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Optical Storage Device

Optical storage media uses a laser to read and write data to discs by encoding data as dots. Common types include CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, which have increasing storage capacities and are used to store music, movies, software and more. Data can be written to discs that are recordable (CD-R/DVD-R) or rewritable (CD-RW/DVD-RW), while read-only discs (CD-ROM/DVD-ROM) come preloaded with unchangeable content. DVD-RAM allows rewriting and simultaneous reading/writing.

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395 views4 pages

Optical Storage Device

Optical storage media uses a laser to read and write data to discs by encoding data as dots. Common types include CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs, which have increasing storage capacities and are used to store music, movies, software and more. Data can be written to discs that are recordable (CD-R/DVD-R) or rewritable (CD-RW/DVD-RW), while read-only discs (CD-ROM/DVD-ROM) come preloaded with unchangeable content. DVD-RAM allows rewriting and simultaneous reading/writing.

Uploaded by

Rishabh Jain
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Optical Storage Media

All the mediums that use a light source to read/write data onto a disc.

# Optical storage media stores data on a disc as a number of data dots


that can be read using light (usually a laser beam).
Each dot represents 1’s and 0’s (Bits of information).
# Data is read by shining the laser beam onto the surface of the disc.
# Some Optical Disks (such as CD-R’s) allow you to write data to the disc
as well as read it.
This works by using the laser beam to ‘burn’ dots onto the surface of the
disk (creating the data) and then reading them back again. This process
is known as ‘burning’.
In order to read/write data on a disc you need a 'disc drive'.
The drive contains the following:
 A mount for the disc
 A laser (to read/write the data bumps)
 A motor (to spin the disc across the laser)

Examples of Optical Media –

CD-ROM and DVD-ROM –

# ROM stands for 'read only memory'. This means that the data cannot be written over (added to)
and can only be read.
# CD-ROM's and DVD-ROM's are bought with pre-loaded data already on them.
Usually pre-loaded with software, music, movies and games.
# Whatever is already loaded onto the ROM cannot be removed or changed.

Remember: This is because ROM discs are 'read only'.


So if you purchase a music CD, you can listen to the tracks on the disc but you can't can't add
more songs of your own.
# CD-ROMs have a maximum capacity of about 800MB (about 400,000 pages of text)
# DVD-ROMs have a maximum capacity of about 4.7GB (about 2.4 million pages of text)
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Uses of CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs –
# CD-ROMS are used by manufacturers to store smaller files (up to 800MB) such as:
 Music tracks
 Software (such as word processors, spreadsheets etc)
 Audibooks

# DVD-ROMS have much larger storage capacities (up to 4.7 GB) than CD-ROMS and are used
to store bigger files such as:
 Movies
 Modern games (like grand theft auto, call of duty etc)
 Multimedia enclyclopedias

CD-R and DVD-R –


# The letter ‘R’ means that the disc is recordable once only.
# Once the disc has data recorded on it becomes a CD/DVD ROM
(read only).
# Data can be added to the disc (once) but NOT erased when it is on
there.
# Data is ‘burnt’ onto the discs using a disc burner.
# Thin layer of metallic dye is used to record the data onto. When CD-
R’s and DVD-R’s are burnt, the laser makes permanent marks (dots of
data which represent 1’s and 0’s) onto the metallic dye.
These marks cannot be erased (which is why what you add to the disc
is permanent).
# CD-R have a maximum capacity of about 700MB (about 80 minutes of audio)
# DVD-R have a maximum capacity of about 4.7GB (over 2 hours of video)

Uses of CD-R and DVD-R –


# CD-R's used to create personalised playlists of music.
# DVD-R's used to store home recordings of video shot on digital cameras.
# They can be used to backup important data so that there are copies in case the originals get
erased or deleted.
# They can be used to transfer data from one computer to another.

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CD-RW and DVD-RW –
# The letters ‘RW’ stand for Re-Writeable. This means that the disc can
be recorded on over and over again.
# Unlike CD/DVD-R’s these discs DO NOT become ROMS (not read
only) once burned.
# RW drives are used to burn data onto dye on the RW disc (and also
read from it).
# The dye used to record data is called 'phase changing dye' and it
allows the bumps of data to be ‘undone’.
# Data can be added to the disc and can also be erased.
# CD-RW have a maximum capacity of about 700MB. DVD-RW have a
maximum capacity of about 4.7GB

Uses of CD-RW and DVD-RW –


# CD-RW's are used to create personalised playlists of music and then
add/remove songs as you wish.
# DVD-RW's are used to record television programmes and can be
recorded over many times.
# They can both also be used to make backups of computer files.

DVD-RAM (DVD-Random Access Memory) –


# With DVD-RAM writing and reading of data can happen at the
same time.
# They use a similar Phase Changing Recording Dye to
CD/DVD-RW’s which allows DVD-RAM discs to be recorded
over many times.
# DVD-RAM discs can be rewritten over many many times
(over 100,000).
# Data can be reliably stored on DVD-RAM for many years due
to their high quality.
# DVD-RAM has a capacity of 4.7GB (or 9.4GB with with
double sided discs).

Uses of DVD-RAM –
# Because DVD-RAM discs last so long they are used in video
and data archiving (Safe store for important files and records).
# Used in DVD recorders to record TV programmes (on digital
and sattelite) to allow simultaneous recording and playback.
# Used in camcorders to store video (Reliably and for many
years).

3
Blu-ray Disc –
# Work in a similar way to DVD ROMS but the laser used to read the
data is blue rather than red (Red lasers used to read the other disc
types).
# Blue lasers are capable of reading data dots that are positioned closer
together on the disk surface.
# Blu-ray-RW discs can be rewritten to in much the same way as RW
disks.
# Blu-ray's have capacities of 25GB, 50Gb and 100GB (depending on
the disc).

Uses of Blu-ray Discs –


# Used to store high definition video (Like high quality movies).
# Used in some home video consoles (Like Playstation 3).
# Used to back up hard disk drives in PC’s.

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