Which? DVD-RAM or DVD-ROM?, CD-R or CD-RW? What is RAID system?

Actual tests in a real digital imaging studio reveal what computer storage devices are best for daily use in a real-world situation. These are not magazine tests that last just a week... these are evaluations based on year-round use. This computer storage equipment is actually used (in this case all the digital storage devices you see here hold the giant images for the enlargements on the various large format inkjet printers that we test).

We find DVD-RAM great (DVD-ROM is needlessly expensive to burn, costs over $5000). DVD-RAM has taken off as the digital imaging storage media of the new Millennium

CD-R is still viable nowadays because new 800 MB disks are now available (most 800 MB disks are for audio, be sure you find one for digital images). Be sure to get 12x burnspeed for CD-R.

If you insist on re-writable CD (CD-RW) then get a dual-mode unit that does CD-RW at about 4x (or whatever the current fastest speed is). This unit should also have CD-R burn ability (and be sure this is the full 12x burn speed; you can burn CD-R much faster than CD-RW). Don't be mislead by the CD-ROM read speed of 24x...it is not burning at that speed.

Where to buy your DVD-RAM units, DVD-RAM media, CD-R and/or CD-RW burners, hard drives, or RAID systems? We recommend MegaHaus, e-mail Rgroover@megahaus.com Megahaus sells Quantum hard drives, Seagate hard drives, and IBM hard drives; of these we find Quantum drives the most reliable, though Seagate drives are the fastest.

DVD-RAM, CD-RW, CD-R, CD burners, RAID, hard drives
DVD-RAM, CD-R, and RAID system at work at FLAAR.

Get the sturdiest external enclosure case available for your DVD-RAM and RAID systems (even if it costs extra because you need a good fan and good electrical supply).

RAID system, RAID array levels 0, 1, 5
A RAID system can be as easy as just taking two hard drives and installing RAID software to link them as one double-speed RAID level 0 system. Use Quantum drives.
reviews of DVD-RAM, Maxell DVD-RAM disks
DVD-RAM stores 5.2 GB on a single disk (2.6 GB per side) for about $50 a disk (you get a discount if you buy disks in bulk). We prefer DVD-RAM disks from Maxell. Whereas a DVD-ROM burner costs over $5,000, a DVD-RAM burner/player is under $700. We have used DVD-RAM for two years with success

Where is a recommended place to buy storage? MegaHaus, contact Robert Groover, rgroover@megahaus.com

 

 

Last checked April 26, 2004.
Previously updated Nov. 15, 2002.