What is a Hybrid DVD?

• A disc that works in both DVD-Video players and DVD-ROM PCs. (The most common use of the term hybrid, but more accurately called an enhanced DVD) • A DVD-ROM disc that runs on Windows and Mac OS computers. (More accurately called a cross-platform DVD.) • A DVD-ROM or DVD-Video disc that also contains Web content for connecting to the Internet. (More accurately called a WebDVD or Web-connected DVD.) • A disc that contains both DVD-Video and DVD-Audio content. (More accurately called a universal DVD.) • A disc with two layers, one that can be read in DVD players and one that can be read in CD players. (More accurately called a legacy or CD-compatible disc.) There are at least three variations of this hybrid (none were commercially available as of 12/99): • A 1.2mm CD substrate bonded to the back of a 0.6mm DVD substrate. One side can be read by CD players, the other side by DVD players. The resulting disc is 0.6mm thicker than a standard CD or DVD, which can cause problems in players w ... more

A hybrid DVD is a disc that can play in both DVD video players and DVD ROM PC’s. It has many unusual features such as connection to the internet, two layers containing one read by DVD players and one read by CD players, and many more. ... more

There seems to be more than a little confusion in our industry over the use of the word 'hybrid'. Understanding the term 'hybrid' can help us to understand what is a Hybrid DVD. A hybrid is the product of two dissimilar items. Thus a Hybrid CD-R is a disc which contains both pre-recorded and recordable areas. The DVD Forum is working on an official Hybrid DVD specification. This Hybrid DVD specification covers DVD discs with one DVD-Audio layer and one CD-audio layer. However, Hybrid DVD is also being used to describe a DVD disc containing more than one DVD application type such as DVD-Video content and DVD-Audio content or DVD-ROM content (such as PC games) and DVD-Video content. For mastering and verification, it does not matter what type of DVD content (ROM, Video, Audio) is placed on a DVD layer or in what combination. These are all simply DVD to DCA and all DCA products handle this media. ... more

A hybrid DVD is a term used to define DVD's that offer more than 1 purpose. This could mean that the DVD is authored to run on both Mac and Windows platforms or it could mean that the DVD is authored in such a way that it will play video when used inside a DVD player but when used in a DVD drive of a PC might contain software applications and data files. It could even be that the DVD offers all of the above plus some other features. ... more

Do you really want the answer to this one? Ok, you asked for it... • A disc that works in both DVD-Video players and DVD-ROM PCs. (The most common use of the term hybrid, but more accurately called an enhanced DVD) • A DVD-ROM disc that runs on Windows and Mac OS computers. (More accurately called a cross-platform DVD.) • A DVD-ROM or DVD-Video disc that also contains Web content for connecting to the Internet. (More accurately called a WebDVD or Web-connected DVD.) • A disc that contains both DVD-Video and DVD-Audio content. (More accurately called a universal DVD.) • A disc with two layers, one that can be read in DVD players and one that can be read in CD players. (More accurately called a legacy or CD-compatible disc.) There are at least three variations of this hybrid (none were commercially available as of 12/99): • A 1.2mm CD substrate bonded to the back of a 0.6mm DVD substrate. One side can be read by CD players, the other side by DVD players. The resulting disc is 0. ... more