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DVD Overview and Drive Speeds
DVD disks holding video are referred
to as DVD-Video disks. DVD-Video disks should play on any DVD-ROM, either
in a DVD PC drive or in a standalone DVD player.
Technically, DVDs work a lot like
CDs. Data is recorded via pits. DVDs use a shorter length laser which
allows the pits to be spaced closer together. This allows more data
to be recorded on the disk.
As with CD-RW speeds, DVD drive speeds
are measured with a multiplier. For example, 1x DVD transfers data at
about 1.3 MB/Sec. A 4x drive could transfer data at four times that
speed or about 5.2 MB/Sec. Compare this to the 0.15 MB/sec data transfer
for a 1x CD-RW and you’ll see DVD drives are much faster. Almost
ten times faster.
All DVD videos play at 1x speed.
And, because DVDs are extremely fast relative to CDs, you probably won’t
need a very fast DVD burner. A 4x speed is more than enough horsepower.
DVD burners will also write to CDs
and read from CDs, so you won’t really need a CD-RW drive, if you
have a DVD burner. However, it’s common to see both a CD-RW and
a DVD-ROM drive on one PC. A PC with both a CD-RW and a DVD burner is
also common.
If you don’t feel a need to
burn DVDs, but you wish to watch DVD movies on your PC, you could purchase
a DVD-ROM (Read only DVD) drive for about $30. Then, use a CD-RW drive
to back up your system and make audio CDs. CD-RW disks typically hold
about 650 MB of data, while DVD disks can hold
4.7 GB. So, if you don’t have
huge files, you might not need a DVD for backing up your important files.
The CD-RW will work fine.
For more information about DVDs,
check out http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html
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How to Build Your Own PC (http://www.PCGuide.com/byop/) on PCGuide.com
Version 1.0 - Version Date: May 4, 2005
Adapted with permission from a work created by Charlie Palmer.
PCGuide.com Version © Copyright 2005 Charles M. Kozierok. All Rights Reserved.
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