Can my CDRW Drive also read DVD Discs?

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I know by the box it doesn't mention my CDRW drive being able to read DVD's, but when I was in the hardware properties, it showed kind of differently. Click Here For The Picture

Is that just saying that Windows puts CDRW and DVD drives under one category or is it saying that my CDRW drive is capable of reading DVD's? If it is, does anyone know of any mods or hacks to it so that it'll read DVD's?

The drive is made by Digital Research. Click HERE for the page regarding the drive I use. Click HERE for the page regarding the one and ONLY DVD drive that they make. Any help is appreciated.

 

[Sheriff]

Can my CDRW Drive also read DVD Discs?

No as the Drive has to be at least DVDROM compatible

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Originally posted by: Sheriff

Can my CDRW Drive also read DVD Discs?

No as the Drive has to be at least DVDROM compatible

Yes I know that. But what I'm asking is if the company just made some driver changes so that it appears as if this drive can not read DVD's while according to its hardware it can.

 

[numark]

Windows puts CD-ROMs and DVDs into the same category. Even a 4x CDROM from back in the day will show up under the category "DVD/CD-ROM". It's just a classification, since both drives are optical, Microsoft just makes it easy and doesn't separate the categories into "DVD" and "CD-ROM". Suffice it to say, your drive will only read and write CDs. To read a DVD you need a completely different laser than with CDs, which is why DVD-ROMs usually have two different laser assemblies inside. CD-RWs only have one laser, for CDs.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Ok, thanks.

 

[0roo0roo]

yup, diff lasers. dual units cost more, but do exist. it would be braggin all over the box about ist abilities ifit was possible.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

I wonder if they'll ever do dual laser or something to increase speed...

 

[AluminumStudios]

I think a dual-laser CD-ROM was tried by some company who's name escapes me but it failed miserably. I think tons of them died and were RMA'd.

Optical drives are not going to get much faster than 52x because the stress at that speed causes microfractures on the discs making it more expensive and difficult to manufacture 52x and faster certified media. Also at that speed if soemthing goes wrong your CDs explode into a bunch of pieces (if you search the web you can find pictures of this.)

I think instead of faster CD-drives everyone is looking toward replacement technology such as DVD-RW becoming cheap and standard in place of CD-RW, etc.