DVD-RAM: The Disc that Behaved like a Flash Drive
Technology Connections・14 minutes read
DVD-RAM was introduced in 1998 as a high-capacity removable storage option with easy file management, stability, and longevity, but became obsolete due to slower speeds, limited compatibility, and competition from faster USB flash drives. Despite being overshadowed by newer technologies, DVD-RAM discs are still marginally useful for data archiving in DVD multi drives, offering a long storage life and reliability.
Insights
- DVD-RAM was an innovative storage solution introduced in 1998, offering rewritable discs with high capacity, stable phase-change alloys supporting over 100,000 rewrites, and a storage life of 30 years, making it cost-effective compared to other storage options like Zip disks and hard drives.
- Despite its advantages, DVD-RAM became obsolete due to slower write speeds, limited compatibility with DVD players, consumer confusion with other DVD formats, and the emergence of faster and more convenient flash memory storage options, ultimately overshadowing its appeal as a storage solution.
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Recent questions
What is DVD-RAM and its storage capacity?
DVD-RAM is a variant of DVD introduced in 1998, offering 4.7 gigabytes of storage capacity. It does not require special formatting, allows for files to be added or erased on the fly, and behaves like a USB storage device.
How does DVD-RAM differ from traditional DVDs?
DVD-RAM discs are structured like hard drive platters, allowing for easy addition and removal of files without the need for session writing, unlike traditional DVDs and CDs. They are made with stable phase-change alloys, supporting over 100,000 rewrites and having a storage life of 30 years.
What were the advantages of DVD-RAM over other storage options?
DVD-RAM was cost-effective, with a cost per 100 megabytes lower than Zip disks and even cheaper than hard drives per gigabyte. It offered rewritable discs with random access, high storage capacity, and stable phase-change alloys supporting over 100,000 rewrites.
Why did DVD-RAM become obsolete as a storage format?
DVD-RAM faced challenges due to slower write speeds, limited compatibility with DVD players, consumer confusion with other DVD formats, and the rise of faster and more convenient flash memory storage options. The emergence of USB flash drives with larger capacities and faster write speeds overshadowed DVD-RAM.
How are DVD-RAM discs still marginally useful today?
Despite being challenging to find, DVD-RAM discs remain marginally useful as most DVD multi drives from the mid-2000s onwards can read and write to them. They are potentially useful for data archiving due to their longevity, even though they have become obsolete as a primary storage format.
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Summary
00:00
DVD-RAM: High Capacity, Limited Longevity, Obsolete
- In 1998, DVD-RAM was introduced as a variant of DVD designed for use as removable storage, offering 4.7 gigabytes of storage capacity.
- DVD-RAM discs do not require special formatting, allow for files to be added or erased on the fly, and behave like a USB storage device, with data recorded in concentric rings.
- DVD-RAM was released in 1998, earlier than expected, and supported by MacOS 8.6, offering a rewritable disc with random access and high storage capacity.
- DVD-RAM discs were structured like hard drive platters, allowing for easy addition and removal of files without the need for session writing, unlike traditional DVDs and CDs.
- DVD-RAM discs were made with stable phase-change alloys, supporting over 100,000 rewrites and having a storage life of 30 years, with early versions stored in protective caddies.
- DVD-RAM Version 2 increased capacity to 4.7 gigabytes, with double-sided discs available for higher storage, and write speeds improved to 3x.
- DVD-RAM was cost-effective, with a cost per 100 megabytes lower than Zip disks, and even cheaper than hard drives per gigabyte, making it a competitive storage option.
- Despite its advantages, DVD-RAM faced challenges due to slower write speeds, limited compatibility with DVD players, consumer confusion with other DVD formats, and the rise of faster and more convenient flash memory storage options.
- The emergence of USB flash drives with larger capacities and faster write speeds, along with decreasing prices, overshadowed the appeal of DVD-RAM as a storage solution.
- Ultimately, DVD-RAM became an obsolete storage format due to its limitations in speed, compatibility issues with DVD players, consumer confusion with other DVD formats, and the rise of more convenient and faster flash memory storage options.
13:08
Versatile DVD-RAM Discs: Ideal for TV Recording
- DVD-RAM discs were utilized in set-top DVD recorders due to their agnostic storage nature and versatile re-writability, making them ideal for recording TV with 4.7 gigabytes of removable storage.
- Despite DVD-RAM discs not being compatible with DVD players, DVD-recorders favored them, hindering the development of faster discs as their primary application did not require higher speeds.
- DVD-RAM discs, though challenging to find nowadays, remain marginally useful as most DVD multi drives from the mid-2000s onwards can read and write to them, potentially serving for data archiving due to their longevity.
