Audio Video News

A Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) technical subcommittee has announced that it is adopting a standard method for measuring the performance of DVD-Video players. The new standard will make it easier for manufacturers, reviewers, and consumers to compare the functionality of DVD players, the trade group believes.

The January 24 announcement states that the CEA's Recording and Imaging Subcommittee has developed and "adopted a standard method for measuring the performance of DVD-Video players based on NTSC specifications." Known as CEA-896-A Standard Method of Measurement for DVD-Video Players, the new standard was created to make it easier to compare the functionality of DVD-Video players and defines a "a comprehensive suite of test signals, [which] will significantly ease the process of comparing the performance of different players," said subcommittee chairman Cecil Buckner.

"CEA-896-A can be used by manufacturers to gauge the performance of their products and those of their suppliers. It also can be used by consumers and other interested parties who want to evaluate different DVD-Video players," states a CEA press release. "The standard defines test signals and test procedures for measuring different aspects of brightness and color of a DVD-Video player. It also helps measure a DVD player's signal and audio-related characteristics, including the PCM, Dolby AC3, and DTS audio formats."

In 1990, the CEA subscribed to an industry-wide test method for CD players called the EIA-560 Standard Method of Measurement for Compact Disc Players. CEA-896-A provides similar but DVD-specific testing guidelines for DVD-Video players. CEA-896-A is available from Global Engineering Documents. Additional technical information can be found at CEA's Technology and Standards department.