CD's vs. DVD's

[Bruce]

I must be way behind on the latest technology. I learned yesterday that they make games in DVD version. I thought DVD's were only for movies. A co-worker told me today that he got a dual CD and DVD burner for his computer last weekend. He said that DVD's hold more memory.

Three questions for the techno-geeks:

1. What are the differences between CD's and DVD's?

2. Will DVD's replace CD's in the near future?

3. Should I buy a DVD burner for my computer, or is the next wave in technology right around the corner?

 

[HarryKeogh]

1. the lasers read pits and spaces on the discs. the pits and spaces are smaller on dvds. it also used a different type of laser to read the info (watch for new generation HighDef dvds and players which will use a blue laser to read the info...also be prepared for a format war like the old VHS/Beta war of the early 80's)also dvds can be dual-layer (once the laser gets to the end of a disk it reads another set of information going the opposite direction (I think). this accounts for the occassional slight pause when you watch a DVD) and dual sided.

2. no. CDs are here to stay until the next format comes and does away with both DVDs and CDs

3. buy a DVD burner. they're soooo cheap. this is a matter of opinion for you though I think but I say go for it.

 

[RussDill]

There are two different issues here, format and media. Two basic different types of media, CD and DVD, only important different? DVD media holds a lot more.

As far as format, you got your data, your audio, and your DVD (which is really a bunch of big files in a data format). You can burn a DVD format disk onto CD media, it'll just be a short DVD. Use wikipedia if you want some more info.

 

[Rolfe]

A co-worker told me today that he got a dual CD and DVD burner for his computer last weekend.

I opted for one of these over a year ago. So far I've only used the burner in CD mode, and the DVD part for viewing DVDs (see the computer forum area for my current grief in that department). However, I was interested in future-proofing my purchase. My track record is get a new PC, then use it the way it came till something in it falls to bits. Takes about six years usually. Hoping that the DVD facility will keep the capability reasonably up to speed for that length of time.

And provide capacity for backups if I ever get that organised.

Rolfe (lucky not to have lost every bit of data last time actually....)

 

[Matabiri]

1. What are the differences between CD's and DVD's?

2. Will DVD's replace CD's in the near future?

3. Should I buy a DVD burner for my computer, or is the next wave in technology right around the corner?

In user-friendly terms... a CD will hold about 700 Mb, a DVD will hold about 6 Gig.

If you need that kind of archival capacity, buy one. Otherwise, you'll never use it.

 

[Ove]

And ... a good advice, WAIT.... Prices on DVD's are dropping and their performance is skyrocketing (well allmost). Wait a year of so then they'll be very affordable and in a decent quality. The present is around 8 x speed and if you remember your old 8 x CD burner and then imagine burning a disk that holds 8-10 times the information...... Get the picture??

 

[Skeptical Greg]

And ... a good advice, WAIT.... Prices on DVD's are dropping and their performance is skyrocketing (well allmost). Wait a year of so then they'll be very affordable and in a decent quality. The present is around 8 x speed and if you remember your old 8 x CD burner and then imagine burning a disk that holds 8-10 times the information...... Get the picture??

Something to keep in mind..

1x CD is about 150 Kbs ( kilo bytes per second )

1x DVD is 1.1 Mbs ( mega bytes second )

There are currently 16x DVD writers on the market, but reliable ( cheap ) media is about 8x ..

 

[malbui]

And ... a good advice, WAIT.... Prices on DVD's are dropping and their performance is skyrocketing (well allmost). Wait a year of so then they'll be very affordable and in a decent quality. The present is around 8 x speed and if you remember your old 8 x CD burner and then imagine burning a disk that holds 8-10 times the information...... Get the picture??

But it doesn't matter how long you wait... there's an immutable law that says that the simple act of buying a piece of hardware will provoke either an industry price-war or a major technological advance leading to plummeting prices. Me, I refuse to look at adverts or catalogues for three months after splashing out because I know it'll make me depressed.

 

[Matabiri]

But it doesn't matter how long you wait... there's an immutable law that says that the simple act of buying a piece of hardware will provoke either an industry price-war or a major technological advance leading to plummeting prices. Me, I refuse to look at adverts or catalogues for three months after splashing out because I know it'll make me depressed.

Even that doesn't necessarily help. A week after I bought my laptop Apple actually e-mailed me to tell me they were releasing a new range of Powerbooks, which were faster, cheaper, and came with DVD burners, and perhaps as someone who'd bought one in the past I'd be interested?

 

[Dragon]

Re: Re: CD's vs. DVD's

In user-friendly terms... a CD will hold about 700 Mb, a DVD will hold about 6 Gig.

If you need that kind of archival capacity, buy one. Otherwise, you'll never use it.

Agreed. Our computer is about 2 years old and came with a DVD player and a separate CD burner. I'm thinkng this will do us until those blue laser things are affordable.

 

[HarryKeogh]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/biztech/12/09/tech.disney.dvd.reut/index.html

an article on the next format of DVD. whichever company can woo the biggest studio to their side wins. I'll sit by the sideline until a winner is announced. (I don't want to get stuck with an RCA Videodisk player again)

 

[roger]

There's a better Slate article on the same topic that goes into the technical details of each product, and why the movie industry is pushing for the inferior technology (cheaper to produce). They also make the probably sound point that sense this technology will be used for computers, video games, etc., that it is unlikely that movie studios will be able to drive the format selection.

 

[RussDill]

But it doesn't matter how long you wait... there's an immutable law that says that the simple act of buying a piece of hardware will provoke either an industry price-war or a major technological advance leading to plummeting prices. Me, I refuse to look at adverts or catalogues for three months after splashing out because I know it'll make me depressed.

Remember that cd readers toped out years ago, and cd burner speeds toped out shortly there after.

 

[rppa]

My $.02

I must be way behind on the latest technology. I learned yesterday that they make games in DVD version. I thought DVD's were only for movies.

A DVD is just a high-density digital storage medium. In fact I think the standards for computer use were nailed down before they were for use in movie distribution. The first DVD movies I saw were played through a computer at a PC trade show, ca. 1998.

Ever buy a product that required multiple CDs, like those phonebooks on disk, or the game "Riven"? Pain in the neck. Games with lots of media have already outgrown the CD and need DVDs.

A co-worker told me today that he got a dual CD and DVD burner for his computer last weekend. He said that DVD's hold more memory.

Pet peeve: the use of "memory" for permanent storage. "Memory" goes away when the power is off. (No wiseasses start talking about non-volatile memory, please).

Yes. A DVD is essentially a high-capacity CD. A *very* high-capacity CD. That's why DVD drives are also usually CD-compatible.

What are the differences between CD's and DVD's?

DVDs hold more. Music, movies, phone numbers, whatever.

Will DVD's replace CD's in the near future?

As the default drive on new computers, haven't they already? As a storage medium, no. If you aren't storing moving pictures, CDs have plenty of capacity and they're cheap. There are lots of occasions when you want to store a lot more data than will fit on a floppy, less than a DVD.

Should I buy a DVD burner for my computer, or is the next wave in technology right around the corner?

My hard drives are now in the 10s of GB. Backing them up to CD is a really excruciating process that takes a stack of CDs and a lot of babysitting. The medium is expensive. Last time I looked, one recordable DVD was around $30-40 as I recall.

If you are in the market for a CD burner, you probably want to at least price the DVD burners that also do CD-R. I regret not getting a CD-RW (that's the reusable CD). I do a lot of data transfer via CD. I'm probably going to get a DVD-R/CD-R/CD-RW soon, even if I hardly ever have to use the DVD-R part.

 

[Skeptical Greg]

Re: Re: CD's vs. DVD's

My $.02




My hard drives are now in the 10s of GB. Backing them up to CD is a really excruciating process that takes a stack of CDs and a lot of babysitting. The medium is expensive. Last time I looked, one recordable DVD was around $30-40 as I recall.

Whoa! When was that?

I just bought a hundred DVD -R ( 8x) for $36..


The new dual layers ( 9gb ) are considered expensive at $5 - $10 each.

You can get good R-W media for $1 a pop.

 

[rppa]

Re: Re: Re: CD's vs. DVD's

I just bought a hundred DVD -R ( 8x) for $36..

Guess it's been awhile since I checked. Must have been shortly after they became commercially available. Never bought any.

That sounds like the price I'm paying for CD-Rs at Staples. Hmm.

OK, here's Staples web prices: $20 for a 25-pack of 4.7 GB DVD-Rs
$23 for a 10-pack of DVD-RWs (with jewel case)
$25 for a 50-pack of CD-Rs
$11 for a 5-pack of CD-RWs (with jewel case)

Nothing like the price you quoted (.36 per DVD-R), but it looks like Staples has got them down to close to $1 per DVD-R, half that for CD-R, and that the DVD-RWs are about the same price as the CD-RWs.

I revise my opinion. Time to invest in both the DVD-RW drive and the media. Though I'd still use CD-R and CD-RW for most data transfers.

Either it was a LONG time ago that I looked, or I completely misread some price.

 

[Skeptical Greg]

Re: Re: Re: Re: CD's vs. DVD's

Nothing like the price you quoted (.36 per DVD-R), but it looks like Staples has got them down to close to $1 per DVD-R, half that for CD-R, and that the DVD-RWs are about the same price as the CD-RWs.

I revise my opinion. Time to invest in both the DVD-RW drive and the media. Though I'd still use CD-R and CD-RW for most data transfers.

Either it was a LONG time ago that I looked, or I completely misread some price.

Have to watch for sales at Staples ( and hope you don't have to boter with a mail-in rebate )...


I use Newegg a lot.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=17-131-039&depa=0

Just bought the NEC 3500 drive there, and the media was on sale for a couple of bucks less.

Granted, these are the budget disks, but I haven't had any bad ones out of the few I have used so far.

Microcenter ( don't know if there is one in your area ) has their house brand 25 packs for around $20, and has them on sale often for $15.

Watch for prices to go down as the 9gb ( dual layer ) disks and drives become more available..

 

[Art Vandelay]

Re: Re: CD's vs. DVD's

I wonder if any group will ever release a "box set" on a single DVD instead of forcing their listeners to deal with a bunch of CDs. With compression a group's entire catalog would fit on a single disc.

Pet peeve: the use of "memory" for permanent storage. "Memory" goes away when the power is off.

How did that get decided?

 

[Ove]

But it doesn't matter how long you wait... there's an immutable law that says that the simple act of buying a piece of hardware will provoke either an industry price-war or a major technological advance leading to plummeting prices. Me, I refuse to look at adverts or catalogues for three months after splashing out because I know it'll make me depressed.

That is the enevitable "Catch 22" about tecnology. But i'd still wait a year, the speed of the burners are growing rapidly.


Edited to add : AND it is not more than ½ a year since i got a CD-burner that i REALLY was satisfyed with.

 

[Badly Shaved Monkey]

watch for new generation HighDef dvds and players which will use a blue laser to read the info

I have been since I first read about them a year or more ago. Where are they?

However, I may need to shut my eyes when you post the reply because I have just bought a DVD camcorder and HDD DVD-recorder and, shackled to that technology, I am now frozen into the ancient past of 2 weeks ago while all you young people thrust forwards into the future of rocket shoes, hotels on the moon and 54Gb DVDs.

Having said that, I really like both machines, especially the random access nature of recording to the HDD machine, no more scrabbling around for a tape to record something I might not ever get round to watching and all filed by title. Brilliant.

The camera is really good too, the only annoyance is that my iMac doesn't like the 8cm discs, which is a shame because I had hoped to edit the files on the computer. It's a G4 iMac with a Pioneer DVR-104 drive, in case anyone has wise words to offer on this subject.