What Is Optical Disk?

OPTICAL DISKcorrection and detection.
Optical disk is an electronic data storage mediumMode-1 CD-ROM: It has full three layers of error
from which data is read and written to by using acorrection data, which contains 2048 bytes of the
low-powered laser beam. It is flat, circular, plastic oravailable 2352 per sector.
glass disk on which data is stored in the form of lightMode-2 CD-ROM: It is mostly used for video files,
and dark pits. The laser beam reads the pits and thewhich contains 2336 user-available bytes per sector.
data can be accessed. There are three basic typesCD-ROM SPEEDS AND USES
of optical disks:o Read-only optical disks: The optical+ Early CD-ROM drives were known as single-speed
disks, which are recorded at the time of manufactureand could read the data at the speed of 150 KBps.
and cannot be erased. CD, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, and+ CD-ROM drives can transfer data up to the speed
DVD-Video are the read-only disks.o WORM: WORMof 7800 KBps
stands for write-once, read many. The optical disks+ CD-ROM can store audio, video, text and program
that can be recorded by the user only once butinstructions. It is used to store software programs.
cannot be erased. After they have been recordedDVD-ROM
once, they behave like a read-only optical disk CD-R,DVD-ROM: is an abbreviation of Digital Versatile Disc-
DVD-R, and WORM disks are write-once.o Rewritableread only memory. DVD-ROM is an optical disc
Magneto-optic disks: The optical disks that can bestorage media format that can be used for data
erased and written to with the new information.storage, which includes movies with high video and
CR-RW, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and magneto-opticsound quality. DVD-ROM is a non-volatile optical
disks and Data play are rewritable. Rewritable disksstorage medium similar to CD-ROM, which contains
use magneto-optic or phase change technology.computer data that cannot be erased or rewritten.
An optical disk offers many advantages overThese DVDs are read-only disks that have storage
magnetic storage media.o Highest storage capacityocapacity for 133 minutes of high quality video, in
Low cost per Megabyte of storageo Environmentalformat, and audio full- length feature film. The discs
condition toleranceo High data stabilityo Long mediaare pressed in a similar fashion as the CDs. The
lifereflective surface is gold or silver colored.
An optical disk has much more storage capacity onDVD-ROM can be accessed using a DVD-ROM drive
the order of gigabytes, than a magnetic disk. It canattached to the personal computer. DVD-ROM drives
hold up to 6GB of data in comparison to 1.44 MB of aare backward compatible, i.e. they are also capable of
diskette. Optical disks are inexpensive toreading CD-ROMs and audio CDs as well. The
manufacture. Data stored on optical disks is resistantDVD-ROM supports disks with capacities of 4.7 GB to
to power surges or magnetic disturbances, such as17 GB and access rates of 600 KBps to 1.3 MBps. A
head crashes or corruption form stray magneticstandard DVD disc store up to 9.4 GB of data.
fields. Hence, they provide high data stability. OpticalDVD-ROMs are of same size as a compact disc, but
disks are less vulnerable to extremes of hot and coldholds data about 7 times more. DVD can store that
ascompared to the magnetic disks. Optical disks havemuch of data because both the sides of a disc are
long media life than magnetic disks.used, with sophisticated data compression
OPTICAL STORAGE DEVICEStechnologies.
CD-ROMDVD-ROM is a variation of CD-ROM that is being
CD-ROM: is an abbreviation of Compact Discused in place of CD-ROMs in many personal
Read-Only Memory. A CD-ROM is a CD that containscomputers. All DVD-ROMs contain a file system, UDF,
computer data, which cannot be read or rewritten.which is an extension of the ISO 9660 Standard used
Incomputers, CDROM is the most commonly usedfor data CDs.
optical storage technology. CD-ROM is a compact discCD-RW
that contains information, which is accessible by aCD-RW is an abbreviation of compact disc-rewritable.
computer. It is composed of polycarbonate plastic,It is a recordable CD format that can be erased and
thin reflective metal layers, made of aluminium and arerecorded multiple times, just like a floppy disk or a
lacquer coating. Data is stored on the disc as a serieshard disk. It is a rewritable version of CD-ROM.
of light and dark pits; the light portion refers to theCD-RW disc is round plastic, about 5 inches in
spaces between the pits. A laser beam reads the pitsdiameter. CD-RW disks can be played or recorded in
and the data can be accessed.the CD-RW drive only. These disks behave unusable
CD-ROM is an adaptation/EXTENSION of thewhen put in a regular CD-drive or a CD-R drive
compact disc that is designed for music storage andcannot be played. A CD-RW drive can read
playback. The format of CD-ROM is very similar to aneverything except a DVD.
audio CD; the only difference being the standardsA CD-RW can hold 650 Megabytes of data (unlimited
used to store data. A standard 120 mm CD-ROMnumber of times) written by a CD-RW drive. CD-RW
holds up to 700 MB of data, or about 70 minutes ofcannot be selectively overwritten but can be
audio. This may mean that One CD can contain overextended. CD-RWs must be closed before they can
one thousand novels; an average novel beingbe read in a normal CD-ROM drive. CD-RW disks
composed of 60, 000 words. Once the data iscannot be read using a CD-ROM drive built before
written to a standard CD-ROM disc, it cannot be1997. CD-RWs can be randomly read and written
altered or rewritten.because of the variation of UDF format. CD-RW
A CD-ROM can be read using a CD-ROM drive, whichdisks and drives are more expensive than a regular
is almost common on the personal computers. ACD-ROM drive or media. A CD-RW disc can be read
CD-ROM drive may be connected to the computer inoptically by laser light.
several different ways depending on the type ofDVD-RW
interface, such as:o IDE (ATA)o SCSIo SATAoDVD-RW: stands for Digital Versatile Disk-Rewritable.
Firewireo USBIt is a re-recordable optical disc, which can record up
Almost all modern CD-ROM drives can play audio asto 4.7 GB per side in a similar fashion to a CD-RW.
well as video CDs.DVD-RW supports sequential read/write access i.e.
CD-ROM STANDARDSthe device may need to wait for the correct location
CD-ROM format provides an outstanding solution toin a constantly revolving medium. The information
the problem of storing large digital files. Severalstored on DVD-RW can be erased and rerecorded
formats are used for data stored on CD-ROMs.over multiple times without damaging the medium.
These include Red book standards for audio-CD,DVD-RW is a phase-change erasable format based
White Book and Yellow Book for CD-ROM. An ISOon DVD-R, using similar mark length, track pitch and
9960, which defines the standard file system of arotation control. The format is supported by the DVD
CD-ROM is due to be replaced by ISO 13490.Forum. DVD-RW is also called "DVD Dash RW" and
CD-ROM FORMAT"DVD Minus RW".
One CD-ROM sector contains 2352 bytes, which isDVD-RW can be played in many DVD drives and
further divided into 98 24-byte frames. A CD-ROMplayers. Depending on quality, recording time varies
contains a third layer of Reed-Solomon errorfrom 1 hour to 6 hours.
correction in order to achieve improved error