So far, for reasons I've detailed in a letter to one of our readers and the fact that many movies might only be 20 minutes long in a G-version, studios haven't provided this option. Like everything else electronic, future improvements to DVDs are in the works, including a new format called DVD Audio that may replace CDs in the future, and HDTV quality. Video Jam DVDs are more likely to enjoy a longer shelf life than VHS cassettes which crinkle and degrade from magnetic deterioration. However, parents of young children should be aware that DVDs are relatively fragile. Even the smallest fingerprints on a disc may cause visual problems.
Scratches are another story.
Newer DVD players can ignore some marks, but a deep scratch can render a disc useless. Even the products that attempt to fill scratches, and work for audio CDs may have problems with the finer tracks of DVDs. If you rent movies a couple of times a year, and own a 19 inch television, investing in a DVD player may not be advisable. But if your family is currently adding titles to a movie collection, or looking at purchasing a CD player, then considering DVDs may be a wise choice. Remember that all DVD players can also play audio CDs, and today's DVD players cost about the same as a CD player did a couple of years ago.