Everything About DVD-ROM

Badly Scratched Media

Bart — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 16:38:36 +0000

All DVD media however tough/scratch resistant the manufacturer may say they are will get scratches. From the dog using it as a chew toy or you child using it as a Frisbee, damage to the data is usually minimal but the surface may get scratched enough hat the laser cannot accurately read the data within. Some work by filling in deep scratches and then re-polishing the surface level. Some leave thin films on the disk to allow access, with the rest using stick-on films that claim to allow the same.
There are a lot of cd/dvd repair kits available on the market, some work and some don’t. Granting they do work, it would be best to copy the disk and to re-create a master disk(or two) to ensure important data is not lost. Back-up essential information in several sets(such as the recovery disks of your laptop), to ensure the information is safe.

Shuddering Drive

Bart — Wed, 11 May 2011 16:29:49 +0000

Ever had a shock when you stuck in a dvd into a drive and you suddenly get a shuddering PC or laptop? This can be caused by a defective disk that may seem right but may be bent or warped. You can also try removing the disk and running a pencil or pen through the hole in the middle where manufacturing sometimes leaves excess tabs of material.

It could also be that the clasps that hold onto the dvd may have reached the end of their life so you may have to get a new one. The high speeds at which the dvd drive spins your disk causes the shuddering that some swear have resulted in shattered disks within. The disk labels some use that you stick on, may have lost it’s grip and torn off or completely separated form the disk inside. Should that happen, you could retrieve the disk by opening the drive itself or better yet, have properly trained people to do it for you.

Retrieving a Stuck DVD Disk

Bart — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 16:26:50 +0000

This may be brought about by a lot of situations such as a defective drive, loose sticker label that stuck to the case or some other hardware issue. You can open the drive manually while on the computer system to try and remove the disk using the tiny hole and the mysterious paper clip(the later also works like the real thing) looking thing that comes with some drives.
Insert the paper clip or pin into the tiny hole and wait for it to stop, push and you would usually hear a click that disengages the locks and frees your disk. Use this only when you think there is a hardware issue or when a power outage leaves your disk inside that you have to take with you. Using this option too much can ruin the plastic parts of the carriage and even some small switches that can leave you with an automatic drive that opens and closes by itself or worse a useless drive.

DVD Media Shelf Life

Bart — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:25:14 +0000

Does a DVD Disk have an actual shelf life, a very interesting question to ask for you may have disk or two of very important dvds here and there. DVD media manufacturers claim they have indefinite shelf life but there are instances of the layers physically peeling off one another rendering a disk unusable.
The media we all use is manufacture more or less in the same manner but the material used as the substrate or actual layer where the digital data is stored vary a lot. From exotic metals such as gold and silver, all makers use their own proprietary brand of media that may dictate the longevity of the actual disk. Cheap disks are bonded with substandard materials and cheap polycarbonate types so do choose the best disks for the most important information/data. Avoid using stick-on labels for they can also ruin a disk, but may even destroy the drive as it shatters into many pieces.

RoadStor CD-RW/DVD-ROM Drive

Bart — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:01:04 +0000

MicroSolutions recently released a new product they called The RoadStor CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive. It is a compact and portable digital photo viewer, burner, DVD and MP3 player that comes with a remote control. This device gives your computer the freedom to do just about anything whether your browsing digital photos,or play you music CDs or DVD movies. Various tests were conducted on this drive and it still passed with flying colors. The tests included offices, home environment, inside a university/college, and even on the road. The release of the drive will be something to look forward to because of its varied use for multiple digital solutions.

Awesome Blu-ray / HD-DVD Deal

Bart — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 20:57:41 +0000

This a drive that does what its supposed to do. You just need to be aware of the challenges you will encounter while trying to get this HD to work at its best. This HD can be used as a part of the living room HTPC connected by a DVI-to-HDMI cable to a Panasonic 1080p Plasma.
If you want to have the best movie experience and on how to install it the easiest way, you will need to have a HDCP-enabled graphics card, a sound card with analog speaker output for good sound quality, and a full retail version of PowerDVD Ultra for analog multi-channel support.

DVD Forum

editor — Sun, 10 Oct 2010 15:06:13 +0000

Just like the Compact disc, the Digital Versatile Disc (or commonly known as DVD) also boomed in the market. Due to its 4.7GB capacity, the movie industry started to switch to DVDs for their CD releases of their movies.

Now, for those who are very much interested in DVDs further advancement, the DVD Forum is the answer to your needs. It is made for the people who use the DVD much in their works (such as aspiring film makers, film students or plain DVD aficionados). The forum is very promising, with the members (both veterans and amateurs) discussing all the features of the DVDs available in the market. If you are new in DVD movie making, then you might as well join the forum. Membership is free.

MacBook Air no CD/DVD drive?

Bart — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 01:23:42 +0000

Image Source: Apple.com

Can you see how thin the darn thing is? It’s perfect for me who detests having to lug heavy things around. Anyway, one of the reasons for this “air lightness” is that the MacBook Air has no CD/DVD drive! Quite a risky move by Apple but I must admit, it has its appeal. Thing is Apple cut a deal with 20th Century Fox to produced DVDs with Digital Copy so people can copy DVDs into their iTunes library. Users will just have to transfer the file to the device of their choice (i.e. the MacBook Air). Second option is loading a DVD software disk to a Mac desktop. Using the Remote Disc software, users can copy the file to MacBook Air (wireless connection gamore!). Another option is to avail of an external USB to attach to the laptop. Extra bucks, ka-ching!

Source: Mercextra

R and RW

editor — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:05:17 +0000

In the age technology, different storage devices from the large diskettes to compact discs are being developed. Today, innovations are made and there are already different types of compact discs. There are CD-R and CD-RW, and DVD-R and DVD-RW. Comparing them all, they all have the same functions. The difference is that CD-R and DVD-R can only read data/files while CD-RW and DVD-RW allow users to erase, edit, and make all the changes they want in the existing information/data stored in the CDs. This difference is already obvious with their labels since R stand for recordable and RW for ReWritable.

Fixing image noise

Bart — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 04:33:31 +0000

So you’re sitting there, having a marathon of your favorite TV series then later on, you get feedback noise (it’s the wavy line that runs across the screen accompanied by some audio noise too at times). The problem can be as simple as cable connection, specifically the TV input cable. Try to adjust the connection as they might have merely loosened up. Try also to disconnect the cable first and reconnect. If this fails, the cable might also be in need of replacement.