Any DVD-writer that can write *DVD-RAM* discs?!

[Dance123]

Hi,

I was wondering if there are any DVD-writers that can write DVD-RAM discs?! DVD-RAM discs are apparently usefull if you want to use them as some sort of removable harddisk on which you can rewrite and edit as much as you want which you can't do on any other DVD format if I understand it right. Seems usefull, but which DVD-writer can write DVD-RAM discs?! Are there any at all?!

Also, I read somewhere there DVD-RAM is housed in "cartridges". What are cartridges? Do DVD-RAM discs not look like any other DVD discs. I believe some DVD-ROM drives can read DVD-RAM discs, so how can it be a different format? I don't understand what they mean with "housed in cartridges"?

 

[Mark R]

DVD-RAM discs are slightly different to conventional DVDs.

The discs are usually supplied in hard rectanular cartridges - rather like the way 3.5" floppy disks, consist of a soft plastic disk inside a hard casing. Like 3.5" disks there is a flap on the cartridge which opens when in the drive, and closes when the cartridge is removed to seal the media against dust and dirt.

The recording and reading method is different to conventional DVD - however, a few DVD drives are specifically programmed to be able to read them - the discs have to be taken out of the cartridge first.

DVD-RW/+RW writing drives which support DVD-RAM writing are rare, mainly because the DVD-RAM format never caught on.

However, the LG GSA-4040B looks like it supports all DVD formats including DVD-R(W), DVD+R(W) and DVD-RAM.

 

[RobCur]

are dvdram useless?

 

[Mark R]

Not really. If used like a floppy disc (for random reading/writing) they are probably a bit more reliable than CD-RW or DVD-RW/+RW because that is what they are designed to do.

As the cartridges protect the discs, the reliability and life-time of the discs is expected to be greater. For medical systems, DVD-RAM or cartridged MO discs are sometimes preferred over CD-R(W), simply because the discs are more robust and less liable to be scratched or mis-read due to dirt.

 

[Peter]

Some of the LG DVD writers support DVD-RAM.