DVDVideo

DVDVideo refers to the video portion of a DVD-Video disc or to a file-based representation of that content in media libraries. The term is often used to distinguish the video data from other elements on a disc or in a rip, though the official disc structure uses a directory named VIDEO_TS. The DVD-Video specification, published by the DVD Forum, defines how video, audio, subtitles, and navigation are authored and delivered on standard-definition discs.

On a physical DVD-Video disc, the data appear under the VIDEO_TS directory at the root. This directory contains VOB files that multiplex video, audio streams, and subtitle data; IFO files that contain navigation, menus, and playback information; and BUP backup copies of the IFO data. The IFOs guide playback flow, including titles, chapters, and user menus, ensuring compatibility across players.

Video on DVD-Video is typically MPEG-2 encoded, with resolutions around 720x480 for NTSC or 720x576 for PAL, and frame rates of 29.97 Hz or 25 Hz. Audio may be Dolby Digital (AC-3), DTS, or uncompressed PCM, and subtitles are provided as separate streams referenced by the navigation data. Capacity and data rates vary by disc format, with single-layer discs holding about 4.7 GB and dual-layer discs up to about 8.5 GB. Regional coding and CSS encryption may be used to control playback and copy protection.

In contemporary workflows, DVDVideo content is commonly handled by software that reads VIDEO_TS directly or by ripping tools that create a folder structure for software players. Some libraries or rips label the video portion as DVDVideo, or replicate the disc layout using a top-level DVDVideo folder for ease of use, while still relying on the underlying VIDEO_TS structure for actual playback.