DVD questions

[cronus1914]

Hello everyone! I'm hoping you all can help me clear up a topic that's been puzzling me. What is the difference between DVD-R drives and DVD-RAM drives?? I keep hearing about all these different technologies and they're confusing me. There's DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM and I think i saw some other things. Also, I saw a unit that can turn VHS tapes into DVDs. Is the resulting quality really DVD quality. Could someone please give me the rundown on all this DVD burner technology or poin me to a site that'll clear up my confusion. I'd liek to purchase 1 and I don't know what to get. I saw some models gor for 200$ and others for 1000$. Any help is appreciated. Thanks in advance everybody!

BiLL

[Steve48]

Hi Bill,

DVD RAM is a type of DVD that lets you record and erase on a DVD as often as you like. It will be very comprable to a Floppy Disk EXCEPT that the DVD RAM will have the capability of storing over 9 GIGabytes on a double-sided disk! (Over 4 Megs on a single sided disk.)
The other types of DVD's (DVD-R and DVD-RW) are bothe recordable medium. The DVD-R is record one time, and thats it! The DVD-RW means you can Re-Record, but the DVD RAM is made specificly for recording and erasing. The DVD RAM laser actually sets up a magnetic recording on the DVD, that is how it is able to be erased and re-recorded almost indefinitly.

Hope this helps,
Steve48

[saphalline]

As much as DVD-RAM is useful in certain tech circles, it's really not for the general consumer. DVD-RAM disks aren't usually compatible with standard DVD players and aren't designed for video use. For the consumer grade DVD technologies, go for DVD-RW or DVD+RW. The first one is called "DVD dash RW" and the second one is called "DVD plus RW". I believe both can write to DVD-R disks, but they may not be compatible with eachother and their disks may not play in older DVD players. Their specialized disks, also named DVD-RW and DVD+RW, are definitely not compatible with eachother and are just as likely to not be playable in older DVD players.

The problem with buying into the whole DVD writing craze today is that there are many competing technologies and not one of them has been "chosen" as a standard. We do have a standard for CD-RW drives, but not DVD writing drives. Before DVD's can replace CD's as the video/data/back-up king of compatibility and versatility, they need to decide which direction to go. I think it's silly and a little stupid that you can't make a DVD that will play in every DVD player ever made. What's up with that?

Not that it's a bad idea to invest in DVD writing devices today, you may get lucky and pick the one that will be "chosen", but considering the chaos today I wouldn't shell out $1000 for any of it, either. As you also mentioned, there are other competing techs besides DVD-RW and DVD+RW, but one of these will definitely be the "chosen one" because many big-name technology companies are backing both, unlike the others. So if you have to go with anything, go with either DVD-RW or DVD+RW and don't spend more than $300 on the device itself.

As far as getting more info, do a Google search!

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"No, we do not gnaw on our kitty." - Dr. Evil

[joea64]

Agree wholeheartedly. Quite aside from the fact that DVD burners are still too expensive for my limited budget, I do not intend to get a DVD burner - which will have rewritable capability - until a standard _is_ agreed upon. I've gotten stuck a time or two with good technology that never really got into the mainstream (OS/2, Syquest's EZ-disk drives). There _is_ something to be said for interoperability with the madding crowd...

-Joe-

Originally posted by saphalline:
As much as DVD-RAM is useful in certain tech circles, it's really not for the general consumer. DVD-RAM disks aren't usually compatible with standard DVD players and aren't designed for video use. For the consumer grade DVD technologies, go for DVD-RW or DVD+RW. The first one is called "DVD dash RW" and the second one is called "DVD plus RW". I believe both can write to DVD-R disks, but they may not be compatible with eachother and their disks may not play in older DVD players. Their specialized disks, also named DVD-RW and DVD+RW, are definitely not compatible with eachother and are just as likely to not be playable in older DVD players.

The problem with buying into the whole DVD writing craze today is that there are many competing technologies and not one of them has been "chosen" as a standard. We do have a standard for CD-RW drives, but not DVD writing drives. Before DVD's can replace CD's as the video/data/back-up king of compatibility and versatility, they need to decide which direction to go. I think it's silly and a little stupid that you can't make a DVD that will play in every DVD player ever made. What's up with that?

Not that it's a bad idea to invest in DVD writing devices today, you may get lucky and pick the one that will be "chosen", but considering the chaos today I wouldn't shell out $1000 for any of it, either. As you also mentioned, there are other competing techs besides DVD-RW and DVD+RW, but one of these will definitely be the "chosen one" because many big-name technology companies are backing both, unlike the others. So if you have to go with anything, go with either DVD-RW or DVD+RW and don't spend more than $300 on the device itself.

As far as getting more info, do a Google search!





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Alternate email: joea64@yahoo.com