Loading ...The Differences Between CDs and DVDs Are Microscopic
Even though both CD and DVD disks have the same media size and shape, the things they have in common end there. The biggest difference that you will probably notice is that a DVD can hold a lot more data than a CD.
When you discover how the data storage is implemented on both CDs and DVDs you will understand how the big difference in capacities is achieved. By moving a laser across a spinning disc pits are burned into a spiral groove that covers the complete surface. A laser is an intensely focused beam of light and all lasers operate on a particular wave length. A smaller wave length will produce a smaller pit. Consequently you can have more pits in the same amount of surface area on a DVD, which explains the large difference in storage capacity.
Digital data is data that is stored as a series of ones and zeros. DVDs and CDs are digital data storage mediums so everything, including audio and video, is stored as ones and zeros. Pits and lands (no pits) burned onto the surface of the disc are what make up the ones and zeros. When the disc is read the laser moves around the discs surface and is reflected off the lands but not off the pits. Optical technology reads the data and converts into the ones and zeros that your computer can then understand.
Because the spiral groove is narrower on a DVD than a CD it is subsequently longer and able to hold more data. The average DVD can hold 4.5GB of data which is 6 times greater than a CD at around 700MB.
A DVD has smaller pits and the lasers need to focus on them so the physical make up of a CD is slightly different to a DVD. A thinner plastic substrate must be used, giving the laser less material and less depth to get through to the surface.
DVD technology also has a much faster rate of reading and processing data. The average 52X CD-ROM drive reads data at 8MB a second, while a 24X DVD drive reads at 32MB a second.
DVD’s are currently the format of choice for most people these days but expect them to get taken over by Blu-Ray discs in the next few years. CDs are still very common and very cheap to purchase but I imagine they will slowly be phased out due to the increasing need for larger and larger amounts of storage space. For additional information on CDs and DVDs in relation to presentation and promotion visit the following website CD and DVD Packaging.
Also check out Best External Hard Drives and Toughest Portable Hard Drive
Related Tagged Blogs
- Blade Liner
- new usb 2.0 external dvd±rw dvd dvdrw cd+rw cdrw drive writer burner (dvd/cd burner) drive for acer aspire one 8.9″ (all) mini laptops and acer aspire one ao751h aoa110 aoa150 aod150 aod250 seires netbooks | External Dvd Rom Drive
- Wireless Keyboard And Mouse » Blog Archive » Check Out Wireless Large Optical Mouse with 5 Buttons–WRMS160Black
- Microsoft Hardware beefs up presence in RP market » OnlyHardwareBlog
- Blank Cdr | Explanation of Region Free DVD Players that Can and Cannot Play CD-R and CD-RW
- » Digital Data Storage : Answer if you can..
- The Yaquina Wavelength: Local News for Toledo, Oregon
- CB BASE ANT 5/8 WAVE LENGTH | Wireless N Router Store
- What is the energy of a photon that has the same wavelength as an electron with energy 1.60e-15 J? | SharingAnswer.com
- Does tilting your ps3 game console scratch the disc?
Recent Comments