SALMIYA INDIAN MODEL SCHOOL, KUWAIT

Subject: ICT Date: 21.9.2022

Class: IX IG

CD–ROM and DVD- ROM: These optical disks are read only memory and
cannot be written. The data is stored as pits (binary 1) and lands (binary 0). The
pits are formed by laser beam during manufacturing. Only a single track exists
which spirals out from center of the disk. The pits and lands are read by low
powered laser beam.
Uses:
1. CD-ROMs are used to store software, music files, computer games etc.
2. DVD-ROMs have much larger storage and used to store films and computer
data etc.
3. CD-ROM and DVD-ROM are used in applications where there is a real need
to prevent the deletion or overwriting of important data.
Adv:
1. They hold larger data than floppy disk.
2. They are less expensive than hard disk drive systems.
Dis Adv:
1. The data transfer rate and data access rate is slower than hard disk

CD-R and DVD-R: Here data is written once and then it becomes CD-ROM and
DVD-ROM. A thin layer of organic dye (DVD use additional silver alloy or gold
reflector) is used as recording media. A laser beam produces heated spots and
unheated spots. On reading the disk a laser beam is capable of distinguishing
between 2 types of spots and reads the data which is interpreted as 0s and 1s.
Uses:
1. Home recordings of music and films.
2. Used to store data kept for future use or transferred to another computer.
Adv:
1. Cheaper than RW disks.
2. Once burned they are like a ROM.
Dis Adv:
1. Once finalized any error corrections not possible.
2. Not all CD/DVD players can read CD-R/DVD-R.

CD-RW and DVD-RW: They can be read, write and erase several times hence
they never become ROMs. The recording layer uses special phase changing alloy
often GeSbTe (Germanium-Antimony-Terbium alloy). This alloy can switch
between crystalline phase and amorphous phase. Spots are produced that can be
read by a laser and then interpreted as 0s and 1s.
Uses:
1. Used to record television programmes.
2. Not as wasteful as R format as more files/ data can be added to at a later
stage.
3. Used in CCTV systems.

Adv:
1. Can be written over many times upto 1000 times.
2. Can use different file formats each time it is used.

DisAdv:
1. Can be relatively expensive.
2. It is possible to accidentally overwrite the data.