Is DVD-RAM the best storage technology?

What is DVD-RAM? DVD-RAM is one of several competing kinds of media with the tag "DVD." DVD-RAM, however has several key advantages for users who move to this media today. You can buy DVD-RAM recorder/players from any mail-order company and disks are readily available as well. Prices are low enough to make DVD-RAM a better choice than 5.2 GB direct overwrite MO systems. Besides, hardly anyone offers direct overwrite removable disk systems anymore.

DVD-RAM CD-R ProDirectDVD is going through the same chaos as Betamax versus VHS. In this case DVD-RAM has won.

If you wish to keep track of which faction is winning which skirmishes, read Emedia Professional, the trade magazine of DVD and CD of all modes and manners.

Or, you can stay tuned as the FLAAR. Test center works out which is best based on actual use. Comparisons, reviews, and information are what help the most. The advantage of DVD-RAM is that burners are readily available. For other kinds of DVD the burners cost about $15,000; recently the price dropped to $5,000. Yet for DVD-RAM the burners are only $700.

Several months ago we installed a Panasonic DVD-RAM recorder/player in our office. We selected Panasonic because they were part of the original PD dual Phasewriter technology (with 'Toray). PD is the parent of DVD-RAM.

I have about a hundred Gigabytes of digital images stored on legacy PD disks, so I was happy when a new system came along that could play them. It was getting hard to find drivers and software to run the old PD recorder/players (of which I have about four installed in various computers).

You can see the developmental relationship very clearly in this photo, the crimson PD disk of 1995-1998 is the identical size, shape, or arrangement as the modern DVD-RAM disk of 1999 (the DVD-RAM disk is the white one at the left).

One major software company is specializing in DVD-RAM software, Software Architects. This means you can use DVD-RAM with confidence on both your PC or your Mac.

 

Most recently updated April 09, 2001.