DVD-RAM not being sold anymore at CompUSA

[RAAGAAman]

I was in CompUSA today and found that they are not selling DVD-RAM media anymore. It to bad since the Compusa media was pretty cheap. I am in Austin, Tx so I wonder if everyone is seeing the same thing in their area?

RG

[dcsos]

TEN DOLLARS for a single sided disc doesn't sound cheap to me :-)

They must be out in your store.. Because they wouldn't stop selling it because too many SET TOP DVD reorders now use this media
If it was just computers I'd believe they stopped carrying it..
No one at NEW YORK's comp usa would believe your post..they say try again next week

or look at a national ad they have 2 kinds in stock now

www.compusa.com/products/products.asp?category_id=699&srch_type=catg2

[RAAGAAman]

The CompUSA brand is $5.99 and sometimes they have it on sale for $3.99. I use it for my Set top recorder. When I talked to the salesguy today he indicated that Compusa thought it was obsolete and DVD+- was taking over. Of course this guy was some wet behind the ears dude so I will take it with a grain of salt. The problem is they had already stocked the area where RAM used to be with DVD+- media. I guess I will shoot the corporate office an Email.

RG

[dcsos]

I remember asking COMP USA to get me a DVD RAM disc
back in 1999... They were just starting to stock it then. and had none in stock
To make a long story short, STAPLES got DVD-RAM cartridges on the shelves befor this so called SUPERSTORE for computers could!

Nuff said

[poopyhead]

If it was just computers I'd believe they stopped carrying it..

i believe for purely DATA, DVD-RAM is still the best

[dcsos]

POOPYHEAD,. did you ever try to back up your hard drive to DVD-RAM?
I did and it seems RAM writes at 1X always.....
Of course I have an older slower drive (its not even a 9.4 capacity)
but I love it and I still take the naked disc out of the cartridge and go over to my friends house any time they buy a new DVD-ROM drive to see if it'll read my NAKED ram!

[poopyhead]

i can't tell if you're being sarcastic...but

1) DVD-RAM's packet writing ability comes in handy...lets you erase segments of the DVD without having to erase the entire disc.....unlike RW discs...

2) the cartridge actually comes in handy since the DVD-RAM is essentially used as a portable DATA storage/transfer device, the disc needs to be more protected than DVD-R/+R discs, which are used more for archival purposes...(i.e. we don't use the same DVD-R/+R over and over every day of the week.)

------

i'm currently using zip as a quick data storage/transfer device, but it is NOT very reliable...however, DVD-RAM is much more reliable than zip and can obviously hold much more....especially if your DATA is extremely important...lets say...data from very expensive experiments

[dcsos]

No SARCASM

Just Naked RAM LOVE

but it does seem like it checks for errors on the way (pre-verified copy)

[next]

POOPYHEAD,. did you ever try to back up your hard drive to DVD-RAM?
I did and it seems RAM writes at 1X always.....
Of course I have an older slower drive (its not even a 9.4 capacity)
but I love it and I still take the naked disc out of the cartridge and go over to my friends house any time they buy a new DVD-ROM drive to see if it'll read my NAKED ram!

Ouch - bad information. Dvd-Ram offers twice the data rate so if you are working with 1x then with DVD-Ram that means twice the data rate.

Unless you were working with the first generation drives. No problem.

Probably. But time marches on.

[next]

i can't tell if you're being sarcastic...but

1) DVD-RAM's packet writing ability comes in handy...lets you erase segments of the DVD without having to erase the entire disc.....unlike RW discs...

2) the cartridge actually comes in handy since the DVD-RAM is essentially used as a portable DATA storage/transfer device, the disc needs to be more protected than DVD-R/+R discs, which are used more for archival purposes...(i.e. we don't use the same DVD-R/+R over and over every day of the week.)

------

i'm currently using zip as a quick data storage/transfer device, but it is NOT very reliable...however, DVD-RAM is much more reliable than zip and can obviously hold much more....especially if your DATA is extremely important...lets say...data from very expensive experiments

Actually is not packet writing. It's random access. Like a hard drive.

[poopyhead]

Actually is not packet writing. It's random access. Like a hard drive.

heh..my bad...i had a feeling i was getting the terms mixed up

[next]

No problem. It happens all the time.

[next]

Not looking for a yellow here:

But who will finally get it?

small case. just looking ?

who 'get's it'

mass appeal?

[dcsos]

Yes I have a first generation 5.2gig drive, MR NEXT

what did you mean by the last POST
NOW I REALLY don't get it!

also

Dvd-Ram offers twice the data rate

TWICE the data rate of what?

The previous generation of DVD-RAM drives at least!
but I have a hunch you are comparing it to someting else (DVD-R)

and I was under the impression that due to its error free copyroutine
it couldn't be made to go fast...

[next]

Yes I have a first generation 5.2gig drive, MR NEXT

what did you mean by the last POST
NOW I REALLY don't get it!

also

Dvd-Ram offers twice the data rate

TWICE the data rate of what?

The previous generation of DVD-RAM drives at least!
but I have a hunch you are comparing it to someting else (DVD-R)

and I was under the impression that due to its error free copyroutine
it couldn't be made to go fast...

Not the best but they work in a pinch.

http://www.ahinc.com/dvd.html

http://www.dvd-player-review.com/dvd-ram/index.shtml

http://www.technology-boiseoffice.com/tech&business_edge/article.asp?Article_ID=382&vw=3

http://www.avvideo.com/2003/06_jun/news/npd0617.htm

http://www.optodisc.com/q&a.html

http://www.supremevideo.com/DVD/panasonic/dmre20.htm

[next]

Yes I have a first generation 5.2gig drive, MR NEXT

what did you mean by the last POST
NOW I REALLY don't get it!

also

Dvd-Ram offers twice the data rate

TWICE the data rate of what?

The previous generation of DVD-RAM drives at least!
but I have a hunch you are comparing it to someting else (DVD-R)

and I was under the impression that due to its error free copyroutine
it couldn't be made to go fast...

Please do your homework before you offer advice - please.

[dcsos]

I will post what you tried to MR NEXT

DVD RAM is 2700Mbps
DVD-R is 1/2 that speed approx or 1350Mbps

I still contend its slow...
REMEMBER we can burn cd's at 52X now!

So do not attack those of us who are trying to help others as it just confuses the issue....
Please instead post what you feel to be the problem with the previous post, instead of being so vague about it..

Thank you for correcting what I said that may have caused mis-infromation

[next]

I will post what you tried to MR NEXT

DVD RAM is 2700Mbps
DVD-R is 1/2 that speed approx or 1350Mbps

I still contend its slow...
REMEMBER we can burn cd's at 52X now!

So do not attack those of us who are trying to help others as it just confuses the issue....
Please instead post what you feel to be the problem with the previous post, instead of being so vague about it..

Thank you for correcting what I said that may have caused mis-infromation

Ouch again. Remember I love you.

But your facts are so wrong it hurts.

Do a bit more homework so you can understand that your 52x does not compute.

DVD is a different animal. But I will not tell you so you can discover it all by yourself.

Let me know when you 'get it'.

Hint (8) that's it.

Bye!

[next]

Hint



8

[poopyhead]

when backing up constantly changing DATA we have very few choices...

i need to constantly back-up my experimental data...as i revise/update and get new info almost everyday.

so...we have zip, jazz, the (already dead???) super drives..and those orb drives, god forbid those 1.44 MB diskettes, -R media, -RW media...and finally -RAM media

1) zip...small and not reliable (data loss)...they're coming out with 750 MB version, but i ain't upgrading all my drives

2) jazz.....nice and big...but drives and disks are pretty expensive...also, not so sure about reliabliity

3 & 4) super drives and orbs are dead.....what a waste...

i personally thought super drives were gonna replace both the individual floppy drives and zip drives..as you can combine them into one super drive that can read standard floppy and 100+ MB disks...well, guess i'm wrong :P

5) yikes....my picture of tgpo couldn't fit on 1 floppy

6) -R is permanent...we have data that's constantly being changed/revised

7) -RW...yikes..i'm not gonna erase the entire disc and then write everything over again from scratch just to change a couple of numbers

8 ) -RAM....allows you to change a file w/o erasing the disc entirely....and the cartridge is actually pretty good, as the DVD-RAM is being carried around alot and prolly not taken care of like it should be

[next]

when backing up constantly changing DATA we have very few choices...

i need to constantly back-up my experimental data...as i revise/update and get new info almost everyday.

so...we have zip, jazz, the (already dead???) super drives..and those orb drives, god forbid those 1.44 MB diskettes, -R media, -RW media...and finally -RAM media

1) zip...small and not reliable (data loss)...they're coming out with 750 MB version, but i ain't upgrading all my drives

2) jazz.....nice and big...but drives and disks are pretty expensive...also, not so sure about reliabliity

3 & 4) super drives and orbs are dead.....what a waste...

i personally thought super drives were gonna replace both the individual floppy drives and zip drives..as you can combine them into one super drive that can read standard floppy and 100+ MB disks...well, guess i'm wrong :P

5) yikes....my picture of tgpo couldn't fit on 1 floppy

6) -R is permanent...we have data that's constantly being changed/revised

7) -RW...yikes..i'm not gonna erase the entire disc and then write everything over again from scratch just to change a couple of numbers

8 ) -RAM....allows you to change a file w/o erasing the disc entirely....and the cartridge is actually pretty good, as the DVD-RAM is being carried around alot and prolly not taken care of like it should be

Poopyhead - OK so you get it. You get the prize. Actually it wins quite a bit. Was a big bet. $

Finally somebody with a head on their shoulders. Thanks!

[next]

Dude you are too cool....poopyhead...more sarcastic than I could ever imagine.

[next]

when backing up constantly changing DATA we have very few choices...

i need to constantly back-up my experimental data...as i revise/update and get new info almost everyday.

so...we have zip, jazz, the (already dead???) super drives..and those orb drives, god forbid those 1.44 MB diskettes, -R media, -RW media...and finally -RAM media

1) zip...small and not reliable (data loss)...they're coming out with 750 MB version, but i ain't upgrading all my drives

2) jazz.....nice and big...but drives and disks are pretty expensive...also, not so sure about reliabliity

3 & 4) super drives and orbs are dead.....what a waste...

i personally thought super drives were gonna replace both the individual floppy drives and zip drives..as you can combine them into one super drive that can read standard floppy and 100+ MB disks...well, guess i'm wrong :P

5) yikes....my picture of tgpo couldn't fit on 1 floppy

6) -R is permanent...we have data that's constantly being changed/revised

7) -RW...yikes..i'm not gonna erase the entire disc and then write everything over again from scratch just to change a couple of numbers

8 ) -RAM....allows you to change a file w/o erasing the disc entirely....and the cartridge is actually pretty good, as the DVD-RAM is being carried around alot and prolly not taken care of like it should be

Poopyhead - OK so you get it. You get the prize. Actually it wins quite a bit. Was a big bet. $

Finally somebody with a head on their shoulders. Thanks!

But the research plays.

[dcsos]

What?

But your facts are so wrong it hurts.

Not from where I sit!

I'm ignoring your little HINTY THING because I can't understand what you're getting at. If you want to tell me something spell it out..because those vague comments are annoying me, and not expressing anything
to help folks on the site--- and I've tried to understand what youre trying to say,

I'll just restate that DVD-RAM is slow when compared with data going to a CD-R

from VIDEOGUYS ELECTRONIC MAILBOX SITE:
Read Transfer Rate: DVD-RAM (4.7GB) : 2770KBps (2´)
DVD-RAM (2.6GB) : 1385KBps (1´)
DVD-ROM: 8310KBps (6´)
CD-ROM/CD-R: 3600KBps (24´)
CD-RW: 1800KBps (12´)

Average Seek Time:
DVD-RAM 75ms
DVD-ROM/R CD-ROM: 65ms

even the seek time is faster

----
Actually we hijacked this thread which was about availability of DVD-RAM and why or how its going down (less places to buy, or becoming obsolete as the salesman at COMP USA claimed)

[poopyhead]

Actually we hijacked this thread which was about availability of DVD-RAM and why or how its going down (less places to buy, or becoming obsolete as the salesman at COMP USA claimed)

oh sorry...i was just providing an example of why it shouldn't be going down...as there are many pertinent uses for the RAM format

[dcsos]

I still love DVD-RAM even if its become doubly difficult
for me,
as I'm looking for those 5.2 (2.6 gig per side) media...

as an aside (now I'm hijacking the thread) the second link that
NEXT posted shows a cost per DVD-R blank of $100.00 for each disc
I had to choke when I saw that!
The most I ever paid for a blank DVD-R was $14.95 when I got my A03 that's what they cost singly....
and I noticed the $100 blank was a 3.95gig authoring disc at that cost!

[Philbiker]

Wow talk about a thread hijack!!!!

I think the subject is only covered in the first 3 posts!!!


DVD-RAM effing RULES!!!!!! by the way. I don't care if CrapUSA stops selling it. They can go pound sand.

[RAAGAAman]

Hey! I love DVD-RAM. Its a really a great format for backing up data and set top recorders. I have not seen the + or - guys come up with time-slip yet.
BTW, I sent an Email to CompUSA but no response yet.
On the Speed question:
DVD-RAM appears to back-up slower because you are comparing backing up 700MB to 4.3GB. There is no comparison. I don't see RAM write speeds going past 3X since it is difficult to write with the addressing scheme and defect management built into the disk. This will be the limiting factors for write speeds.

RG

[handyguy]

"TWICE the data rate of what? "

Of a dvd-r disk....

So you can do TWO things on the disk @ the same time. That means you can watch a program on it while you are recording another program to it......most people don't know you can do this.

[next]

What?

But your facts are so wrong it hurts.

Not from where I sit!

I'm ignoring your little HINTY THING because I can't understand what you're getting at. If you want to tell me something spell it out..because those vague comments are annoying me, and not expressing anything
to help folks on the site--- and I've tried to understand what youre trying to say,

I'll just restate that DVD-RAM is slow when compared with data going to a CD-R

from VIDEOGUYS ELECTRONIC MAILBOX SITE:
Read Transfer Rate: DVD-RAM (4.7GB) : 2770KBps (2´)
DVD-RAM (2.6GB) : 1385KBps (1´)
DVD-ROM: 8310KBps (6´)
CD-ROM/CD-R: 3600KBps (24´)
CD-RW: 1800KBps (12´)

Average Seek Time:
DVD-RAM 75ms
DVD-ROM/R CD-ROM: 65ms

even the seek time is faster

----
Actually we hijacked this thread which was about availability of DVD-RAM and why or how its going down (less places to buy, or becoming obsolete as the salesman at COMP USA claimed)

Generally correct and I think we are saying the same thing. Look at your specs.

Remember that DVD discs are "wound tighter". Pay attention to your Bps comments.

A DVD-Ram disc at 2x is rated at 2770 Bps.
A CDR at 24x is rated at 3600 Bps.

My math is not good but the difference is pretty close to the 8x difference I was getting at.

The seek times are reflective of the amount of data on the disc.

CDR = 650 megs

DVD-Ram = 4.7 gigs.

I feel based on the amount of data that is being "seeked" the time associated DVD-Ram is acceptable. Significantly more date to seek but it gets there.