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What is the eDVD Disc Format? How is it Different from a Standard DVD?

eDVD disc format explained

Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:17 am

eDVD stands for Enhanced DVD. With the eDVD disc format, you’re allowed to link from the DVD to other resources on the web and also to those within the disc.

An eDVD, in other words, is a hybrid DVD. Apart from watching videos, you get access to other digital content as well.

An eDVD is created on a standard 120mm DVD disc, unlike the cDVD which uses a CD-R/RW disc.

When the eDVD disc is played on a computer DVD drive, you’re allowed to navigate away to web pages.

You can also access other content within the disc itself. This would include images, flash animation clips, PDF files and even video clips.

In other words, the eDVD disc format gives you access to features that aren’t available in the DVD-Video or DVD-Audio format.

eDVD can be considered obsolete these days with YouTube and HD video. On YouTube videos for instance you can easily link to other assets. That would be other videos on your channel and links to websites.

However, if you have an older computer (Windows XP) and the necessary software you may want to explore the creation of an eDVD for study purposes.

How Does the eDVD Disc Format Work?

eDVD is a proprietary format that could be considered obsolete these days of HD video.

It is a format proprietary to Sonic.

With the Sonic eDVD program, you can create a DVD video which links to a page on the Internet. In other words, you can create links in the DVD video disc that allows you access to different types of content on a web page through a web browser.

The program works well with any popular DVD-burning software program. The full version of Sonic eDVD 4 used to come bundled with DVDit Pro 6

An eDVD created with the Sonic program was compatible with the Windows and Mac platforms back then.

The Sonic eDVD disc format was popular back in the mid-2000s.

How Do You Create an eDVD?

Before using the eDVD program, you have to first create your DVD disc with a DVD authoring program.

In other words, you create your DVD files in the usual VIDEO_TS directory structure stored on your hard disk.

That done, you’ll run the eDVD program and add your preferred interactive links at selected DVD chapter points.

eDVD disc format creation

These interactive links will be visible when a user clicks on the Menu button.

When you are satisfied with your link additions, you can burn your DVD, including the VIDEO_TS folder and the eDVD content and other relevant files.

eDVD Customization

An eDVD comes with a built-in player that would allow access to the linked content on the disc.

This player will not work when the eDVD is played on a standalone DVD player.

However, when the disc is inserted into a computer DVD drive, the DVD automatically runs the embedded InterActual Player.

The links you have inserted in the disc will be displayed.

Among the customization options available are the location and size of the displayed windows for the links. You can also choose whether to pause DVD playback when the windows are displayed.

Software DVD Player Support for eDVD Disc Format

You don’t have to rely on the built-in player to view the links.

Instead, you can use older versions of software DVD players like CyberLink PowerDVD and InterVideo WinDVD to access the links.

Back in the day, this would be done on a Windows XP computer.

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