Understanding the different media storage options on the market can be confusing with the proliferation of devices available today, from CDs and DVDs to SSD and USB devices. What are the differences between these different forms of technology, what are they best used for, and what are their shelf lives?
CDs
Compact Discs (CDs) are the oldest type of media storage that are still popular on the market today, primarily used for music reproduction. CDs are great because they can be played on old CD players and most new DVD and Blu-ray players. They store a significant amount of data, usually up to 700MB, and are probably the most rugged of the media storage formats you can buy. It is estimated that a CD will last over one hundred years if protected from scratches and harsh environments, maintaining a crisp music playback that will have you jamming to your favorite bands for years to come. CDs are cheap to reproduce, because the now simple technology used in their reproduction, and are a great option for those looking to mass-produce audio material for any number of people.
DVDs
As the name may suggest, Digital Video Discs (DVDs) are optimized for video playback. They can hold up to 4.7GB normally, even more if double-formatted, and play back video at almost double the rate of a CD. Because DVDs take advantage of a more delicate technology to place more information on a disc that is the same size as a CD, a DVD player is required for play back. This also causes the shelf life of DVDs to be less than that of CDs, trading higher quality storage for a more delicate type of device. However, for video playback this is probably the easiest format to use, as it is compatible with a higher number of players and programs than the newest form of video playback offered on Blu-ray discs.
Blu-ray Discs
Blu-ray discs can hold more than 25GB of data and reproduce video and audio at even better qualities than either the CD or DVD, but unfortunately are not as widely spread yet as their predecessors. Blu-ray discs are great if your media is very large and would have to be broken up or downgraded in quality to fit on CDs or DVDs, or if it is of paramount importance that your audience view a video in High Definition (HD). The fact that Blu-ray discs are recorded in and play back HD is the crowning feature of this storage device. The longevity of these devices is still too hard to accurately tell, but is believed to be roughly equivalent to that of the DVD. If you are looking for the highest quality storage disc available and less concerned with longevity and reproducibility, the blu-ray disc is right for you.
SSD cards
Solid-state Drives (SSDs) are primarily used for drives with automatic write capabilities, like in the hard drive of your computer. They are great because they can easily fit over 2TB of data on a card that is roughly half the size of a playing card. SSD cards are believed to last as long as other forms of storage devices like DVDs, but a definitive lifespan has been difficult to identify and is dependent on the number of power outages that the disc must recover from (as it is constantly backing up your information). Like CDs and DVDs, SSDs require a system to function in and do not contain their own moving parts of motors, making them less susceptible to usage failures. As most computers and similar devices use this form of storage, it will probably remain a popular storage method of images and homemade videos in the foreseeable future.
USB Drives
USB drives are very helpful ways to keep all of your most important data, including images, video, and data files, with you at all times. USB drives are continuously able to hold more and more files, with 32GB drives being the most recent industry standard. These drives are expected to be fully functional for at least 3,000 rewrites, though some should work for up to 100,000. Most USB producers guarantee functionality for up to 1,500 cycles. These storage devices are great for those who need to have their media and files in an easily transferable device for short periods of time. For more long-term storage, entrusting your files to a more long-term device is recommended.
Finding the right storage device for your needs is a simple process of understanding what your storage and playback priorities are and finding a storage manager like MaxDuplication to get your project started! Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations of the best device for your specific needs.
About The Author:
This is a guest post by Lindsey Mcmahon. Her interests are technology, seo and business, but she is constantly extending her field of view to incorporate interesting news suggested to her by her readers.
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