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