Are DVD-RAMs obsolete?

[js.b1]

No It does not..

For large capacity storage Blu-Ray hard coated is aimed at displacing
DVD. It requires little rework of the juke boxes. Vis., CDR DVD Blu-
Ray genetically compatible disc handling. For archive Blu-Ray
Panasonic are pushing Blu-Ray ADA, an interesting although costly
solution.

And Archival Disks 80-100 years made by many companies , Kodak, Emtec
and Mitsui

I am aware of the discs, but a problem is the quality of the drives.
Even now I can pick up a DVD-RAM drive from LG where #1 drive I bought
in November writes quickly & smoothly, but #2 drive is spinning up and
down all the time and took 5hrs to write a disc. The disc was the
same.

The technology in CDR/DVD/DVD-RAM/Blu-Ray is not as robust as MOD.

The cased DVD-RAM is used by the Medical industry for Data back up as
its rated for 100Years.

Type 4 cartridge & phase-change media makes a difference, but DVD-RAM
has a far lower overwrite figure than MOD.

Every time someone says "rated for 100yrs" the drives go off the
market within about 10-15. Even MOD 3.5" is down to one maker (Konica
Minolta) and Plasmon UDO did not last long.

The market simply pushes technology out, bottom line is use more than
one technology and realise a "one solution forever" does not really
exist.

 

[William Brown]

For large capacity storage Blu-Ray hard coated is aimed at displacing
DVD. It requires little rework of the juke boxes. Vis., CDR DVD Blu-
Ray genetically compatible disc handling. For archive Blu-Ray
Panasonic are pushing Blu-Ray ADA, an interesting although costly
solution.


I am aware of the discs, but a problem is the quality of the drives.
Even now I can pick up a DVD-RAM drive from LG where #1 drive I bought
in November writes quickly & smoothly, but #2 drive is spinning up and
down all the time and took 5hrs to write a disc. The disc was the
same.

Then don't buy Crap drives, go for brands that have been around for some
time, I use a Pioneer no problems at all, but I don't think it supports
DVD-RAM, but my Panasonic HD recorder does.

For type 4 DVD-RAM I think it has to be a Panasonic.

 

[larry moe 'n curly]

Ant wrote:

Which brands then? I used various and they don't last and read well like
Toshiba.

Hasn't Toshiba been getting its optical drives from LiteOn for the
past few years?

 

[Rod Speed]

larry moe 'n curly wrote

Ant wrote

No I didnt. I didnt write the para below.

William Brown did.

 

[Krypsis]

Then don't buy Crap drives, go for brands that have been around for some
time, I use a Pioneer no problems at all, but I don't think it supports
DVD-RAM, but my Panasonic HD recorder does.

I still have my original Pioneer DVR105 and it still reads and writes
DVDs. The same cannot be said for the many other brands I have had
however, the worst being LiteOn. Not one LiteOn drive survived more than
a year with the exception of the two Combo drives. I now have a number
of Pioneer drives and all work perfectly.

I think a number of my Pioneer drives do DVD-RAM but I have never tested
it. No need for it really.

For type 4 DVD-RAM I think it has to be a Panasonic.

That's a piece of advice I give to everyone. Trust no one single medium
and refresh the date to a new medium at frequent intervals. I don't
consider hard drives as permanent backup storage and I regard optical
media with much less trust.

At least every new media storage format increases the storage capacity
by large margins each time a new technology is introduced.

Krypsis

 

[Krypsis]

Ant wrote:



Hasn't Toshiba been getting its optical drives from LiteOn for the
past few years?

I have seen LiteOn drives rebadged as Sony drives.

Krypsis

 

[Rod Speed]

Krypsis wrote

William Brown wrote

I still have my original Pioneer DVR105 and it still reads and writes DVDs.

My DVR109 still reads them, but doesnt burn them reliably anymore.

The same cannot be said for the many other brands I have had

It can for my LGs.

however, the worst being LiteOn. Not one LiteOn drive survived more than a year with the exception of the two Combo
drives. I now have a number of Pioneer drives and all work perfectly.

None of mine do.

I think a number of my Pioneer drives do DVD-RAM but I have never tested it. No need for it really.

That's a piece of advice I give to everyone. Trust no one single
medium and refresh the date to a new medium at frequent intervals. I don't consider hard drives as permanent backup
storage and I regard optical media with much less trust.

At least every new media storage format increases the storage capacity by large margins each time a new technology is
introduced.

Not necessarily.

 

[Mike S.]

I have seen LiteOn drives rebadged as Sony drives.

....and as Plextor.

 

[Mike S.]

Are those Optiarcs?

[Not the original poster on this, but] IIRC those were Sony retail drives.
Optiarc are OEM drives and seem to be actually manufactured by them.

 

[John Turco]

The main problem with it was the price of the media and the fact
that they arent really big enough for most common uses like backup.


We'll hold our noses.


Yes, and external hard drives in spades.

I think that DVD-RAM is the best DVD format, overall.

If the discs, themselves, had been price-competitive, with others
(and more drives supported the writing/reading of DVD-RAM), it may
have proved to be the ideal optical medium (unless Blu-ray becomes
an affordable storage choice, of course).

Although, for maximum reliability, DVD-RAM really needs caddies
(to seal out dust and contaminants, avoid scratches, etc.) and
compatible drives...which increase expenses, even further.

 

[John Turco]

DVD-RAM was never meant as an archival medium. Its best uses are
for the quick recording and editing and transportation of video
from settop to PC etc...

I believe that only the expense of the media, itself, prevented
DVD-RAM from becoming a popular archival format.

On many settop recorders, its required if you want to start
watching the video you are still recording whilest it records.

No doubt, DVD-RAM still has its advantages.

 

[Rod Speed]

John Turco wrote

Rod Speed wrote

I think that DVD-RAM is the best DVD format, overall.

I dont. They are much too small for image backups and much too expensive.

If the discs, themselves, had been price-competitive, with others

That was never going to happen.

(and more drives supported the writing/reading of DVD-RAM),
it may have proved to be the ideal optical medium

Nope, they are much too small.

(unless Blu-ray becomes an affordable storage choice, of course).

They wont be viable now, USB sticks and hard drives leave them for dead.

Although, for maximum reliability, DVD-RAM really needs caddies
(to seal out dust and contaminants, avoid scratches, etc.) and
compatible drives...which increase expenses, even further.

USB sticks and hard drives leave them for dead.