Sound On A Dvd example essay topic

Why The Creator Of The DVD is my personal God 2002 was a record-breaking year of the movie business. However, it also boasted the lowest number of movie-goers in more then a decade. So, how is it possible that less then half the people went to the cinema, yet the business raked in double the earnings? Simple.

Double the price tag. Going to a movie is no longer a cheap date. You " ll be lucky to get away at under $20 a person. Going to a Friday or Saturday night show (the most poplar time slots) ranges in price from around $7 to $12, depending on the city and the theatre itself. After that is the ever famous money-hungry concession stand.

Your average popcorn comes in at around $3 while your medium drink is even more at closer to $5. And heaven forbid you want any Gobstoppers or Lemon drops to go with that, or you " re talking another $2 - $3 for a small box of candy you could pick up at the 7-11 for half a dollar. When you add this all up and multiply it by a small family of four, you " re shelling out a serious chunk of change for 2 hours of (hopeful) entertainment. Of course, there are obvious ways around this. For the avid movie-goer such as myself, here is a simple, yet effective, "Cheat Sheet" for not breaking the bank at the show: First, if at all possible, move to a small city with one theatre that shows last month's big movie and charges about a buck for admission (think "The Trail"). If this isn't possible, (or you just have to see Star Trek episode #8927 on the opening weekend), at least try to work your schedule so you can see a Saturday or Sunday afternoon matinee.

Chances are you " ll be able to park closer, get right in, and no be forced to sit next to someone who has obviously never learned about the phenomenon that is "soap", or behind the man who decided to come donning an Abe Linc on-esque top hat. And most importantly, the movie itself will only cost you around $4, that is more then enough for a Big Mac on the way home. Secondly, before the show, stop at the aforementioned 7-11. Women have the obvious advantage here because of our inbred desire to carry all the world with us (i.e. a purse) but men can work a large jacket just as well. Buy a soda, some candy or whatever else and pack it away. If you " re going for extra cheap, pop some popcorn before you leave the house and Ziplock it.

Ok, now that we know how to get to the movies for cheap, let's discuss why we " re not. Does doing all of this sound like a fun time? Bring that same family of four to the movies and you " re going to have to wear a winter survival parka to pack everything away. If it's July, this probably isn't going to go over too well (not to mention once you get inside you " re probably going to pass out from heat exhaustion and miss the show entirely). The alternative, the DVD. In a year of economic downturn, one industry has shown impressive gains.

The world of the Digital Video Disc. More than any other consumer electronics product in history, the DVD system became an immediate and resounding success. According to industry statistics, since DVD's were introduced four years ago, DVD sales have more then doubled each year (Graskin Home Theatre). So, what does a DVD offer that movies or even VHS don't?

The better question is what doesn't it? Convenience, cost efficiency, all those super-cool special features. The DVD may very well be greater then sliced bread. While a DVD player and most DVD's run at a slightly higher price tag then VCR's or VHS tapes (a high quality DVD player starts at around $175 and can go to anywhere around $600+, while a DVD comes in at around $20 to a VHS's $15), it is still worth it in the long run. All the money you save in a year on popcorn and junior mints could go towards funding a very high-tech home theater system that could easily rival your nearest AMC in sound and picture quality. Also, without "Persistent Hacking Cough Man" or "Hungry, Grumpy, Crying Baby" playing into the fun.

DVD's have made home viewing more convenient then ever before. And we all know how the American public craves convenience. Granted, you " re not looking up at a 50 x 100 foot projection screen. And you " re 4: 3, nearly square TV tube shape requires the 16: 9 rectangular-shaped film to be inset between black, horizontal letter-box bars to achieve this cinematic nirvana (Graskin Home Theatre). But hey, you can't make an omelet... (Actually, you can make an omelet, or any other snack for that matter - that's one of the great things about watching movies in your own home theatre!

). No rewinding is ever needed of the DVD disc. In fact, the DVD disc has no moving parts what-so-ever. VHS tapes are on two reels that must move freely or the tape will jam.

If you leave the tape no rewound, creases form in the tape that result in large sound bars to appear during playback. A protective lid over the tape itself is another moving part that must open and close freely while inside your deck. Too much to go wrong, and trust me, it does. A DVD can have a 2 and a half hour movie on one disc the size of a CD.

If the disc is dual layer (the disc is like 2 discs in one), it can have up to 4 hours on one disc. Most epics on VHS need two tapes. DVD's also come in those sleek cases. You can store about 3 DVD's to each one VHS. DVD has twice the picture quality of a VHS. If you look closely at your TV (you know, the way you used to do before your parents told you that would make you go blind) you " ll see hundreds of single lines, your lines of resolution.

A VHS tape will use, on average, 240 of these lines to make the picture you see. An average DVD uses 500. An amazing difference in clarity (Home Theatre 101). The sound on a DVD is also amazingly clear and highly atmospheric thanks to Dolby Digital technology. And while a Surround Sound system is needed to fully appreciate this, you can tell a significant difference even on the worst quality computer speakers. DVD's are also no sensitive to magnetic fields.

VHS tape is made up of magnetic particles. If placed too close to a magnetic field or magnet (like the ones in, say, a speaker) portions of the tape or the entire tape (depending on the magnet strength) can be erased. Magnetic fields have no effect on DVD's. Now, maybe it's just me, but if you have to keep your videos away from speakers, isn't that kind of defeating the purpose? I know I don't want to go into the "secure non-magnetic room" and open the secret storage vault every time I want to watch a movie. A DVD will not wear out with repeated usage.

Average life expectancy of a VHS tape, under perfect storage conditions (in a dry, cool area on a shelf in an upright position not lying on it's side, kept in the original wrapper, never played, talked to twice a day for 30 min about current events, etc) is about eight years. But the more you play that tape (which, maybe I'm wrong - but isn't that why you buy a movie? To watch it?) the more that life expectancy is shortened. The information on the VHS tape is there by use of magnetic particles on the tape itself. The more you play it, the more the particles rub off and the worse your picture gets.

Not to mention if you have a child who is just in love with a Disney movie, and that is the only way to get that peaceful hour of quiet time, you " re going to be kicking yourself when the tape wears out and you go to the store and find out Disney only releases it's movies once every 10 years. Have fun spending $50 on EBay. The DVD uses a laser to translate the digital information to picture and sound and because it's digital it will look and sound as good today as the day you bought it. Average life expectancy of DVD's?

They are rated to last anywhere from 50 years or more. DVD's have a main menu screen where you can skip immediately to the scene you want or access many possible special features. You can listen to the actors or director commentaries about the film while the movie is playing. Some DVD's have built in games that you can play before or while you watch the movie. There can be multiple camera angles for certain scenes (you can watch the same scene from a different point of view), behind the scenes featurettes, biographies of the cast, theatrical trailers, and so much more. All at the touch of a button.

No fast forwarding or rewinding to get to that certain part in the film. With all of this said, I don't honestly believe people should stop going to the movies. Quite the contrary. The DVD is simply an amazing advancement in technology that allows us to recreate the environment of excitement you get in viewing your favorite movie, it's like the "first time, every time" concept.