Article Categories
» Arts & Entertainment
» Automotive
» Business
» Careers & Jobs
» Education & Reference
» Finance
» Food & Drink
» Health & Fitness
» Home & Family
» Internet & Online Businesses
» Miscellaneous
» Self Improvement
» Shopping
» Society & News
» Sports & Recreation
» Technology
» Travel & Leisure
» Writing & Speaking

  Listed Article

  Category: Articles » Technology » Computer Hardware » Article
 

CDs and DVDs: Taking Care of Them




By Phillip Kimpo Jr.

As a rule, optical discs -- CDs, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and the many variants of DVDs -- are much more durable than some other types of data storage, such as floppy disks. In fact, the first batch of audio CDs produced in 1980 are claimed to last for 100 years (for more on the history of CDs, visit this page). However, this doesn't mean that you're free to abuse your optical discs. Improper handling and usage leads to scratched, broken, or dirty discs. As the damage accrues, your discs become simply unreadable. Chances are you already know the run-of-the-mill tips regarding taking care of your CDs and DVDs. Some of these are: 1) Keep your discs away from medium to direct sunlight for an extended length of time. 2) Protect the underside (the "signal side") of the disc from scratches, dust, dirt, stains, water, and finger prints. 3) To clean your discs, gently wipe the underside with soft, dry cloth. Wipe starting from the inside hole to the rim in a straight motion. Do not wipe the disc in a circular motion. If you've taken these precautions and still your discs fail in one way or another, then you can attribute it to uncertainty -- the culprit might be substandard manufacturing processes, or the varying materials used by different disc manufacturers. For CDs and DVDs that you have burned yourself, there are some additional things that you'll need to take note of. First, know that manufactured discs are more durable than recorded ones, especially those that you did at home. This can be attributed to the different ways that the data is recorded for these discs -- manufactured CDs and DVDs have data literally pressed onto them, while recordable ones use dyes that change color or reflectivity under the heat of a laser. Also remember that burning CDs and DVDs at high speeds (such as 52X) result in less dependable discs. The way to go is the middle speeds (e.g. 24X); as they always say, everything in moderation, and this is true in burning discs. After you've burned your CDs and DVDs, the next step you often take is to label them, usually with marking pens. One word: DON'T. These can slowly seep into the dye layers and damage the data. As an alternative, you can write on the transparent area in the disc's center (there's no data recorded there).
 
 
About the Author
Phillip Kimpo Jr. suggests http://opticalstorage.org for more information regarding optical discs, accessories, DRM, and more. A member of the Association for Computing Machinery, the author is also with Ituloy AngSulong.

Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/42662.html
 
If you wish to add the above article to your website or newsletters then please include the "Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/42662.html" as shown above and make it hyperlinked.



  Some other articles by Phillip Kimpo Jr.
Free Links and Free Traffic: The Power of Article Writing
What is the key to getting more visitors and links to your website? Do you need to go around the Net posting ...

Why Invest? Here are Seven Good Reasons
No doubt, investing your hard-earned money is a risky business. Sure, there are investments that look like they don't carry huge risk ...

Suitcases: What Suitcase Fits You?
When shopping for suitcases, many people go for the normal-looking ones, such as those that sport dark or subtle colors. While price usually helps in choosing which suitcase to buy, some ...

Suitcases Accessories Guide
We live in a world filled with accessories -- cars have accessories, cellular phones have accessories, and even we have personal fashion accessories. What's ...

HD-DVD vs. Blu-Ray: The Great Optical Disc Battle
Long gone are the times when all we had were compact discs, first for music, then for data storage and movies. The DVDs came next, boasting of what seemed then as tons of data storage. But as they ...

XML (eXtensible Markup Language): An Overview
As web developers know all too well, basic HTML (HyperText Markup Language) doesn't provide any structure to Web pages, and the formatting is mixed with the content. To allow Web ...

  
  Recent Articles
Notebook Buying Tips
by Roberto Sedycias

Quality Printer Supplies Online
by Mike Nicholson

Decoding the DCF-77 Radio Time Signal
by Dave Evans

System Strategy and Motherboard
by Zahir Shah

How Do You Get The Latest Printer Cartridges Without Paying Outrageous Prices?
by Click2ink.com

When, Why, and How should I reformat my Hard Drive?
by Timothy Scheiman

High Capacity Data Storage Solutions for Organizations of all Sizes.
by Mike Nicholson

The Development of the Vital IBM PC in Spite of the Corporate Culture of IBM
by Max Rubin

Leading Computer Consumables Supplier in UK.
by Mike Nicholson

Designing and testing robust industrial computing solutions
by Leon Mengot

Business RFID Strategy
by Zhen Dong

The Indian Market and Copiers
by ram

Can't connect to database