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Learn about optical storage, any storage medium where data is written and read with a laser. Explore examples and history plus advantages and disadvantages.
- Optical Storage's Future Could Be 5D Glass
The disks are resistant to the type of scratching, disk rot...
- Demand for Cold Data Storage Heats Up
Cold data storage systems have been around for decades,...
- Optical Storage's Future Could Be 5D Glass
Optical storage is the storage of data on an optically readable medium. Data is recorded by making marks in a pattern that can be read back with the aid of light, usually a beam of laser light precisely focused on a spinning optical disc .
optical storage, electronic storage medium that uses low-power laser beams to record and retrieve digital (binary) data. In optical-storage technology, a laser beam encodes digital data onto an optical, or laser, disk in the form of tiny pits arranged in a spiral track on the disk’s surface.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Optical storage is the storage of data on an optically readable medium. Data is recorded by making marks in a pattern that can be read back with the aid of light, usually a beam of laser light precisely focused on a spinning optical disc .
- Overview
- How Do Optical Storage Devices Work?
- Features of Optical Storage Devices
- Pros of Optical Storage Devices
- Cons of Optical Storage Devices
- Conclusion
The terms optical and storage devicesgive ideas about this concept of storage. A summary of the ideas is that these storage devices use optics (properties of light) to read and write data. At a time, optical storage devices were strongly considered a potential replacement for HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) in computers. However, their lack of growth in st...
As hinted earlier, optical storage devices use properties of light to read and write data. However, all this won’t be possible without an optical disc drive with a laser source, a lens, and a rotational mechanism (DC motor). Besides, optical discs usually have up to four layers. These layers include a visible label, the data-containing plastic, ref...
This section highlights some of the features of optical storage devices. You may do well to note how these features of optical disks differentiate them from other storage types. The features can be many, but the most outstanding ones are listed below.
Some Optical Storage Devices are Capable of Storing a Large Amount of Data
Even though optical discs aren’t that big on storage capacity, some of them offer fairly decent storage space. For example, some Blu-ray discs offer up to 50 GB storage capacity. I know that’s quite small compared to other storage devices. However, that amount of storage space is impressive by optical disc standards.
Support for Different Types of Files
Optical discs support various kinds of files. VCDs, Blu-ray discs, and DVDs can store video files, audio files, text documents, and zipped files. What is more, these discs can even store folders or directories.
Affordable Price Range
Optical storage devices are considerably more affordable than most other storage types. Specifically, an 8 GB DVD plate costs much less than a flash drive with the same storage capacity. As a casual estimate, the cost of a single 8 GB DVD plate should be around $1. However, the price may vary depending on the place, time, and retailer.
High Vulnerability to Physical Damage
Scratches on the surface of an optical storage device can affect or damage its content. Also, since their build material is mainly plastic, they can easily be broken. One way you can avoid this problem is by storing the disk inside a protective case when not in use.
They are Not Secure
Due to their small size and weight, optical storage devices can be easily misplaced or even stolen.
They Have a Very Slow Speed
Compared to other forms of storage devices, optical storage devices are significantly slower. For example, a CD has an average read and write speed of just 0.15 MB/s. Meanwhile, a DVD has an average read and write speed of 1.38 MB/s. In comparison, an HDD has an average read and write speed of between 80MB/s to 160MB/s, while an SSD can deliver between to 200MB/s to 550MB/s read and write speed.
Optical discs are gradually phasing out in the laptop PC ecosystem. Little wonder some computer manufacturers no longer include an optical disk drive in their laptops. Nevertheless, we can not overemphasize the usefulness of these storage devices. For instance, the affordability, portability, and data retention of optical discs are worth mentioning...
Optical data storage emerged in the 1990s, utilizing lasers to write to, and read from, small disks that contain a light-sensitive layer to store information. When it comes to storing data, optical media offer several advantages over magnetic media.
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Sep 5, 2021 · An optical drive is a device that reads and/or writes data onto a disc. To read/write data onto a disc, an ODD uses a laser diode to receive and send electromagnetic waves. Receiving these waves allows your computer to access what’s on the disc. Sending these waves enables the computer to write files onto the disc.
