CD & DVD

Overview Not long ago, PC users were limited to CD-ROM drives for optical storage. Today, optical drives come in several configurations including both CD and DVD technologies. Additionally, data can be written to both CD and DVD disks with the help of CD-R and CD-RW drives and disks. Many sites on the Internet offer information from disk handling and cleaning, to software utilities for CD and DVD technology. With so many brands of DVD and CD drives on the market, information and shopping sites for these drives is readily available. 

General Information and Utilities CD and DVD technology has exploded over the last decade or so. With the introduction of CD-RW drives and disks, and more recently, DVD-R drives and disks, PC users can write, or “burn,” their own disks containing movie clips, music, and data. For a fast guide to CD and DVD technologies, see this Whatis.com page  that defines important technological terms, outlines the history of CDs and DVDs, and discusses the data formats and the physical makeup of the disks themselves. Visit this CDmediaworld.com page for utilities that are useful for reading, writing, protecting, and organizing with CD and DVD technology. For a very detailed glossary of terms related to CD and DVD technology, click on this link. For those brave or interested enough, HowStuffWorks (www.howstuffworks.com/cd.htm) provides a detailed explanation of how CD and DVD drives and disks work.

Disk Handling and Care Proper care of CD and DVD disks is often an overlooked, yet important issue--especially when the data contained on your disks are backup files, or essential  programs. While these disks are quite durable, one bad scratch or “ding” can ruin the entire contents on a disk. Some companies even market disk cleaning and disk care packages. Read about the facts and myths regarding the durability of CD and DVD disks at www.lastfactory.com/cdanddvdcare.html. This site also offers valuable information about how damage occurs, and how one can avoid mishandling their disks. It also provides information about the construction and storage methods. The site ri.essortment.com/cdcare_rvok.htm also offers disk handling advice from the perspective of music and video CDs, and DVD disks.

CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW Drives and Disks There are three major configurations for CD drives on the market today. Read all about CD-ROMs at the site www.pctechguide.com/09cdr-rw.htm. Here you’ll find useful information about CD disks and drives, as well as a meta-FAQ, which allows users to browse numerous FAQ pages. 

DVD-ROM, DVD-R, and DVD-RW Drives and Disks Until recently, DVD disks were strictly read-only technology. Today, with new drives and disks, it has become possible to record information onto DVD disks at a reasonable cost. Some DVD drives can read and write only DVD disks, while others can read DVD and CD disks. Still others can read both formats, and also perform as a CD-RW drive. Read about DVD-R drives that are available to consumers at http://www.pcworld.com/news/. For reviews and opinions about new DVD-R technologies and products, click this link.

Shopping for CD and DVD Drives Due to their popularity, it's easy to shop for CD and DVD drives online. Visit the site www.tigerdirect.com/ to shop for CD and DVD drives sorted by brand. If you need a little advice on which drive is right for your needs, visit www.geek.com/htbc/buy/cdromby.htm for recommendations. You can also visit Bizrate.com to shop for CD and DVD drives. Search “CD & DVD Drives” on their marketplace page to view a selection of products with details about rating, price, and shipping charges.