DVDs as storage media

[Developwebsites]

so what do you all burn on your DVDs? do you use it as a
harddrive back-up? are DVDs more reliable than CD-Rs and CD-RWs?
I am having a hard time filling up a 700mb CD-R as it is and
cant imagine burning an entire DVD full of anything. is it possible to
copy DVD movies as it was with VHS tapes? I heard there are some
compatibility issues still in DVD drives and media.

what happened to the 750mb zip, the shark, the orb, and magneto-optical
drives?

 

[John Turco]

so what do you all burn on your DVDs? do you use it as a
harddrive back-up? are DVDs more reliable than CD-Rs and CD-RWs?
I am having a hard time filling up a 700mb CD-R as it is and
cant imagine burning an entire DVD full of anything. is it possible to
copy DVD movies as it was with VHS tapes? I heard there are some
compatibility issues still in DVD drives and media.

Hello,

DVD-RAM is best for storage, as its superior "defect management" offers a
crucial advantage, for such an important purpose. Plus, in Windows, the
disc can be used as easily as a hard disk. DVD-RW and DVD+RW require goofy
"packet-writing" software, to enable a simliar - although, more limited -
capability.

Alas, only Panasonic/Matsushita (and to a rather lesser degree, Hitachi
and Toshiba) make DVD-RAM drives. The media is significantly costlier
than the other rewritable formats, also.

Regardless, I'm convinced that DVD-RAM is well worth the extra price,
and I've recently begun backing up my data on it.

what happened to the 750mb zip, the shark, the orb, and magneto-optical
drives?

I believe the first three device types have been found to be somewhat
unreliable; and the last one, too expensive for typical PC owners.

Good luck!


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>

 

[Arno Wagner]

so what do you all burn on your DVDs? do you use it as a
harddrive back-up? are DVDs more reliable than CD-Rs and CD-RWs?
I am having a hard time filling up a 700mb CD-R as it is and
cant imagine burning an entire DVD full of anything. is it possible to
copy DVD movies as it was with VHS tapes? I heard there are some
compatibility issues still in DVD drives and media.

what happened to the 750mb zip, the shark, the orb, and magneto-optical
drives?

MOD is quite alive with people that really care about reliability.
It is upt to 2.3GB on a 3.5" disk at the moment (roughly 2 times
the density of DVD). Strangely few people actually want a really
reliable removable medium. I am told that this is entirely different
in Japan and MOD is the norm there. MOD is also used in medical
scanners in Gremany, because the images have to be archived for
20 years.

Arno

 

[John Turco]

MOD is quite alive with people that really care about reliability.
It is upt to 2.3GB on a 3.5" disk at the moment (roughly 2 times
the density of DVD). Strangely few people actually want a really
reliable removable medium. I am told that this is entirely different
in Japan and MOD is the norm there. MOD is also used in medical
scanners in Gremany, because the images have to be archived for
20 years.

Arno

Hello, Arno:

DVD-RAM is a "phase-change dual (PD) technology with some magneto-optic
(MO) features mixed in", according to the "DVD FAQ"
<http://dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html>. It's currently available in
much larger capacities (up to 9.4GB, double-sided cartridge) than MOD,
however.

Panasonic invented DVD-RAM to supplant its MOD business, which
eventually became seriously eroded by the appearance of affordable CD
"burners" and their cheap, related blank media. DVD-RAM and MOD, alike,
fit your above description/lament: "Strangely, few people actually want
a really reliable removable medium."


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>

 

[Arno Wagner]

Hello, Arno:

DVD-RAM is a "phase-change dual (PD) technology with some magneto-optic
(MO) features mixed in", according to the "DVD FAQ"
<http://dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html>. It's currently available in
much larger capacities (up to 9.4GB, double-sided cartridge) than MOD,
however.

Yes, I know. It seems that data verify is not mandatory (unlike
MOD). Still it is a good approximation to MOD and possibly the second
most reliable storage solution and still affordable. Since I already
have a MOD I will not go for DVD-RAM now.

Panasonic invented DVD-RAM to supplant its MOD business, which
eventually became seriously eroded by the appearance of affordable CD
"burners" and their cheap, related blank media. DVD-RAM and MOD, alike,
fit your above description/lament: "Strangely, few people actually want
a really reliable removable medium."

Yes, indeed. It never ceases to amaze me.

Arno