Number of DVD rewrites

  • Thread starter Thread starter Daniel Prince
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Daniel Prince

I think that +RW and -RW are rated at 1,000 rewrites. How many times
can they really be rewritten?

I think that DVD ram discs are rated at 100,000 rewrites. How many
times can they really be rewritten?

Has any magazine ever tested these discs to see how many times one can
write to them using mastering software (not packet software)? I am
asking because CD-RW is rated at 1,000 rewrites but most people only get
20 to 50 rewrites.

Thank you in advance for all replies.
 
Previously Daniel Prince said:
I think that +RW and -RW are rated at 1,000 rewrites. How many times
can they really be rewritten?
Click to expand...

My experience: Might be as low as 5 times. The problem is dust on the
disk wich will result in a bad write. Expect not more than 50-100
times with good media and little dust. Also a single fingerprint
will also make the media read- and delete-only.
I think that DVD ram discs are rated at 100,000 rewrites. How many
times can they really be rewritten?
Click to expand...

That is not true. DVD-RAM within its protective cartridge is
rated for 100.000 overweites and is likely to reach that number.
However most computer drives only support DVD-RAM when removed from
the cartridge. Once this is doone the number of specified overwrites
drops down to 1.000, and the real rate probably to 50-100, just like CD-RW.
Has any magazine ever tested these discs to see how many times one can
write to them using mastering software (not packet software)? I am
asking because CD-RW is rated at 1,000 rewrites but most people only get
20 to 50 rewrites.
Click to expand...

I think that in order to get 1.000 overwrites, you have to use a
clean-room. For that reason I use MOD. It is specified for 30.000.000
overwrites and cannot be used from its cartridge. Also it is 3.5" and
far more handy than these large 5.25" media.

Arno
 
Arno Wagner said:
My experience: Might be as low as 5 times. The problem is dust on the
disk wich will result in a bad write. Expect not more than 50-100
times with good media and little dust. Also a single fingerprint
will also make the media read- and delete-only.
Click to expand...

Can the dust be blown off with canned air to make the disc useable
again? Can fingerprints be cleaned off to make the disc useable again?
That is not true. DVD-RAM within its protective cartridge is
rated for 100.000 overweites and is likely to reach that number.
However most computer drives only support DVD-RAM when removed from
the cartridge. Once this is doone the number of specified overwrites
drops down to 1.000, and the real rate probably to 50-100, just like CD-RW.
Click to expand...

Do you know which DVD-RAM drives use the cartridge? Do any of them also
write DVD-R and/or DVD+R?
I think that in order to get 1.000 overwrites, you have to use a
clean-room. For that reason I use MOD. It is specified for 30.000.000
overwrites and cannot be used from its cartridge. Also it is 3.5" and
far more handy than these large 5.25" media.
Click to expand...

What is the capacity of MOD drives that sell for less than 300 USD? How
much does the media cost? What interface do they require? If they
require SCSI, about how much would a suitable interface cost?
 
Previously Daniel Prince said:
Can the dust be blown off with canned air to make the disc useable
again? Can fingerprints be cleaned off to make the disc useable again?
Click to expand...

Canned air is possible.

Fingerprints can be removed with a) alcohol or b) the stuff used to
wash dishes with (don't know the english term). However you have to be
very careful while doing so. In addition it is strongly advisable to
clean radially (not around) to give the error correction a better
chance to work in case of scratches.

Do you know which DVD-RAM drives use the cartridge? Do any of them also
write DVD-R and/or DVD+R?
Click to expand...


I have been looking for one for some time now. I could not find
a single one. The current drives by Lite-On and Panasonic all require
you to remove the disk from the cartridge, negating its advantage.

What is the capacity of MOD drives that sell for less than 300 USD? How
much does the media cost? What interface do they require? If they
require SCSI, about how much would a suitable interface cost?
Click to expand...


When looking at the numbers below, keep in mind that MOD is
targeted at the high-reliability professional market. Data lifetime
is in excess of 30 years, nobody really knows how long the disks
will keep. There is a rumor that Phillips thinks they will keep
longer than 80 years. I Certainly lost not even a single bit
in 6 years of doing backup and long-term storage on them.

Also note that MOD is a removable disk medium, i.e. you access
it just like a harddrive. In this regard it is similar to DVD-RAM
and unlike the other DVD/CD formats.

I quote for 3.5" MOD, since 5.25" MOD drives are very expensive.

There are three generations on the market at the moment, all
backwards compatible down to 128MB media from a decade ago or so.
Drives are available in SCSI, IDE, UDB. I have a 640MB and a 1.3GB
unit on SCSI. A simple SCSI controller (e.g. AHA-2904CD, about 30Euro)
is quite enough.

Prices are for drives (approx., USB is external portable drive):

640MB: 210(USB)
1.3GB: 240Euro(IDE/SCSI), 290(USB)
2.3GB: 300Euro(IDE/SCSI), 350(USB)

Media are

640MB: 5 Euro
1.3GB: 17 Euro
2.3GB: 24 Euro

Very good prices for a reliable and long-term data storage.
Somewhat expensive for storing movies or other high-volume data.
DVD-RAM with cartdridge would be my choice there.

One other place you find MOD technology is Minidisk. These are
actually 180MB MOD disks. No risk of loosing your music with them,
unlike CD-R/RW.

Arno
 
Daniel Prince wrote:

Hello, Daniel:
I think that +RW and -RW are rated at 1,000 rewrites. How many times
can they really be rewritten?
Click to expand...

Up to 1,000, theoretically.
I think that DVD ram discs are rated at 100,000 rewrites. How many
times can they really be rewritten?
Click to expand...

Up to 100,000, theoretically.
Has any magazine ever tested these discs to see how many times one can
write to them using mastering software (not packet software)? I am
asking because CD-RW is rated at 1,000 rewrites but most people only get
20 to 50 rewrites.
Click to expand...

Thank you in advance for all replies.
--
the only way I could keep my cat off the kitchen table
would be to tie him up with a cable
then he would be unable
to get on the table
Click to expand...

Make a leash out of the cable, instead. ;-)


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
Arno said:
Canned air is possible.

Fingerprints can be removed with a) alcohol or b) the stuff used to
wash dishes with (don't know the english term). However you have to be
very careful while doing so. In addition it is strongly advisable to
clean radially (not around) to give the error correction a better
chance to work in case of scratches.



I have been looking for one for some time now. I could not find
a single one. The current drives by Lite-On and Panasonic all require
you to remove the disk from the cartridge, negating its advantage.
Click to expand...

Arno
Click to expand...


Hello, Arnold:

Incorrect; my Panasonic SW-9571 accepts DVD-RAM cartridges, for example.


Cordially,
John Turco <[email protected]>
 
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