Dvdas

dvdAs refers to the DVD-Audio format and the discs that carry high-fidelity audio content on the DVD platform. Introduced in the late 1990s by the DVD Forum as part of the broader DVD family, DVD-Audio was designed to provide higher-resolution audio and multichannel playback on a single disc, beyond what the standard compact disc could offer. Many releases were issued as standalone DVD-Audio discs, and some were packaged as hybrid discs that also included DVD-Video content to maintain compatibility with conventional DVD players.

Technical features of dvdAs include support for stereo and multichannel audio, with PCM sampling up to 192 kHz and 24-bit depth. A common approach for 5.1-channel material is Meridian Lossless Packing (MLP), a lossless compression method that preserves high fidelity. In addition to PCM/MLP, some discs offered optional Dolby Digital or DTS streams for compatibility with players that could read those formats. Discs often included multiple audio tracks, as well as menus, subtitles, and still-image or video components when part of a hybrid disc.

Market reception and status: dvdAs faced stiff competition from competing high-fidelity formats such as SACD and from the rise of digital downloads and streaming. The format never achieved widespread consumer adoption and became a niche option for audiophiles and collectors. Some labels released titles as hybrid discs to reach broader DVD players, but overall catalog development declined in the late 2000s and beyond. Today, dvdAs represent a relatively small segment of the historical landscape of high-resolution audio formats.