The crystalline areas allow the metalisized layer to reflect the laser better while the non-crystalline portion absorbs the laser beam, so it is not reflected. Many experts believe that CD-RW disks will continue to be a popular storage medium until DVD devices become the dominant medium of choice. During 1999, U.S. CD-RW shipments increased significantly and are estimated to reach 9 million units in 2000. An Overview of DVD Technology DVD is a high-density optical disc format designed for the playback of large amounts of data. At first glance, a DVD disc looks much like its CD-ROM counterpart, and in fact there are several similarities.
Consumers can depend on a high degree of investment protection and backward compatibility.
DVD discs use two bonded 0.6mm substrates, which allows for double-sided recording. Because of the enhanced laser technology, the pits on the DVD discs can be made smaller and packed more tightly on the disc, increasing overall capacity. The two bonded substrates make the disc symmetrical and more resilient to changes in temperature, humidity and other environmental conditions, making the disc less likely to warp. The Growth of DVD Initially, the driving application for DVD was movie titles. However, the need for more capacity in the computer world has and continues to grow at a rapid rate.