| It was suggested to me that I discuss the DVD | | | | find this information, you can buy one and |
| formats more in depth, so this article does | | | | hope that either you have the correct drive |
| that. | | | | for it or that you have a multi-format drive. |
| | | | It would also be to your favor to purchase |
| To a certain extent DVD formats follow CD | | | | according to who the manufacturer of your DVD |
| formats. DVD-ROM like CD-ROM are discs with | | | | burner is and which format they are listed |
| the data stamped on them and cannot be | | | | with above. There are some people who prefer |
| changed or overwritten (when you purchase a | | | | one format over the other, but there is not a |
| movie on a DVD, it is a DVD-ROM). DVD-R and | | | | noticeable difference and it is very unlikely |
| DVD+R like CD-R can only be written to once. | | | | that one format will be shut out in the |
| DVD-RW and DVD+RW, like CD/RW, can be written | | | | future (like BetaMAX was). |
| and rewritten to many times. | | | | |
| | | | Added to the CD-like formats mentioned above |
| DVD-RAM is an alternative to DVD-RW and | | | | there is also DVD+R DL and DVD-R DL (also |
| DVD+RW but many DVD drives do not support it. | | | | called DVD+R9 and DVD-R9). DL stands for Dual |
| Instead of having one long spiral running | | | | Layer or Double Layer. These discs have two |
| from beginning to end (like a record), it has | | | | recordable layers giving more space for data. |
| separate tracks. The advantage of DVD-RAM is | | | | They are supported by a range of |
| that it holds more data and it can be treated | | | | manufacturers including Dell, HP, Verbatim, |
| more like a hard drive by your computer | | | | Philips, Sony, Yamaha, and others. |
| (usually not requiring extra software). | | | | |
| | | | There is also the HD-DVD. These DVDs use a |
| Did you notice the plus (+) and minus (-) in | | | | special burner with a 405nm-wavelength |
| the above DVD formats? They are important. | | | | blue-violet laser (traditional lasers are red |
| They signify two opposing formats (sort of | | | | at 650nm-wavelength). This new type of laser |
| like BetaMAX and VHS). The minus formats are | | | | can record to smaller spaces storing up to 23 |
| supported by Panasonic, Toshiba, Apple | | | | hours of standard video on a double sided |
| Computer, Hitachi, NEC, Pioneer, Samsung, | | | | DVD. Two types of HD-DVD are Blu-ray Disc |
| Sharp, and the DVD Forum. The plus formats | | | | (BD) and Advanced Optical Disc (AOD). Since |
| are supported by Philips, Sony, | | | | Sony, Samsung, Sharp, Thomson, Hitachi, |
| Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Ricoh, Yamaha and | | | | Matsushita, Pioneer and Philips, Mistubishi, |
| others. At one time DVD burners only | | | | and LG Electronics jointly developed BD and |
| supported one or the other. Now there are | | | | Toshiba and NEC jointly developed AOD and |
| multi-format burners (also called combo or | | | | since HD-DVD is a new technology, expect |
| DVD-Multi) which handle both formats. | | | | HD-DVD drives to handle only one or the |
| | | | other. |
| Before you go to buy blank discs for burning | | | | |
| on your DVD burner, check your drive to see | | | | Next month we will discuss the actual drive. |
| which format it will handle. If you can't | | | | |