A DVD is an optical disc for digital storage of image, sounds and data with greater capacity than a compact disc or CD. The term conforms to the acronym of Digital Versatile Disk, an English expression that translates as “original versatile disk.”
It was introduced to the market for the first time in 1995, at which time it was especially conceived as a video medium that would replace VHS. For this reason, the initials corresponded to the term digital video disk.
The benefits of the DVD as a storage device for all kinds of digital data were quickly understood and exploited, which has led to the development of various types of DVDs according to the user’s requirements.
General DVD Features
- It has a standard size of 120 mm in diameter.
- Your signal is digital.
- As a read / write mechanism requires the red laser.
- It allows saving information with a high level of quality.
- It stores much more information than a CD.
- The capacity of a DVD varies from a minimum of 4.7 GB to 17.1 GB.
DVD functions
Originally the DVD was conceived for the transmission of high quality audiovisuals. As we have said, it competed with VHS tapes, nowadays disappeared from the market.
However, its development allowed several uses, such as video and audio storage, interactive applications, software support, backup copy backup , etc.
DVD types
According to the capacity and format
The capacity of a DVD as well as its use depends on its conformation. Some are made up of a single layer or double layer. DVDs that have a single layer have 4.7 GB of data; The double layer have a storage capacity of approximately 8.55 GB. A comparative table will give us, however, a clearer idea of the quantity and diversity of DVDs that are available in the market:
There are also double-sided DVDs, that is, they can be written on both sides, which allows for increased storage capacity. These can reach up to a capacity of 17.1 GB. Among them are the models known as DVD 10, DVD 14 and DVD 18. Let’s see:
According to the content
In the current language, DVDs are usually classified according to the type of content they store. Thus, there is talk of:
- Video DVD;
- Audio DVD;
- Data DVD
The latter allows you to save all kinds of files, including text files, such as a pentdrive or an external hard drive.
Advantages and disadvantages of the DVD
Among the advantages of the DVD we can mention that it allows you to store a lot of data avoiding excessive use of computer space, it also allows you to store high quality video and audio, which makes it excellent for collecting movies; they occupy little physical space; the price of blank DVDs is cheap; They do not degrade over time and can be reproduced on various devices.
Among its disadvantages we can mention that they require physical distribution; the constant update of the DVD makes the reading devices no longer compatible with the new discs. Also, DVD recorders are usually expensive. Finally, although they are easy to store and take up much less space than a VHS tape, they always take up some space that can be made available for other uses.
Today DVDs face the onslaught of other devices with greater storage capacity and better sound and image quality, such as HD DVD and Blue Ray. In addition, its use as data storage devices competes with the cloud forms and other backup systems. It is not surprising that many computers do not include a DVD player today.
