DVD-RAM for backup

  • Thread starter Thread starter Daniel Prince
  • Start date Start date
D

Daniel Prince

Is DVD-RAM, used without a caddy, sufficiently reliable for backing up
the data on a hard drive, if it used in a home where no one smokes? If
it not, are there any under $250 DVD-RAM caddy drives that will also
write to DVD-R and DVD+R? Thank you in advance for all replies.
 
Is DVD-RAM, used without a caddy, sufficiently reliable for backing up
the data on a hard drive, if it used in a home where no one smokes?
Click to expand...

What matters most is how carefully you handle and store the media.

Easy enough unless you are a complete klutz.
If it not, are there any under $250 DVD-RAM caddy
drives that will also write to DVD-R and DVD+R?
Click to expand...
Thank you in advance for all replies.
Click to expand...

Even ones that tell you to go shove you head up a dead bear's arse ?
 
Daniel said:
Is DVD-RAM, used without a caddy, sufficiently reliable for backing up
the data on a hard drive, if it used in a home where no one smokes? If
it not, are there any under $250 DVD-RAM caddy drives that will also
write to DVD-R and DVD+R? Thank you in advance for all replies.
Click to expand...

There is little evidence but a good deal of anecdotal information saying
that erasable DVDs have the same fragility and life problems as erasable
CDs. I strongly recommend that you use write-once media for backup and
for anything else you do where you care about the data being retrievable.

Erasables are useful for testing, but for little more. DVD-RAM in caddy
may be better, but is the cost really worth it?

Mike
 
.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------
(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)

http://groups.google.com/[email protected]
(Messages 10, 12 -- 34, 54 -- 69)

( No pipsqueaks have been able to prove ANY of the above is a libel )
( -- despite Mikey's supposed to have proof of misquotes!!! )

Erasables are useful for testing, but for little more.
Click to expand...

Shouldn't there be big warnings in Easy CD Cremator, DirectCD and
Drag-to-Disc about using Rewritables?


===================================
Did Mikey coin the term "erasable"?
===================================

=====================
From: Mike Richter (Slimeball)
Date: 5/17/02

I refer to "erasable"
=====================

-----------------------------
(From old cdrfaq)

Subject: [1-1] What's CD-R?

A related technology called CD-E (CD Erasable) is expected to be
available in late 1996.

[Note: It was recently decided to call this technology "CD-Rewritable"
instead of CD-Erasable" -- kwc]

-----------------------------
Subject: [2-12] How does CD-RW compare to CD-R?

CD-RW is short for CD-Rewritable. It used to be called CD-Erasable
(CD-E), but some marketing folks changed it so it wouldn't sound like
your important data gets erased on a whim.

-----------------------------
Erasable CDs are a go, compatibility to come later
October 23, 1996
By John Poultney

The newly standardized CD-Rewritable format, known until a month ago as
CD-Erasable
-----------------------------
 
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage Daniel Prince said:
Is DVD-RAM, used without a caddy, sufficiently reliable for backing up
the data on a hard drive, if it used in a home where no one smokes? If
it not, are there any under $250 DVD-RAM caddy drives that will also
write to DVD-R and DVD+R? Thank you in advance for all replies.
Click to expand...

First, a caddy for DVD-RAM does not help. It has to be the original,
unopened cartridge. (A caddy is something cartridge-like, but
you get it seperately from the medium.)

With this DVD-RAM is several orders of magnitude more reliable than
DVD+-R/RW, and supports (I think) 100.000 overwrites. Once taken out
of the cartridge, it falls donw to the theoretical 10.000 overwrites
og the other DVD formats and is much, much less reliable, since it
will now
a) collect dust
b) be completely unprotected.

Putting it back into the cartridge does help some, but the orogonal
reliability is gone.

The problem is that at the moment nobody seems to make computer
drives for DVD-RAM with cartridge.

Alternatives:
- MOD (3.5" is affordable but goed only up to 2.3GB/disk,
but it is a removable-HDD-type medium, no extra software or such.)

- If your data is not important or you do multiple copies with
verify and only short-term backups: DVD+-R(W)

- External HDDs with firewire/USB

- Eventually a MOD sucessor. None is in the market at the
moment.

Arno
 
.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------
(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)

http://groups.google.com/[email protected]
(Messages 10, 12 -- 34, 54 -- 69)

( No pipsqueaks have been able to prove ANY of the above is a libel )
( -- despite Mikey's supposed to have proof of misquotes!!! )

Erasables are useful for testing, but for little more.
Click to expand...

How about for BACKUP, Mikey?

=====================
From: Mike Richter (Acraptec Shill)
Subject: A note on Take Two
Date: 9/1/99

You may back up ...to a DCD-formatted erasable.
=====================
 
Arno said:
First, a caddy for DVD-RAM does not help. It has to be the original,
unopened cartridge. (A caddy is something cartridge-like, but
you get it seperately from the medium.)

With this DVD-RAM is several orders of magnitude more reliable than
DVD+-R/RW, and supports (I think) 100.000 overwrites. Once taken out
of the cartridge, it falls donw to the theoretical 10.000 overwrites
og the other DVD formats and is much, much less reliable, since it
will now
a) collect dust
b) be completely unprotected.

Putting it back into the cartridge does help some, but the orogonal
reliability is gone.

The problem is that at the moment nobody seems to make computer
drives for DVD-RAM with cartridge.
Click to expand...

Sure they do. Not very popular or available, but the
SCSI Panasonic has been available for a couple of years.

Have one in my PC and us it like a 4.7G floppy. No special
drivers necessary in WinXP.

Jim
 
Mike said:
There is little evidence but a good deal of anecdotal information saying
that erasable DVDs have the same fragility and life problems as erasable
CDs. I strongly recommend that you use write-once media for backup and
for anything else you do where you care about the data being retrievable.
Click to expand...

Hello, Mike:

"Anecdotal information?" Sorry, not good enough.

These technical newsgroups demand facts said:
Erasables are useful for testing, but for little more. DVD-RAM in caddy
may be better, but is the cost really worth it?
Click to expand...

Depends. DVD-RAM media is pretty damned reliable, from what I've
read of its specifications, and much cheaper than MO (Magneto-Optical)
discs (on a cost-per-gigabyte basis, especially).
Mike
Click to expand...

I'm not cross-posting this reply, back to <incidentally.

That should, one hopes, spare <some anti-Mike Richter rants; the infamous "smh <[email protected]>"
never seems to tire of posting his tiresome taunts! :-)


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
Arno said:
First, a caddy for DVD-RAM does not help. It has to be the original,
unopened cartridge. (A caddy is something cartridge-like, but
you get it seperately from the medium.)

With this DVD-RAM is several orders of magnitude more reliable than
DVD+-R/RW, and supports (I think) 100.000 overwrites. Once taken out
of the cartridge, it falls donw to the theoretical 10.000 overwrites
og the other DVD formats and is much, much less reliable, since it
will now
a) collect dust
b) be completely unprotected.

Putting it back into the cartridge does help some, but the orogonal
reliability is gone.

The problem is that at the moment nobody seems to make computer
drives for DVD-RAM with cartridge.

Alternatives:
- MOD (3.5" is affordable but goed only up to 2.3GB/disk,
but it is a removable-HDD-type medium, no extra software or such.)

- If your data is not important or you do multiple copies with
verify and only short-term backups: DVD+-R(W)

- External HDDs with firewire/USB

- Eventually a MOD sucessor. None is in the market at the
moment.

Arno
Click to expand...


Hello, Arno:

"Byte" your tongue, pun intended! <G> Panasonic - the "patron saint" of
DVD-RAM - has traditionally manufactured cartridge-compatible "burners."

Several times, indeed, I've mentioned my own SW-9571-CYY (OEM) drive,
right here on <It can accept
DVD-RAM cartridges, although I haven't bought any, yet, due to their
extra expense.

You don't "listen" very well, eh? :-J


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
Jim Roberts said:
Sure they do. Not very popular or available, but the
SCSI Panasonic has been available for a couple of years.
Click to expand...

What is the model number? Do they make an IDE version?
 
Jim said:
It is model LF-D291, I have attached the Manual in PDF.

I only use SCSI, so I haven't had a reason to look.

Jim
Click to expand...


Hello, Jim:

Oh, nice thought, that PDF attachment! I was wondering why
it took so long, for me to download this newsgroup's
(articles, tonight (Monday,
2-16-04). You should've merely e-mailed the manual, actually.

In the future, please, refrain from posting anything other than text
messages, here. There are "binaries" groups established expressly for
larger files (such as images, executables, etc). They can meet such
greater "bandwidth" requirements, far more easily.

We lowly, dial-up subscribers - with our painfully-slow Internet
connections - shall be eternally grateful to you! <g>


Cordially,
 
Previously John Turco said:
[...]

Hello, Arno:
Click to expand...
"Byte" your tongue, pun intended! <G> Panasonic - the "patron saint" of
DVD-RAM - has traditionally manufactured cartridge-compatible "burners."
Click to expand...

I know that. What I mean is that I have the impression that the
drives you can currently buy only to suport DVD-RAM without cartridge.

After some research, it seems that the LF-M621U writes DVD-RAM
with cartridge. However this seems not to be sold here.
You don't "listen" very well, eh? :-J
Click to expand...

I only read what seems interesting. I do not read all postings,
do you?

Arno
 
John said:
Hello, Jim:

Oh, nice thought, that PDF attachment! I was wondering why
it took so long, for me to download this newsgroup's
(articles, tonight (Monday,
2-16-04). You should've merely e-mailed the manual, actually.

In the future, please, refrain from posting anything other than text
messages, here. There are "binaries" groups established expressly for
larger files (such as images, executables, etc). They can meet such
greater "bandwidth" requirements, far more easily.

We lowly, dial-up subscribers - with our painfully-slow Internet
connections - shall be eternally grateful to you! <g>


Cordially,
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice John.

Jim
 
Arno said:
Previously John Turco said:
[...]

Hello, Arno:
Click to expand...
"Byte" your tongue, pun intended! <G> Panasonic - the "patron saint" of
DVD-RAM - has traditionally manufactured cartridge-compatible "burners."
Click to expand...

I know that. What I mean is that I have the impression that the
drives you can currently buy only to suport DVD-RAM without cartridge.
Click to expand...

Hello, Arno:

What, those two Panasonic puppies (SW-9571 and LF-M621U) don't
count? :-P

You're quite correct on one point, however: Models which accept
DVD-RAM cartridges are somewhat scarce.
After some research, it seems that the LF-M621U writes DVD-RAM
with cartridge. However this seems not to be sold here.
Click to expand...

There's always online shopping said:
I only read what seems interesting. I do not read all postings,
do you?

Arno
Click to expand...

Hell, yes! I've studied everything that "comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.storage"
has had to offer, for the past year or so.

Of course, I could be accused of having too much time on my hands,
perhaps. :-D


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
Jim Roberts said:
It is model LF-D291, I have attached the Manual in PDF.

I only use SCSI, so I haven't had a reason to look.
Click to expand...

That drive seems to cost over $420 which is more than I want to spend.
Unless there is an IDE version that is SUBSTANTIALLY less expensive, I
will not get one.
 
Daniel said:
That drive seems to cost over $420 which is more than I want to spend.
Unless there is an IDE version that is SUBSTANTIALLY less expensive, I
will not get one.
Click to expand...

Hello, Daniel:

You don't need SCSI, anyway. Panasonic produces two ATAPI versions
(SW-9571 and LF-M621U), at least, that take DVD-RAM cartridges. They're
both considerably more affordable than the LF-D291, also (the SW-9571,
particularly).

Well, slap that pussy around, a little bit, okay? He must be made aware
of the evils of junk food! <G>


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
Back
Top