QUESTION: What information can you give me about the use of DVDs in training? Can this method save money, as you don't need computers?

Prentice

The main benefit to using a DVD is its storage capability and quality playback. DVDs are being used for training such topics as equipment repair, workplace safety, and employee orientation.

We are producing DVDs as add-ons to e-learning programs, using them for electronic equipment repair manuals that technicians can take to the field (with DVD-equipped laptops) and use while making repairs. DVDs work well when full-motion video is needed to deliver the content. If the program must have a large number of interactive elements such as text-based pop-up boxes, charts, or graphs, then DVD wouldn't be a good delivery method. Smaller font sizes of text don't display well on video monitors. DVD has some interactivity but it's still fairly linear in nature.

Pros: DVDs offer high quality video, can be played on newer laptops if the appropriate drives are installed, enable users to navigate video segments with a menu system (not available with VHS video), can be produced internally with a minimal investment in hardware and software, and work well when you need video segments of procedural content.

Cons: DVDs lack the capability to track information. (Note: regular PC-based training programs with tracking functionality can be burned to the DVD also, but you can only play either the program or the DVD at one time. And if the computer program is a commercial one, it may be equipped with new anti-piracy software that can disable the ability to copy it.) In addition, duplicating DVDs is more expensive than duplicating VHS videotapes or CD-ROMs. (Blank DVDs cost $8-$12 each, compared to $.80 for blank CDs and $1.99 for blank 120-minute VHS tapes. Anti-piracy software that disables duplication of copyrighted programs may come into play here as well.) Finally, unless the workstations at your training site have DVD drives installed, you will still need to locate a DVD player and a monitor to play the program.

Requirements: What type of investment is required for DVD training? Plan to spend approximately US$3000 to $5000 for hardware such as a workstation, video digitizing card, and DVD burner. Some manufacturers such as Apple, HP, and Compaq sell desktop systems with a built-in DVD burner. These systems are geared for the home market, but they'll work just as well in a corporate environment. A sample of specs to look for:

• Pentium 4 2GHZ
• DVD burner (as a separate component, prices range from $400-$600)
• Built in FireWire (a serial bus to connect peripheral devices such as a digital video camera)
• 512 megabytes of RAM
• AGP video card
• sound card
• ATA100 or SCSI U160 hard drives (the larger the better!)
• video capture card (for capturing video to the hard drive)

Most DVD recorders come with a "light" version of DVD recording software. On one of our workstations we use a Pinnacle Pro One video capture card (costs about $2000) that came with Adobe Premier, a digital video editing program, and Impression DVD, a DVD authoring program. You need a program like Premier to edit the video program and output MPEG files that will be burned to the DVD. The DVD authoring program is used to create the menus that access the MPEG files on the DVD and subtitles that you see when playing a DVD.

Murphy

I assume from your question about not requiring a computer that you're presenting prepared training programs that are hands-off, not requiring learners to practice exercises live on a computer along with the tutorial.

If that's the case, using DVDs could be compared to using videotapes, and the considerations change. The question becomes less about instruction and more about cost and availability of technology (video and DVD playback devices). Have you already invested in video players and the ancillary equipment? If so, why not stick with that until they need replacement? At that time, the cost of a compact DVD player with a four- to six-inch screen will most likely be less than the cost of a video player and monitor.

Published: June 2002