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This article is from the DVD Formats FAQ, by jtfrog@usa.net (Jim Taylor) with numerous contributions by others.

1.30 What's the difference between first, second, and third generationDVD?

There is no good answer to this question, since you'll get a different
response from everyone you ask. The terms "2nd generation" and "3rd
generation," and so on refer both to DVD-Video players and to DVD-ROM
drives. In general, they simply mean newer versions of DVD playback
devices. The terms haven't been used (yet) to refer to DVD products that
can record, play video games, or so on.

According to some people, second-generation DVD players came out in the
fall of 1997 and third-generation players are those that came out in the
beginning of 1998. According to others, the second generation of DVD will
be "high-definition" players (see 2.12) that won't come out until 2003 or
so. There are many confusing variations between these extremes, including
the viewpoint that DTS-compatible players or Divx players or
progressive-scan players constitute the third generation or fourth
generation.

Things are a little more clear cut on the PC side, where second generation
(DVD II) usually means 2x DVD-ROM drives that can read CD-Rs, and third
generation (DVD III) usually means 5x (or sometimes 2x or 4.8x or 6x)
DVD-ROM drives, a few of which can read DVD-RAMs, and some of which are
RPC2 format. Some people refer to RPC2 drives or 10x drives as fourth
generation. See section 4.2 for more speed info. See section 1.10 for RPC2
explanation.

 

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pc, dvd, dvd-rom, dvd-video, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, recording, playing