing" DVD-R and DVD-RW discs means preparing them for playback. In order to play back your recordings on DVD
players or computers with DVD-ROM drives, you need to finalize your disc. But even without finalizing, you can always view
the contents of your recording using the DVD Handycam camcorder as your playback device -- viewing scenes on your
camcorder's screen, or on your TV screen by connecting direct A/V output on your camcorder to video audio inputs on your
TV.
Once a DVD-R disc has been finalized, no further recording is possible. DVD-RW discs, however, can be "unfinalized" and
initialized again for further recording.
VBR (Variable Bit Rate) coding. Bit rate defines the
amount of data that flows in a given period of time. High
bit rates yield better images, but require an increased
amount of data; low bit rates require less data, but at the
expense of image quality. By varying the bit rate
depending upon the visual content of each video scene,
DVD-Video recording can maintain excellent image
quality while minimizing the amount of data that must be
recorded -- and maximizing the recording capacity of a
single disc.
Another audio recording format, Linear PCM (Pulse
Code Modulation), offers excellent audio quality without
data compression. Although this audio format is suitable
for prerecorded music, music videos, etc., its data
requirements are higher.
D V D H a n d y c a m T E C H N O L O G Y H A N D B O O K
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