DVD-RAM, the proven storage technology that may be the best for you to select

DVD-RAM is the most cost-effective storage per Gigabit.

A single disk can hold 2.6 GB per side for a total of 5.2 GB. In comparison, a direct overwrite LIMDOW system costs about $1,400 for the player (twice the cost of a DVD-RAM) and a MO disk costs up to $140, more than 400% more expensive than a DVD-RAM disk at about $40.

We tested the original Nikon Beluga LIMDOW direct overwrite system. Nikon was very helpful, even telephoning us from Japan to try to get it to work.

But the system was premature technology (in 1997). The laser wrote through the entire disk, so that files recorded on one side popped up on the other side. There were also additional problems with the direct overwrite system that even our in-house Mac techs could not solve. The direct overwrite LIMDOW system appears to have failed again in 1998-1999 as virtually no major source advertised storage of this kind (June 1999). Only one catalog had this MO drive, at an overpriced $1800+.

But the DVD-RAM is completely different. DVD-RAM is a phase-change system based on the PD Phasewriter dual which was available from 1995 through 1997. FLAAR used the PD system while we were doing research in Japan in those years.

All these legacy 650 MB PD disks can now be read by the completely updated and larger storage system of the DVD-RAM.

Panasonic DVD-RAM with Maxell 5.2 GB DVD-RAM disk.

This is the Panasonic DVD-RAM player with its disk. A high density Maxell CD disk is inside the protective cartridge on top of the drive.

The writer/player unit reads and writes PD, DVD-RAM and can read all CD-R, CD-RW, CD-ROM, and comparable disks and formats.

What I like most about the DVD-RAM system is that I can continue to use my old PD disks as well as upgrade to the larger format DVD-RAM disks into the next millennium.

I prefer Panasonic DVD-RAM and bought this unit and the media .


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