Why aren't DVDs, CDs, etc all in floppy-like cartridges?

[RaynorWolfcastle]

It seems to me it would go a long way towards keeping dust, fingerprints, etc off the surface. Size would be marginally bigger but that's not a big deal. As the wavelengths used shrink I'm guessing impurities on the discs surface become more and mor of a problem, so why not put the discs in cartridges a la mini-disc?

-Ice

 

[FuManStan]

Extra cost i assume

 

[JellyBaby]

Yeah, cost, weight, reliability & convenience are factors. Multiple disc players (ie. 6 in a circular tray arrangement) benefit from circular discs.

They used to make cartridge CD drives. All Plextors used to have that format. You put your CD into a cartridge then into the drive. It kept the CDs clean but lessened reliability as the cartridges themselves could warp and break easily.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

I've never had a problem with my MD discs warping. I guess it's mostly due to cost then.

-Ice

 

[Colt45]

<< They used to make cartridge CD drives. All Plextors used to have that format. You put your CD into a cartridge then into the drive. It kept the CDs clean but lessened reliability as the cartridges themselves could warp and break easily. >>



You're not talking about what he's asking. what your thinking of is a caddy drive (older cdroms, car disk changers, some home stereo).

That is not the same as building a CD like a Mini-Disc.

ive never had a caddy drive fux0r on me, i kinda liked them.

 

[Joony]

i remember old mac's had cds encased with plastic cartridges with a slide cover like a floppy...


the dvd burners disks are somewhat similar...

 

[bbarnes]

I wouldn't like discs in a cartridge, if you can't handle the power of a bare disc, then stick with a floppy disc or MD =]

jk, dunno, just what everone has said, but mainly cost I think, imagine if they were in cartridges, then music cd jewel cases would cost a bunch more to produce and we wouldn't have slim cases...

Just my 2¢.

 

[BD231]

I think the fact that they would be gay sums it it quite nicely, just a thought though....

 

[manko]

There recently was some Panasonic hybrid cd format that did have the discs in cartridges. I think one of the iterations of DVD-RAM discs are still in cartridges (and don't play in set top players). I have an old Plextor writer where you have to put each cd in an individual cartridge to burn (but can take it out afterwards).

The recent "Blu-Ray" next generation, High-Definition 36GB DVD discs recently announced were pictured in cartridges. A few weeks later they said, they might use MPEG4 on standard DVDs for High Definition instead of MPEG2 on BLu-Ray. We'll see...

I'm sure cartridges are much more long lasting than "naked" discs. Have you ever rented a DVD from Blockbuster, only to find that there are huge scratches (or spilled coke) on the disc, so half the movie is unplayable? I have.

Cost is probably the only reason all discs aren't like that. With mass production of DVDs and CD's being so cheap, I'm sure the cartridge would cost a multiple of what the disc itself cost (with all the moving parts, the springs etc...).

Blu-Ray discs in cartridges

 

[Challenger]

<< what your thinking of is a caddy drive (older cdroms, car disk changers, some home stereo). >>



Istill have one of those in my '73 Challenger





<< jk, dunno, just what everone has said, but mainly cost I think, imagine if they were in cartridges, then music cd jewel cases would cost a bunch more to produce and we wouldn't have slim cases... >>



We wouldn't need jewel cases if we had cartriges

 

[Czar]

Last summer when I was working for VISA we got a DVD disc, RW I think that was in a cartridge, very good design, sortof like Zip disks.

ps. It was from Kodac




btw.. no one had a clue why we got this dvd disc