DVD-ROM drive(DVD-ROM drive (DVD-ROM drive, DVD-R / RW drive) - a computer device designed to read high-density optical discs (DVD), as well as play audio, video and CDs. Writer models DVD-RW drives, which by 2006 began to dominate the market, can not only read, but also write / rewrite discs of various formats (DVD and CD).
Data is read/written to DVD in the same way as regular CDs (see CD-ROM drive), but DVD drives use a reduced laser beam (to 0.63-0.65 µm vs. 0.78 µm). in CD-ROM) of a long wavelength, which makes it possible to distinguish smaller pits (0.4 μm versus 0.83 μm in CD-ROM), which, together with a decrease in the distance between the turns of the track and other technological features, significantly increases the recording density on the disc. In addition, the use of a narrower laser beam in DVD drives led to a reduction in the protective layer of the disc by half, which made it possible to create two-layer DVD discs(DB, double layer) and double the storage capacity. Modern DVD drives are capable of changing the focus of the laser beam, providing reading data from layers of a single-sided disk located one below the other. To read/write double-sided discs, drives with two independent laser heads can be used. Modern drives are capable of changing the wavelength and radiation power to read / write various formats of compact discs (DVD and CD). Like CD-ROM drives, DVD drives differ in data transfer speed, access speed, buffer capacity, support for certain disc formats (including DVD-R/RW, DVD+R/RW, CD-R/RW) and recording methods, as well as other characteristics.
Reading speeds/ DVD recording-disks are denoted by a multiplier (x1, x2, etc.) similar to the corresponding CD-ROM speeds, however, the speed unit here is not 150 Kb / s, but 1, 321 Mb / s (video reading speed). For DVD movie playback, the maximum possible read speed is not important, since all movies play at the same speed, but the speed of the drive may be important when writing/reading data.
The mass production of these drives began at the end of 1996, but their widespread introduction was delayed for more than a year. This was due, in particular, to the fact that the first versions of the drives did not allow playing regular CD-ROMs. In addition, DVD-ROM recordings had not yet been mass-produced and users did not yet have a sufficient number of recordings. Nevertheless, it was already initially assumed that DVD-drives and discs should, within a relatively short period of time, force out the corresponding products of CD-ROM technology from the market. The beginning of the active production and distribution of drives and disks of this type can be attributed to approximately the second half of 1997. The greatest activity in the use of the new media was shown by American manufacturers of film products and game programs.
At the end of 1997, the second generation technology (DVD-2) appeared. Products released using this technology are devoid of a number of shortcomings of earlier releases of devices that cannot read CD-R media and CD-RW, which are becoming more and more popular as their prices drop. In addition, these drives are faster than DVD drives-1. By the beginning of 1998, a significant number of games and films in MPEG-2 format were released on these media.
Meet in our time a computer without CD-ROM/DVD drive almost impossible. CDs and DVDs contain a wide variety of programs, music, documents, digital photos, and more. You can purchase both discs with already recorded data (for example, a music CD or DVD with a movie), or special discs on which you can (once or several times, depending on the disc and drive) burn any information you need.
In addition to the not entirely correct name " drive”, CD/DVD readers and writers are also referred to as optical drives. Word storage device generally refers to all devices designed to store or read data. For example, HDD can be called a disk drive. The word "optical" refers to the method of reading data from discs. In CD / DVD drives, reading and writing data from discs is carried out using a special laser beam.
There are several types in total CD-ROM and DVD drives, with and without write support. Let's consider them in more detail.
As you already understood, the recording capabilities depend not only on the drive, but also on the discs themselves. Let's study the main types of optical discs that currently exist.
The speed of an optical drive is usually indicated in this way 52x/24x/52x. This means that CD-R discs are recorded from 52x, recording discs CD-RW happening at a speed 24x, and reading CD-R/RW discs - also at 52x speed. In this case, the indicator 1x means a data transfer rate equal to 153 Kb / s. Now let's calculate the speed of the drive with a reading speed of 52 x. To do this, multiply 52 by 153, the result will be 7956 KB / s, i.e. almost 8 MB/s.
Compared to CD-ROM drives, rewritable DVD drives read and write data much faster. The 1x speed of a DVD-ROM drive is 1.35 MB/s, which is the same as 9x speed for a CD-ROM. Therefore, the speed of modern DVD-ROM drives with a read speed of 20x corresponds to a speed of 180x for CD-ROM drives (27 MB / s), although, of course, such a speed does not exist for CD-ROM drives.
The most popular PC upgrade continues to be the CD-RW drive, which allows you to repeatedly read, write, and delete files to $4-7 optical discs. It can also read files written to standard discs CD-ROM, and read and write files to CD-R discs for $1.
Modern CD-RW drives write information twice as fast as last year's and cost $100-$150 less. Manufacturers indicate their speed in three numbers. For example, a 6X/4X/24X drive transfers files to CD-Rs at a maximum speed of 6X, to CD-RWs at 4X, and reads from CD-ROMs at a maximum speed of 24X. And the faster the recording, the higher the cost of the drive.
External models connected to a parallel or USB port are much slower than internal IDEs, but they are easier to connect. Internal and external SCSI drives provide best performance, but they are more expensive and more difficult to connect them.
Here's how to connect the most popular internal IDE CD-RW drives ranging from $150 to $250 and external parallel port models ranging from $250 to $300.
Stan Myastkowski 1)
Get ready to connect. Before starting the upgrade, as usual, do backup hard drive. Some internal IDE CD-RW drives come with software that checks the PC's IDE settings and suggests options for connecting a new drive. If such software is included with the drive, use it and print the results. If you are installing an internal model IDE drive, go to step 2, and if it will be connected to the parallel port, go to step 4. 2)
Make a plan for connecting an internal IDE drive. Turn off the PC, disconnect it from the power source and open the case cover. Use an anti-static wrist strap when working. On system board you will find the primary and secondary IDE connectors (A). As a rule, in a PC, using data cables, the hard drive is connected to the primary, and the IDE- CD-ROM drive- to the secondary. If so, all you need to do is connect your new CD-RW drive to the cable connecting the CD-ROM drive. And when the cable does not have an additional connector, use the one that comes with the CD-RW drive instead. On some PCs, the hard drive and CD-ROM drive are connected to the primary IDE channel. And then, if no other devices are connected to the secondary (for example, an internal IDE Zip drive), disconnect the CD-ROM drive from the primary and connect it together with the CD-RW drive to the secondary channel. Select an external bay where you will install the CD-RW drive. Most PCs have a CD-ROM drive in the top bay, so a new CD-RW drive is best placed directly below the CD-ROM drive. When doing this, make sure that the data and power cables are long enough to connect. Please note, however, that special carriers may be required to secure the drive to certain types of PC cases. 3)
Install jumpers, connect cables, and secure the internal CD-RW drive. Make sure the CD-RW drive jumpers are set to the Master position. If you plan to continue using the CD-ROM drive, then set its jumpers to the Slave (additional device) position - you may have to remove it and then put it back in place. Insert a new CD-RW drive into the bay and secure with screws. Next, connect the data cable. Check if the cable's colored conductor (usually red) is connected to the first pin, the one closest to the power connector (some connectors have a plastic tab to prevent misconnection of the cable). Now connect the power cable to the CD-RW drive. If your CD-RW drive came with an audio cable and your audio adapter has an unoccupied jack, plug one end of the audio cable into it and the other end into the CD-RW drive. If there is no free connector, then you can disconnect the audio cable from the CD-ROM drive and connect it to the CD-RW drive. Do not close the PC case cover until you are sure everything is working properly. Go to step 6. 4)
Set the required mode of operation of the parallel port (printer port) to connect to it. external drive CD-RW. To get the best performance from the CD-RW drive connected to the parallel port, the latter should be set to EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port) mode. Turn on the PC and enter the menu BIOS settings. The procedure for starting the BIOS configuration program for PCs from different manufacturers may vary, but usually you should press a key during the initial boot. You will most likely find the printer port settings in the Integrated Peripherals section. Check if the EPP mode is set (there are BIOS configuration programs like the one shown that do not have a separate EPP mode setting). IN similar cases use the combined ECP/EPP mode. 5)
Connect cables. Turn off the PC and place the CD-RW drive on system unit or next to it. If a printer is connected to the parallel port of the PC, unplug it and plug it into the connector on the back of the CD-RW drive case. Connect the provided cable to the PC's parallel port and to the labeled connector on the back of the CD-RW drive case. 6)
Install software. Turn on your PC and install the drivers and applications that came with your new drive. Check the drive to make sure it can read standard CD-ROMs and music CDs, and can write and read both CD-R and CD-RW discs. Copy some files to a CD-RW disc and try to delete them. If the CD-RW drive is connected to an audio adapter with an audio cable, test the sound by playing a music CD. If your drive is not detected in the system, turn off the computer and check all connections again. Click the Start button, select Settings? Control Panel, double-click the System icon, and go to the Devices tab ( device manager). If next to your drive icon you see Exclamation point, this may mean that there is a conflict that is preventing your device from working properly. From the Start menu, select Help, type "hardware troubleshooter" into the search bar, and follow the instructions that appear on the screen. If you are unable to resolve the issue, please contact technical support.
Information is read using a focused beam of a laser beam.
Now let's see how this DVD Rom works. Today it is still relevant, since many people still use disks as storage media. Therefore, you need to be guided in this matter. But we will not pay attention to other drives for now.
In general, only the advent of high technology made it possible to make such a thing as an optical drive. The disc has a reflective layer on which the laser beam is focused. It must be perfectly accurate and directed. The layer on the disk seems smooth and shiny to us, but there are microscopic depressions there, which are nothing more than recorded information. The laser beam reads the reflected light from these "bumps".
But, to make it all the same clearer, we will consider everything in order.
Does everyone know what the abbreviations we already know stand for? It seems not. So let's deal with that first.
The picture clearly shows what exactly we call a DVD optical drive.
Installing your own DVD Rom is easy. Usually does not cause problems. But it is important that the connection standard matches the device. There are two standards: "SATA" and "IDE".
The first is considered the most modern, and the second is already outdated.
The most important is indicated by numbers in the order from one to three.
Now let's turn our attention to the back. This is the standard "SATA" DVD Rom drive.
It should be noted that not all devices have a DVD Rom drive. For example, a netbook or tablet. In this case, such an optical drive as a USB DVD Rom will help out. After all, insert a disk, in case of a change operating system, for example, nowhere. Then the optical drive is connected via the USB port.
Situations when this kind of optical drive is necessary are not rare. For example, this netbook requires the installation of an operating system, which can be done using this USB drive.
Many people are more or less aware of how recording on records takes place. At first, recording on CD discs happened in a similar way. And the name of the records was CD-R (Recordable). Recording something a second time on such a record was impossible. But then the disks became more and more perfect and it became possible to overwrite the information several times. These are CD-RW (ReWritable) discs. And it's all about the nuances of production. Previously, recording took place directly on a layer of plastic. Now a layer of metal alloy was made. And this layer under the influence of a laser beam is able to change properties. You can even notice dark and light stripes on the surface. This technology allows you to rewrite information many times, maybe even a thousand times.
The disc platter has a layer on which the recording is made. This layer can be seen on all writable and rewritable discs. If the disc cannot be overwritten, then this can be determined by the layer on the plate. If the disc is written, the layer will change color. The process comes from exposure to a laser beam, and it is irreversible.
Rewriting discs are equipped with an alloy layer that can change the reflective layer under the influence of the same laser beam.
All discs have a standard diameter of 120mm. The thickness does not exceed 1.2 mm. In the center, a hole of a small diameter of 15 mm is required. The surface of the disc must not have any scratches in any case. And to prevent this, there is a ledge on the outside of the disk. It is small 0.2 mm, but strictly performs its functions. On a flat surface, the disc will no longer receive any damage.
Any disc is a multi-layered pie. But the cake is a little more than a millimeter thick. However, each layer has its own function and performs it. See what the disk looks like in the diagram and how many layers it has of different materials.
No matter how complex the information is from our point of view, all of it will be recorded in the form of pits and landings. In fact, these are recesses (pit) and surface (lands). In general, a wavy path is obtained. The recesses are pressed into the polycarbonate layer, and the plane remains unchanged. When the beam is focused on the track, the light from the plane and the bulges is reflected differently. And the difference is barely noticeable, but it's all fixed.
Speaking more plain language, then all information looks like a zero - a plane and a unit - a tubercle.
Notice how it looks under high magnification.
Now you see what's on the surface that seems perfectly flat?
DVD Rom writes and reads information using a red laser. The wavelength is measured in nanometers and is 650nm. But the step is only 0.74 micrometers. For comparison, in CD discs, all figures are twice as large. It is clear that the reduction of the laser wave made it possible to “examine” the surface of the disk more accurately and fix all the pits. The constant reduction made the DVD almost dimensionless. At one time, when more than 4 gigabytes of information began to fit there, it looked fantastic!
Here are some numbers for comparison.
In a DVD disc, compared to a CD, the pixel size is 0.4 microns versus 0.83.
A CD has a track width of 1.6 microns, while a DVD has only 0.74.
Some discs can hold just a huge amount of information. For example:
Some discs may be double-sided or double-sided. Such a sandwich will hold all 17 gigabytes.
Double-layer DVD discs are produced by pressing the first layer. Then the second layer is applied by spraying on top. Spray is translucent. The laser beam, when reading information, focuses on each layer, moving from one to another automatically.
If the DVD disc has two layers, then the thickness of each layer reaches 0.6 mm. When gluing the layers, the same 1.2 mm is obtained. It is very similar to a record, after listening to one side you can turn it over.
On the diagram it looks like this:
Disk layout Remember Blu-ray discs? They somehow differ from the usual DVDs and CDs. They are read using a blue-violet laser beam. Its length is less than required for reading DVD Rom and CD Rom (RW) discs. For them, a beam with a length of 650 and 780 nanometers, respectively, is used. And for a Blu-ray disc, the beam is only 405 nm long. And all because the technology using the red laser beam can be said to have reached the limit. But the blue-violet ray is a real leap in development.
For such a beam, the track width is also required less, and therefore the amount of information can be recorded more. However, due to the thinness of the relief on the information layer, it became more difficult to read records at high speed. So I had to reduce protective layer from polycarbonate. Previously, it was 0.6, and now it is 0.1 mm. As a result, the speed of work and the accuracy of reading information have increased.
How to choose a DVD drive for your computer
The fact that DVD-carriers are slowly but surely disappearing into oblivion is difficult to dispute. They repeat the fate of their predecessors - floppy disks and CDs. No "revolutionary" solutions like the release of double-layer or double-sided DVDs could change the situation dramatically, and the digital media market in small batches is falling into the hands of manufacturers of flash memory and Blu-ray discs. However, the DVD format is still the most popular format in the distribution of movies, software, games and music (together with CDs), so the DVD drive is still considered an integral part of the personal computer.
Let's start, as usual, with the basics. "Scientifically" a DVD drive is an optical drive, a device designed to read and write data from digital media, which, in particular, include CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-/+R and DVD-/ +R.W. Many people still remember the days when a "burning" DVD drive was more of a luxury than a necessity. Today, it is almost impossible to find a simply “reading” drive for sale, and there is no particular need for this. Even if you use this function (recording) rarely or never at all, it has practically no effect on the final price, so it makes no sense to purchase a regular DVD drive or even a CD-ROM burner. Unless you collect them.
If you buy a computer from scratch, then by default an internal (packed in the system unit) DVD drive is included in the package. This applies to both stationary PCs and laptops with netbooks, although the latter are equipped with their own, thinner and more expensive models of drives. The need for a separate purchase of a DVD drive can arise for only two reasons. Either your drive failed for some reason (there can be many reasons - from factory defects to carelessness when operating the device), or this model does not suit you for some parameters (noise, speed, design, compatibility), but find out this was possible only in the process of working with the drive.
Drive speed and main media formats
The question is, what could be wrong with this or that drive? The main parameter that is allegedly worth paying attention to is the speed of reading and writing. For in fact, you can feel this speed only if you are going to read or write discs on a truly industrial scale. It is also worth deciding what media you will most often “feed” the device, because the same CDs are read much slower (more than 9 times) than DVDs. It is logical to assume that if most of the information on the market today is sold on DVD media, then you will mainly shove discs of this format into the drive.
The drive speed is indicated in 1x, where 1 corresponds to 150 Kb/s for CD-ROM and 1.385 Mb/s for DVD-ROM. The maximum volume of a standard CD, on which music albums and small ones are most often found on sale computer games(as well as databases and software), is 700 MB. By today's standards, the size is ridiculous, but quite sufficient for recording a dozen uncompressed music tracks, text files, programs or a disk with corporate information (catalogs, price lists, instructions, etc.). Theoretically, the CD reading speed is limited to 56x, but in practice this figure does not exceed 40x, because the faster the disc rotates in the drive, the more noise it creates during operation.
If you often and enjoy writing discs CD-R (single use) And CD-RW (rewritable), then your ability to read these media will be limited to 40x and 48x, or even 24x (for CD-RW). As far as recording is concerned, by default the drive will operate at the highest possible speed, which can be manually changed to a lower speed. 700 megabytes is usually filled within five minutes.
Now let's turn directly to DVD discs, which you will encounter most often, both in the process of reading and in the process of burning. We remind you that data exchange with DVD-media can be carried out only through a DVD-drive, a regular CD-ROM will not cope with this function by definition.
To date, the following DVD discs are distinguished. This is primarily the most common DVD-ROM, which is the basis for film products, games, software and other data produced and sold commercially. Recording to DVD-ROM at home is not possible, only reading. DVD-ROMs are single-layer and double-layer, with a capacity of 4.7 and 8.5 GB, respectively.
The most common disc format that you will encounter are DVD-R and DVD+R disposable discs, which are most often used to store "heavy" information like video and software. Why plus and minus? It's simple, minus discs appeared a little earlier at the suggestion of the well-known company Pioneer, while "plus" technologies belong to Sony and Phillips. The difference lies in the presence of special markings that facilitate the positioning of the drive head, and the use of a different reflective material. At first, these differences were critical for the quality of rewriting (of course, for DVD-RW and DVD + RW discs), but today most drive models can easily cope with any version.
The maximum speed of reading and writing to DVD-R and DVD+R discs, depending on the drive model and the qualities of the disc, is from 8x to 24x, which, when fully loaded with data, will be approximately from 4 to 8 minutes. There are also two-layer disposable discs with the prefix DL (dual layer) in the name, with a capacity of 8.5 GB. However, the write speed for these "giants" is no more than 12x.
In terms of rewritable media, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM are distinguished. You have probably already come across the first two: 4.7 GB discs with a maximum write speed of 8x. As for DVD-RAM, which can be recorded simultaneously with the process of reading data, their mass use is limited due to prohibitive cost.
What else do you need to know about DVD drive speed? Given the fact that this device parameter directly depends on the media used in it, it is not advisable to strive to buy the fastest drive. Blanks that support high write and read speeds are expensive and are not sold everywhere. Remember that discs are extremely fragile media, subject to scratches, chips, and other physical surface deformations. At a high rotational speed, such interference can lead to the destruction of the disk, which simply shatters into fragments and can cause irreparable damage to the drive. As they say, you go quieter - you will continue.
Disk drive connection features and sales packaging
Probably everyone has seen the usual internal drive. Rectangle (148x42x198 mm) without unnecessary design frills weighing under a kilogram. There are also shortened versions (for compact cases) with a length of up to 170 mm and lightweight ones up to 750 grams. The most elegant are, of course, DVD drives for laptops - square in size (130x130 mm) with a thickness of only 13 mm and a weight of 120 grams. Nevertheless, these devices are very expensive and capricious in terms of installation, which is best left to professionals.
The appearance of a DVD drive for a laptop
The DVD drive, being an internal device, is connected via a cable to the computer motherboard, and therefore there are two types of connection - through parallel IDE interface or serial SATA interface. IDE is now being replaced by more advanced SATA everywhere, so when buying a drive separately, you should check with the insides of your computer, or rather, with the connectors on the motherboard, so as not to get into a mess. Newer board models most likely already work with SATA, so you can safely purchase the appropriate drive. What is the advantage? Theoretically - in speed. But in practice, you probably won't notice the difference.
Regarding the packaging. The fact that used drives are not worth buying is, I hope, clear without extra words, because all computer components have their own limited resource. The store will offer you two options: OEM and Retail. OEM - complete set "for the poor", which includes a plastic bag plus a disk with installation software. As part of the Retail kit, in addition to the drive itself, you will find wires (cable), bolts, screws, blank discs, and if the manufacturer is generous, then the audio cable, and even interchangeable panels. Naturally, the second option will cost you a little more than "polyethylene".
Manufacturers and prices
It's no secret that in the niche of DVD drives, the brand or trademark often becomes the determining factor in choosing one or another device. In the system unit, there are a lot of all sorts of elements, ranging from motherboard, video cards and ending with the power supply and, in fact, the system unit itself. But all these components, as a rule, are impersonal, because not everyone will think of going inside to look at the manufacturer of a sound or motherboard. Many, not too advanced, users are more focused on specific parameters, and not on the names of firms. With DVD drives it is different, they are just “faced” to the consumer, proudly decorating the system unit with an inscription like NEC, Sony or Plextor.
There is always a lot of subjectivity in the selection of a particular brand, because few people have to test drives from different manufacturers at home. Usually we become attached to the soul of a particular model, after which we don’t want to hear about changing it to something else. Nevertheless, there are a lot of players in this market, which we will talk about at the end of the article.
DVD-ROM by Plextor
If you have to deal with the recording process often and a lot, then there are actually two options. Either constantly change cheap devices, or occasionally face the need to purchase expensive models. For both, the resource is a parameter with a finite value. If you are more satisfied with the second option, then pay attention to the quality of the company Plextor, whose devices are distinguished by high reliability and performance. The cost of Plextor drives is not the only, but the most significant reason why only the elite can afford to communicate with this brand (from 5,000 rubles and more).
Approximately the same situation with the products of American companies Dell And Hewlett Packard (HP). Good, even remarkable quality, high speeds, reliability, but the price in the region of 4000-5000 rubles will not please everyone. Moreover, their products are rarely seen on store shelves, and the same Dell prefer to specialize in ultra-thin models for laptops.
Actuators produced with a label ASUS And Sony Optiarc (since 2006, the official merger of two companies - Sony and NEC)- strong middle peasants. At a cost of around 1000 rubles, they demonstrate high quality recordings, and discs created using these drives can be read without problems by devices from other manufacturers, as well as by many DVD players. Not noisy, stylish, practical - the best value for money.
Sony Optiarc DVD-RW Drive
Drives from Samsung, Toshiba and Pioneer are considered the most capricious in terms of the quality of discs. LG and Lite-On drives handle scratched media better than others. Of course, these conclusions were made during the testing process. specific models, which, as you know, can be both successful and not very successful. In other words, you might be extremely lucky and your Samsung DVD drive will be omnivorous and tireless, while the ASUS drive, highly praised by the "experts", will stumble at every turn.
In any case, when buying a DVD drive, pay attention to three things: the bundle (OEM or Retail), the connection method (IDE or SATA) and speed characteristics. Well, the design, of course, because the black NEC sticking out on the white body will be striking. Each brand has its advantages and disadvantages, however, in this market, if we are not talking about elite models of semi-professional quality, the main and determining factor is still the price of the device, which for the vast majority of DVD drives varies from 600 to 1500 rubles.
