DVDs

DVDs stands for Digital Versatile Disk and is a relatively new technology. Like CD-

ROMs, they are an optical storage device.

These are becoming increasingly popular, and are expected to replace ordinary compact discs and video tapes in the future. This is because a DVD disc can store between 5-17 gigabytes of data.

This amount of storage makes it possible to store complete movies along with special features and multiple language tracks.

Advantages

	Very large storage capacity
	Sound and picture quality is excellent which makes them suitable for video and sound
	Increasing availability
	Price is dropping for both DVDs and DVD drives.
	Does not transmit viruses
	DVD players can read CD-ROMs.

Disadvantages

	Still a relatively new technology so still expensive compared to CD-ROMS.
	DVDs do not work in CD ROM drives.

DVD-RW

This new technology is only just becoming affordable to the general public. It is increasingly common to have a DVD re-writer drive in a new personal computer. There are also stand-alone DVD-RW units that allow you record television programs directly onto disk.

Advantages

	Can store seven times more data than a CD-RW
	Suitable for storing video and television programmes

Disadvantages

	There are many 'standards' in use, so you have to make sure you buy the correct disk for your drive.
	Relatively expensive media compared to a CD-R, so you have to decide whether your data can be stored on one or two 650 Meg disks.

This is an Optical storage device