Types Of Optical Disk And Learn The Advantages Of Them 2023

There are so many types of optical disk and they are all useful in various terms and processes. An optical disk is a such storage that is used as permanent storage. Way back to the last century, this disk had been invented and still, people are using them. It comes handy to us as we can read and write our valuable data on it and store it for future reference. Normally the disk doesn’t contain data more than 1GB or so.

What is about Optical Disk?

Optical Disk comes to activate with the help of laser technology so that the disk can take information like it can read and write the data. As for your knowledge, the LASER stands for LIGHT AMPLICATION THROUGH STIMULATED EMISSION OF RADIATION. The ray of a laser usually writes on the upper surface where it creates small pits or holes within the disk.

So the main functionality of the Optical drive is to read data using the Laser beam and it focuses on to the disk. The ray of the laser detects the holes or pits of the surface. It comes in the form of binary order like 1 or 0. Then the laser converts them into the digital data.

Now, let’s talk about the main point of its operation. The amount of space of the disk has limitation like the capacity is in between 600 MB to 1 GB. It can detect every bit from the pit at the fastest pace compared to any magnetic media.

Main Types of Optical Disk

Here are some of the main types of optical disks:

1. CD-ROM
2. DVD
3. WORM Disks
4. Rewritable Optical Disks

CD-ROM

CD-ROM (compact disk as well as read-only memory) can be read by computer’s optical drive.  In CD-ROM, data is stored for only read without change or delete facility.

You can use CD-ROM as a portable storage device and can easily transfer data. However, a CD-ROM can store 650MB or 700MB of data like application, sound, etc. The speed of CD-ROM denoted by 1x to 72x which means 72x is updated and faster than 1x.

Similar Read: What Are the Main Components Of a Computer 2021

Uses of CD-ROM

• You can store a large amount of information for instant sound, graphics, image, and video in a CD-ROM.
• You can also use CD-ROM to carry new software, little games.

Advantages of CD-ROM

• CD-ROM is known as the least expensive medium to store large amounts (650MB or 700MB) of information and data.
• You can find CD-ROM as durable as well as easy to handle.
• In a CD-ROM, you can store data or information for a long time.

Disadvantages of CD-ROM

• Stored data in a CD-ROM can not be changed or deleted.
• CD-ROM can be scratched and eventually data could lose.

Digital Video Disk (DVD)

DVD (Digital Video Disk) is a popular method of copying and storing data. DVD is similar to CD-ROM so that you can store and read data by DVD. Besides a laser is used in DVD to store data. The transfer rate of DVD denoted by 1x to 24x which means 24x is updated and faster than 1x.

However, in a single layer DVD, you can store 4.7 GB data and a double layer can store 9GB data.

Advantages of Digital Video Disk (DVD)

• In DVD, you can store large amounts (4.7GB -9GB) of information and data.
• You can store good quality videos, picture, applications, etc on DVD.
• DVD is now widely produced so that it becomes cheap.

Disadvantages of Digital Video Disk (DVD)

• You can not operate a DVD on CD drives.
• DVD is a fragile item so that it can be easily damaged by breaking.

WORM Disks

WORM disks stand for “write once, read many” is a new form of data storage technology. In WORM disks, you can store information once and can read it many times. Moreover, you can’t edit or update data in WORM disks.

WORM disks allow you to store information about 200GB.

Advantages of WORM Disks

• In a WORM disk, you can store 200GB of data.
• WORM disks allow you to write data once and read data several times.

Disadvantages of WORM Disks

• WORM disks do not allow you to edit or update data.

More Read: Computer Basics: Types Of Storage Devices In 2021

Rewritable Optical Disks

Till now you read about optical disk which can only write one time. Now, we present a new storage technology where you can read and write several times. This storage device is known as Rewritable Optical Disks.

In this 5.5 inch Rewritable Optical Disks, you can store more than 5 GB data. However, Rewritable Optical Disks is usually used to carry a large volume of data which required update.

Advantages of Rewritable Optical Disks

• Rewritable optical disks allow you to read and write data for several times.
• You can store more than 5GB of information in a rewritable optical disk.

FAQs

Final words

Technology helps us in many ways by inventing many sophisticated devices. Today we don’t need to fear of losing your valuable information because of the optical disk. Now, you could be able to store a huge amount of data in a little device for future use. Hopefully, you could easily understand the main types of Optical Disk and learn the advantages of them.