DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Time Warner in 1995.
DVD discs offer higher storage capacity than compact discs while having the same dimensions.
Pre-recorded DVD discs are mass-produced using molding machines that physically stamp data onto the DVD. Such discs are known as DVD-ROM, because data can only be read and not written nor erased. Blank recordable DVD discs (DVD-R and DVD+R) can be recorded once using a DVD recorder and then function as a DVD-ROM. Rewritable DVD discs (DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM) can be recorded and erased multiple times.
DVD discs are used in DVD-Video consumer digital video format and in DVD-Audio consumer digital audio format, as well as for authoring AVCHD discs. DVD discs containing other types of information may be referred to as DVD data discs.
