Mini DVD-R? Why?
On the MacNN website, I saw a notice stating that Verbatim, a computer media manufacturer, was going to release “mini DVD-R” disks at a price of $4 each and “mini DVD-RW” disks at $10 each. These disks would meet DVD-R standards but be only 3 inches in diameter, the same size as mini CD’s already in circulation.
I have only one question: why?
I bought a little package of mini-CD-R’s, thinking it would be neat to have media that would store data files bigger than I could carry on my USB drive (256MB) but smaller than that on a regular CD (680MB). But using them was not as straightforward as I had thought it would be.
First, I discovered that using these mini CD’s in a slot-drive CD or DVD ROM or burner could damage the drive. I believe the drive mechanisms are not really built to handle disks that small, though most tray drives can accommodate them without a problem. Luckily, I discovered the warning before I tried to read or write one of the mini CD-R’s in my PowerBook which houses a slot type combo drive (CD-R/RW/DVD).
Secondly, on more than one occasion, other people’s computers had trouble reading the mini CD-R’s. Of course, there are lots of reasons a CD or DVD drive will not read a CD that have nothing to do with the CD’s size. But the disproportionate number of rejections I got while using them versus the lack of problems my users had when I used full sized CD’s has made me back of from using them for any purpose but my own data storage needs.
Lastly, speaking to the mini DVD-R’s themselves, there’s the little matter of cost. My reasons for wanting to use mini DVD-R’s would center around portability and economy. At $4 a pop, mini DVD-R’s will cost at least twice as much as full sized DVD-R’s. Their higher cost would outweigh any other consideration. Simply put, I have no motivation to use them. Where the hell is the market for these? I’m sure there must be one, but I probably will not be one of the customers in it.
I have only one question: why?
I bought a little package of mini-CD-R’s, thinking it would be neat to have media that would store data files bigger than I could carry on my USB drive (256MB) but smaller than that on a regular CD (680MB). But using them was not as straightforward as I had thought it would be.
First, I discovered that using these mini CD’s in a slot-drive CD or DVD ROM or burner could damage the drive. I believe the drive mechanisms are not really built to handle disks that small, though most tray drives can accommodate them without a problem. Luckily, I discovered the warning before I tried to read or write one of the mini CD-R’s in my PowerBook which houses a slot type combo drive (CD-R/RW/DVD).
Secondly, on more than one occasion, other people’s computers had trouble reading the mini CD-R’s. Of course, there are lots of reasons a CD or DVD drive will not read a CD that have nothing to do with the CD’s size. But the disproportionate number of rejections I got while using them versus the lack of problems my users had when I used full sized CD’s has made me back of from using them for any purpose but my own data storage needs.
Lastly, speaking to the mini DVD-R’s themselves, there’s the little matter of cost. My reasons for wanting to use mini DVD-R’s would center around portability and economy. At $4 a pop, mini DVD-R’s will cost at least twice as much as full sized DVD-R’s. Their higher cost would outweigh any other consideration. Simply put, I have no motivation to use them. Where the hell is the market for these? I’m sure there must be one, but I probably will not be one of the customers in it.
posted by Andy Foster at
2:42 PM
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