You are now entering the PC Anatomy portal

DV can stand for several computer terms, but most commonly refers to Digital Video, a family of digital video formats and codecs used for recording and storing video, often on MiniDV tapes. Another common meaning is Data Virtualization, a technology for accessing data from multiple sources as a single unified view. Less frequently, it can also refer to Audio Description for television and films.

Digital Video (DV)

What it is: A standard for digital video recording that replaced analog formats like VHS. It uses compressed digital data to store video and audio on a magnetic tape, with MiniDV being the most popular consumer tape format.

Key features: Provides higher quality video and audio than older analog formats. It is a flexible format that can be used for both consumer and professional purposes.

File types: Files can be saved with a .dv or .dif extension, or wrapped in other formats like AVI or QuickTime.

Data Virtualization (DV)

What it is: A technology that provides a single, logical view of data from multiple, disparate sources without physically moving or copying the data.

Key features: Enables real-time data access and integration, making it easier to use and analyze data from different locations and systems.

Use cases: Widely used in business applications for data integration, analytics, and simplifying big data projects.