Optical drives for everyone. What is an optical drive and disk drive What does a standard optical drive look like

Optical drives for everyone. What is an optical drive and disk drive What does a standard optical drive look like
Optical drives for everyone. What is an optical drive and disk drive What does a standard optical drive look like
21.05.2020

Most likely, the most relevant for consideration in an article on optical drives would be testing DVD drives, but not everything is so simple. It is unlikely that in our time of the rapid spread of drives capable of working with DVD, any of the users will refuse to purchase them if they have enough financial resources. The only reasonable reason can only be the absence of a functional need for such drives. IN current article we will look at three CD-RW drives - devices that are not capable of working with DVD media, but allow, in addition to reading, also writing data to CDs.

Reviewed drives

Mitsumi CR-488TE


The design of the drive is typical for all Mitsumi products in this category - there are practically no elements of "decoration". The tray has a machine type symbol. In addition to this, on front panel we see an elongated button with rounded edges for controlling the loading / unloading of media, an operating mode indicator light and a headphone output with a signal level control. On the rear side of the drive there are power and interface connectors, analog and digital audio outputs, a set of pins with a jumper for positioning the drive in the system.

The drive provides read and write speeds of CD media up to 52x. For CD-RW there is a dubbing mode up to 32x. The buffer size is 2 MB. The claimed average access time is 100 ms. The drive supports the E-IDE (ATAPI) interface. The drive can work with CD-ROM, CD-DA, CD-RW, CD-ROM XA, CD-R, CD-I, Video-CD, Photo-CD, CD-Extra, CD-UDF, CD-Text media. The drive supports Mt.Rainier and Buffer underrun prevention technologies. The overall dimensions of the drive are 148.6 x 41.8 x 193.3 mm, and the weight is 1 kg.

The drive has an estimated retail price of $39.

Samsung SW-252FF


The Samsung drive can be easily distinguished from similar products from other manufacturers due to the distinctive design of the front panel. The end part of the tray has rounded edges, and a closed contour is also highlighted on it with the help of a relief "groove". Although there is no manufacturer's name on the front panel, it has a conventional symbol for the device type and its speed characteristics, allowing you to understand that you are dealing with a CD-RW drive. Under the tray, in a small recess, there is a round button for controlling the loading / unloading of media and a miniature LED indicator of the operating mode. On the back of the case there are power and interface connectors, analog and digital audio outputs, a set of pins with a jumper for positioning the drive in the system.

The drive can read and write CD media at speeds up to 52x. For rewriting CD-RW, a mode of up to 32x is provided. By the way, it is in this parameter that the 252F modification differs from the 252B, which supports 24x rewriting speed. So, for whom it is important - make no mistake when buying. The buffer size is 2 MB. The claimed average access time is 100 ms. The drive supports Ultra DMA Mode 2 and complies with the Mt. Rainier. The drive can work with CD-R/RW, CD-DA, CD-ROM/XA, CD-ROM, Video-CD, CD-I, Photo CD, CD-Extra, CD-TEXT media. The drive features buffer underrun protection technology and reduced noise and vibration levels with the DVA (Dynamic Vibration Absorber) innovation. The overall dimensions of the drive are 148.2 x 42 x 184 mm and the weight is 0.77 kg.

Estimated retail price of the drive is $25.

TeacCD-W552G



The Teac drive is easy to distinguish from other models, thanks to the name of the manufacturer on the tray, there is also a conditional symbol of belonging to the class of burning disk drives. Under the tray is a rectangular button to control the loading / unloading of media, a mode indicator light and a headphone output along with a volume control. On the rear side of the case there are power and interface connectors, analog and digital audio outputs, a set of pins with a jumper for positioning the drive in the system. Traditionally for TEAC optical drives, one can note the reduced case length of this model, which simplifies the life of the user when mounting the drive in "cramped" system units.

The drive provides read and write speeds of CD media up to 52x. For CD-RW, dubbing mode up to 32x is supported. The buffer size is 2 MB. The claimed average access time is 100 ms. The drive supports the IDE (ATAPI) interface. The drive can work with media CD-ROM Mode-1/650 MB/700 MB, CD-DA/74 min/79 min, CD-RW, CD-ROM XA Mode-2 (Form-1)/650 MB/700 MB , CD-MRW, CD-ROM XA Mode-2 (Form-2)/738 MB/795 MB, CD-I, Video-CD, Photo-CD (Multisession), CD-Extra. The drive supports Mt.Rainier and Burn Proof technologies. The speed of extracting audio tracks from audio CDs reaches 52x. The overall dimensions of the drive are 148.4 x 42.8 x 170.0 mm and the weight is 0.86 kg.

The drive has an estimated retail price of $33.

Test Methodology

The following programs and utilities were used to determine drive performance:

  • Nero CD-DVD Speed ​​version 3.12;
  • Nero Info Tool version 2.11;
  • Nero CD DAE version 0.4B;
  • Andre Wiethoff Exact Audio Copy (EAC) version 0.95 prebeta 5;
  • Nic Wilson DVDINFOPro version 2.35;
  • SlySoft CloneCD version 4.3.2.2;
  • Ziff Davis Media CD WinBench 99.
The test computer configuration was as follows:
  • Motherboard– Intel Bonanza D875PBZ;
  • Central processor - Intel Pentium 4 2.8 GHz;
  • HDD– IBM DTLA-307015 15 GB;
  • Graphics adapter - GeForce2 MX400 64 MB;
  • RAM - 512 MB;
  • operating system – Microsoft Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 and DirectX 9.0b installed.

The drives were connected to the second IDE channel in "master" mode.

Nero InfoTool and DVDINFOPro


Mitsumi CR-488ETE


Samsung SW-252F


TEAC CD-W552G

In the screenshots above, you can see the information that the tested drives reported about themselves. The Mitsumi CR-488ETE drive was unable to handle CD graphics (CD+G). The Samsung SW-252F cannot do anything about C2 errors. Only the TEAC CD-W552G drive "declared" the availability of a complete set useful features.


In terms of CD WinMark, the TEAC CD-W552G is noticeably ahead of the other two devices, which showed approximately the same results on all types of discs. Its superiority reaches about one and a half times the size.

Among other indicators, it can be noted that the minimum access time is generally for the Mitsumi CR-488ETE drive, and the maximum for the Samsung SW-252F.

Nero CD-DVD Speed: Basic Tests (CD)

To conduct a group of basic tests according to a well-established scheme, the following CD-carriers were used: a "stamped" CD that came as an application with a magazine about computers, seven hundred megabyte CD-Rs and CD-RWs with data recorded using the utility itself, an eight hundred megabyte CD- R, prepared in the same way, and a licensed audio CD.

And so on.).

Designed by [ by whom?] in the late 1970s, originally for reading CDs, to abstract from the format and type of disc, commonly referred to as the generic name drive, according to the principle of reading information from the media.

The optical drive itself can be in the form of a component of a structure as part of more complex equipment (for example, a household DVD player) or produced as an independent device with a standard connection interface (PATA, SATA, USB), for example, for installation in a computer.

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Varieties

There are the following types of drives:

  • CD-ROM drive - the simplest type of cd drive, designed only for reading cds.
  • CD-RW drive - the same as the previous one, but only capable of writing to CD-R/RW discs.
  • DVD-ROM drive - its purpose is only to read DVDs.
  • DVD / CD-RW drive - the same DVD-ROM, but capable of writing to CD-R / RW discs (combo drive).
  • DVD-RW drive is a drive that can not only read DVDs, but also write to them.
  • DVD-RW DL drive - unlike the previous DVD RW type, it is also capable of recording on dual-layer optical DVD media, which differ from ordinary ones in a larger capacity.
  • Blu-Ray drive (BD-ROM). It's advanced technology optical media, which is based on the use of a laser with a wavelength of 405 nm (blue emission spectrum). Reducing the laser wavelength made it possible to narrow the track width by half compared to a DVD disc and increase the data recording density. Reducing the protective layer thickness by a factor of six improved the reliability of read/write operations across multiple writable layers. Discs are designed primarily for digital video recording. high definition. For example, up to 2 hours of HDTV (high-definition television) video can be recorded on a single-sided, single-layer disc at video bit rates up to 54 Mbps.
  • The BD-RE drive is capable of reading/writing to Blu-Ray discs.
  • The HD DVD drive is a new generation of optical discs designed primarily for storing high-definition (HDTV) movies. The new media format allows you to record three times more data than DVD. Single-layer HD DVDs have a capacity of 15 GB, dual-layer HD DVDs have a capacity of 30 GB. Generally, an HD DVD drive can read all formats of DVDs and CDs.
  • HD DVD-ROM drive - A drive that reads HD DVD discs. The format closed in February 2008.
  • HD DVD / DVD-RW drive - unlike the previous one, it is able to record on discs of such formats as DVD-R, DVD + R, DVD-RW, DVD + RW, CD-R, CD-RW.
  • GD-ROM drive
  • UMD drive

Design

Structurally, drives of all types of disks are quite similar. It contains:

  • Chassis (with loading tray or slot loader);
  • spindle motor, serves to bring the disk into rotation at a constant or variable linear speed.
  • The optical head system consists of the head itself and its movement system:
    • The head unit contains a laser emitter based on an infrared laser LED, a focusing system, a photodetector and preamplifier. The focusing system is a movable lens driven by an electromagnetic voice coil system (voice coil), made by analogy with a movable loudspeaker system - changes in the magnetic field cause the lens to move and focus the laser beam.
    • The head movement system has its own drive motor, which drives the carriage with the optical head by means of a gear or worm gear. To eliminate backlash, a connection with an initial voltage is used: with a worm gear - spring-loaded balls, with a gear - pairs of gears spring-loaded in different directions.
  • the electronics board, where all the control circuits of the drive are located, the interface with the computer controller, the interface connectors and the audio signal output.

How to choose a DVD drive for your computer

It is difficult to dispute the fact that DVD-carriers are slowly but surely disappearing into oblivion. They repeat the fate of their predecessors - floppy disks and CDs. No "revolutionary" solutions like the release of double-layer or double-sided DVDs could change the situation dramatically, and the digital media market in small batches is falling into the hands of manufacturers of flash memory and Blu-ray discs. However, the DVD format is still the most popular format in the distribution of movies, software, games and music (together with CDs), so the DVD drive is still considered an integral part of the personal computer.

Let's start, as usual, with the basics. "Scientifically" a DVD drive is an optical drive, a device designed to read and write data from digital media, which, in particular, include CD-R discs, CD-RW, DVD-/+R and DVD-/+RW. Many people still remember the days when a "burning" DVD drive was more of a luxury than a necessity. Today, it is almost impossible to find a simply “reading” drive for sale, and there is no particular need for this. Even if you rarely or never use this function (recording), it has practically no effect on the final price, so it makes no sense to purchase a regular DVD drive or even a CD-ROM burner. Unless you collect them.

If you are buying a computer from scratch, then by default the internal (packaged in system unit) A DVD drive is included in the package. This applies to both stationary PCs and laptops with netbooks, although the latter are equipped with their own, thinner and more expensive models of drives. The need for a separate purchase of a DVD drive can arise for only two reasons. Either your drive failed for some reason (there can be many reasons - from factory defects to carelessness when operating the device), or this model you are not satisfied with some parameters (noise, speed, design, compatibility), but it was possible to find out only in the process of working with the drive.

Drive speed and main media formats

The question is, what could be wrong with this or that drive? The main parameter that is allegedly worth paying attention to is the speed of reading and writing. For in fact, you can feel this speed only if you are going to read or write discs on a truly industrial scale. It is also worth deciding what media you will most often “feed” the device, because the same CDs are read much slower (more than 9 times) than DVDs. It is logical to assume that if most of the information on the market today is sold on DVD media, then you will mainly shove discs of this format into the drive.

The drive speed is indicated in 1x, where 1 corresponds to 150 Kb/s for CD-ROM and 1.385 Mb/s for DVD-ROM. The maximum size of a standard CD, on which music albums and small computer games (as well as databases and software), is 700 MB. By today's standards, the size is ridiculous, but quite sufficient for recording a dozen uncompressed music tracks, text files, programs or disc with corporate information(catalogues, prices, instructions, etc.). Theoretically, the CD reading speed is limited to 56x, but in practice this figure does not exceed 40x, because the faster the disc rotates in the drive, the more noise it creates during operation.

If you often and enjoy writing discs CD-R (single use) And CD-RW (rewritable), then your ability to read these media will be limited to 40x and 48x, or even 24x (for CD-RW). As far as recording is concerned, by default the drive will operate at the highest possible speed, which can be manually changed to a lower speed. 700 megabytes is usually filled within five minutes.

Now let's turn directly to DVD discs, which you will encounter most often, both in the process of reading and in the process of burning. We remind you that data exchange with DVD-media can be carried out only through a DVD-drive, a regular CD-ROM will not cope with this function by definition.

At present, there are the following DVD discs. This is primarily the most common DVD-ROM, which is the basis for film products, games, software and other data produced and sold commercially. Recording to DVD-ROM at home is not possible, only reading. DVD-ROMs are single-layer and double-layer, with a capacity of 4.7 and 8.5 GB, respectively.

The most common disc format that you will encounter are DVD-R and DVD+R disposable discs, which are most often used to store "heavy" information like video and software. Why plus and minus? It's simple, minus discs appeared a little earlier at the suggestion of the well-known company Pioneer, while "plus" technologies belong to Sony and Phillips. The difference lies in the presence of special markings that facilitate the positioning of the drive head, and the use of a different reflective material. At first, these differences were critical for the quality of rewriting (of course, for DVD-RW and DVD + RW discs), but today most drive models can easily cope with any version.

Maximum read and write speed DVD-R discs and DVD+R is, depending on the model of the drive and the qualities of the disc, from 8x to 24x, which, when fully loaded with data, will be approximately from 4 to 8 minutes. There are also two-layer disposable discs with the prefix DL (dual layer) in the name, with a capacity of 8.5 GB. However, the write speed for these "giants" is no more than 12x.

In terms of rewritable media, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM are distinguished. You have probably already come across the first two: 4.7 GB discs with a maximum write speed of 8x. As for DVD-RAM, which can be recorded simultaneously with the process of reading data, their mass use is limited due to prohibitive cost.

What else do you need to know about DVD drive speed? Given the fact that this device parameter directly depends on the media used in it, it is not advisable to strive to buy the fastest drive. Blanks that support high write and read speeds are expensive and are not sold everywhere. Remember that discs are extremely fragile media, subject to scratches, chips, and other physical surface deformations. At a high rotational speed, such interference can lead to the destruction of the disk, which simply shatters into fragments and can cause irreparable damage to the drive. As they say, you go quieter - you will continue.

Disk drive connection features and sales packaging

Probably everyone has seen the usual internal drive. Rectangle (148x42x198 mm) without unnecessary design frills weighing under a kilogram. There are also shortened versions (for compact cases) with a length of up to 170 mm and lightweight ones up to 750 grams. The most elegant are, of course, DVD drives for laptops - square in size (130x130 mm) with a thickness of only 13 mm and a weight of 120 grams. Nevertheless, these devices are very expensive and capricious in terms of installation, which is best left to professionals.

The appearance of a DVD drive for a laptop

DVD drive being internal device, is connected via a cable to the computer motherboard, and therefore there are two types of connection - through a parallel IDE interface or a serial SATA interface. IDE is now being replaced by more advanced SATA everywhere, so when buying a drive separately, you should check with the insides of your computer, or rather, with the connectors on the motherboard, so as not to get into a mess. Newer board models most likely already work with SATA, so you can safely purchase the appropriate drive. What is the advantage? Theoretically - in speed. But in practice, you probably won't notice the difference.

Regarding the packaging. The fact that used drives are not worth buying is, I hope, clear without extra words, because all computer components have their own limited resource. The store will offer you two options: OEM and Retail. OEM - complete set "for the poor", which includes a plastic bag plus a disk with installation software. As part of the Retail kit, in addition to the drive itself, you will find wires (flex cable), bolts, blank discs, and if the manufacturer is generous, then an audio cable, and even replaceable panels. Naturally, the second option will cost you a little more than "polyethylene".

Manufacturers and prices

It's no secret that in the niche of DVD drives, the brand or trademark often becomes the determining factor in choosing one or another device. In the system unit, there are a lot of all sorts of elements, ranging from motherboard, video cards and ending with the power supply and, in fact, the system unit itself. But all these components, as a rule, are impersonal, because not everyone will think of going inside to look at the manufacturer of a sound or motherboard. Many, not too advanced, users are more focused on specific parameters, and not on the names of firms. It is different with DVD drives, they are just “facing” the consumer, proudly decorating the system unit with an inscription like NEC, Sony or.

There is always a lot of subjectivity in the selection of a specific brand, because few people have to test drives from different manufacturers. Usually we become attached to the soul of a particular model, after which we don’t want to hear about changing it to something else. Nevertheless, there are a lot of players in this market, which we will talk about at the end of the article.

DVD-ROM by Plextor

If you have to deal with the recording process often and a lot, then there are actually two options. Either constantly change cheap devices, or occasionally face the need to purchase expensive models. For both, the resource is a parameter with a finite value. If you are more satisfied with the second option, then pay attention to the quality of the company Plextor, whose devices are distinguished by high reliability and performance. The cost of Plextor drives is not the only, but the most significant reason why only the elite can afford to communicate with this brand (from 5,000 rubles and more).

Approximately the same situation with the products of American companies Dell And Hewlett Packard (HP). Good, even remarkable quality, high speeds, reliability, but the price in the region of 4000-5000 rubles will not please everyone. Moreover, their products are rarely seen on store shelves, and the same Dell prefer to specialize in ultra-thin models for laptops.

Actuators produced with a label ASUS And Sony Optiarc (since 2006, the official merger of two companies - Sony and NEC)- strong middle peasants. At a cost of around 1000 rubles, they demonstrate high quality recordings, and discs created using these drives can be read without problems by devices from other manufacturers, as well as by many DVD players. Not noisy, stylish, practical - the best value for money.

Sony Optiarc DVD-RW drive

Drives from Samsung, Toshiba and Pioneer are considered the most capricious in terms of the quality of discs. LG drives are better than others for handling scratched media. Of course, these conclusions were made during the testing process. specific models, which, as you know, can be both successful and not very successful. In other words, you might be extremely lucky and your Samsung DVD drive will be omnivorous and tireless, while the ASUS drive, highly praised by the "experts", will stumble at every turn.

In any case, when buying a DVD drive, pay attention to three things: the bundle (OEM or Retail), the connection method (IDE or SATA) and speed characteristics. Well, the design, of course, because the black NEC sticking out on the white body will be striking. Each brand has its advantages and disadvantages, however, in this market, if we are not talking about elite models of semi-professional quality, the main and determining factor is still the price of the device, which for the vast majority of DVD drives varies from 600 to 1500 rubles.

Optical drives DVD-RW undoubtedly occupy a leading position in the market today. The Russian market of computer components is no exception. DVD-RW not only reads CDs and DVDs, but also burns both CD-R/RW media as well as higher-capacity DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/+RW. And if in addition there is Super-Multi, then the DVD-RAM format is also added here. These devices today, without a doubt, are both relevant and promising.

For 20-30 dollars you can purchase an optical drive, the functional set of which will satisfy the needs of the average consumer. Today it is difficult to imagine a modern PC without DVD-RW. After all, it is the most attractive device in terms of price-performance ratio.

Blu-ray - the modern standard for optical drives

In addition to the above devices, we should mention such a modern high-tech format as Blu-ray. This format is used for high-density recording and storage of digital data. He got his name due to the use of a blue (blue, from which the name came from) short-wave laser in the process of writing / reading.

During 2006-2008, Blu-ray competed with the then-existing alternative HD DVD format. But still, as a result of this “format war”, Blu-ray came out the winner. He was predicted a great future and widespread distribution, but this never happened. First of all, because of the high cost of the device itself. In the second - because of the high cost of disks. Even today, such drives are rarely installed in a new system unit. And preference is given to the older fellow DVD.

Disks this format have from one to ten layers with a capacity of 25 to 320 gigabytes, respectively. Among them, there are discs for one-time recording of BD-R, as well as reusable BD-RE media.

According to the forecasts of many experts, this year should become a turning point in terms of the mass transition from CD-carriers to DVD. However, CDs are not going to give up their positions yet, and the release of CD-ROM and CD-RW drives continues, with manufacturers bringing higher-speed models of these drives to the market month after month.

It is very encouraging that DVD media has become much more affordable over the past year. However, if we talk about the Russian market, then here the vast majority of DVDs sold are films, while the number of DVDs released software products and multimedia projects targeted at domestic users are still relatively small. Incidentally, the growth rate of sales of drives with the ability to read DVD is still noticeably inferior to that of the DVD media market. This is due to the fact that many PC users, when buying movies, prefer cheaper (albeit lower quality) CD recordings in DiVX (MPEG 4) format. At the same time, not all buyers of DVD-Video discs use a computer to play them.

Thus, it can be stated that for a fairly wide range of domestic users, the purchase of a drive that supports reading DVDs has not yet become a necessity. Accordingly, there remains a certain demand for CD-ROM drives, which are still the most popular type of optical drives used to assemble low-end computers.

The following fact can be cited as an indirect confirmation of the stability of demand for CD-ROM and CD-RW drives. Last May, VIA Technologies' department of optical storage chips, a well-known company, was transformed into an independent company called VIA Optical Solution (VOS). The new company is wholly owned by VIA and is engaged in the production of chipsets for CD-ROM drives, CD-RW and DVD-ROM. According to VIA executives, this step was caused by the growth in demand for this type of product.

If we talk about the current situation on the CD-ROM and CD-RW drive market, then it is very well illustrated by a quote from Lewis Carroll's well-known Alice Through the Looking-Glass: “you have to run as fast just to stay in the same place! If you want to get to another place, then you need to run at least twice as fast!” Well-established technology and huge production volumes have led to the fact that retail prices for these components have been steadily declining, rapidly approaching the cost price. Falling profits mean that many companies have already phased out CD-ROM and CD-R/RW drives. Those who managed to maintain their presence in this market are forced to work in conditions of fierce competition and constant price pressure from rivals. In such a situation, differences between products from different manufacturers are gradually leveled out, since the manufacturers of the "fundamental elements" of drives - an optical reader with a semiconductor laser and chipsets - can now be counted on the fingers of one hand. As a result, the task of the final drive manufacturer is to develop an original design of the front panel and to find ways to make the production process as cheap as possible.

Despite the fact that increasing the maximum read speed (and writing, by the way) is hardly advisable from a practical point of view, the race for the number of "x" continues. This can be explained solely by marketing purposes: the release of faster models is one of the few remaining means of attracting users' attention to their products at the disposal of manufacturers.

CD-ROM drives

Today, almost all manufacturers have CD-ROM drives in their product lines that provide a maximum reading speed of 52x, and some have already introduced 54- and 56-speed models. All modern models of CD-ROM drives comply with the MultiRead specification (that is, they allow you to work with rewritable media) and support reading in both constant linear (CLV) and constant angular (CAV) speed modes.

The dominant design continues to be drawer drives; at the same time, almost all modern models of drives have special latches that allow you to operate the drive in a vertical position.

If we talk about the interface, the vast majority of internal CD-ROM drives produced today are connected via the ATA interface. In addition, there are also models equipped with SCSI interface(in particular, such products are present in the Plextor line of optical drives).

At the end of February 2003, the median retail price for 52-speed ATA internal CD-ROM drives was $24. specifications and the prices of some internal models of CD-ROM drives presented on the domestic market are given in Table. 1 .

CD burners (CD-R/RW)

The beginning of the past year was greeted by manufacturers of recording CD-drives with models with a speed formula of 24/12/40. By that time, some had already announced models with 32x CD-R recording speed, but their appearance was somewhat delayed by the overproduction crisis that arose at the end of 2001, which led to the overstocking of warehouses with 24-speed drives.

However, the respite caused by the unfavorable economic situation was short-lived, and soon the race for higher recording speeds resumed. Models with a maximum write speed of CD-R 32x began to appear on the mass market: AOpen CRW3248 (32/12/48), ASUS CRW-3212А (32/12/40), Ricoh MP7320A (32/10/40), LG GCE- 8320B (32/10/40) , Philips PCRW3210 (32/10/40), Samsung SW-232B (32/10/40), TDK CyClone 321040B (32/10/40), etc.

However, despite the change in the numbers of the maximum write speeds, the real performance gain became more and more elusive. The fact is that almost all models of 32-speed drives still used recording with a hopping constant linear speed (Zone-CLV): on the internal turns of the disk, the recording starts at a speed of 12-16x and, as it moves away from the center of the media, increases through certain intervals. gaps. Thus, the disk is divided into several zones, each of which uses a certain speed value.

It is quite obvious that drives using the Zone-CLV method develop maximum speed only during the recording of the very last, outer zone, and, therefore, the average speed is noticeably lower than the maximum. With an increase in the speed characteristics of the recording, the section of the media on which recording at the maximum speed is possible gradually decreases and, accordingly, the difference in the performance of drives with different numbers of "x" becomes vanishingly small.

As an illustration, it would be appropriate to cite the data obtained during the comparative testing CD-RW drives. Let's consider the test results of two models from the same manufacturer (ASUS CRW-2410S and ASUS CRW-3212A), which differ in the maximum write speed. The 32-speed model took 4 minutes 10 seconds to write a 702 MB file, while the 24-speed model took 4 minutes 36 seconds. Thus, the increase in productivity was only 10.4%, while the difference in the maximum speed of these drives exceeds 30%.

Real performance gains can be achieved without increasing top speed by using the Constant Angular Velocity (CAV) recording mode. However, at that time, such a solution was embodied in the recording drives of only one manufacturer - Yamaha (to be precise, they used the P-CAV mode).

The onset of spring and the approach of the annual CeBit exhibition stimulated manufacturers to master the next mark - 40x. The first such drive (PleXWriter PX-W4012A with a speed formula of 40/12/40) was introduced by Plextor. This drive used new technology- Plextor VariRec (Variable Recording), which allows the user to adjust the laser power when recording CD-Rs at the minimum (4x) speed. This innovation is intended mainly for those who want to achieve maximum quality sound of self-recordable audio format discs.

Following the PleXWriter PX-W4012A, 40-speed models from other manufacturers began to appear: AOpen EHW4048U (40/12/48), ASUS CRW-4012A (40/12/48), LG GCE-8400B (40/12/40), Mitsumi CR-480CTE (40/12/48), Philips PCRW4012P (40/12/40), Samsung SW-240B (40/12/40), TDK CyClone 401248B (40/12/48).

Note that Plextor released the 40-speed drive just after the 24-speed, skipping the 32x; another manufacturer, TEAC, did the same. Two proprietary technologies have been introduced in the TEAC CD-W540E (40/12/48) drive: Fine Focus Control (improved laser beam focusing control) and Intelligent Speed ​​Control ( automatic detection optimal write speed depending on the characteristics of the media being used). In addition, the TEAC CD-W540E was one of the first drives to support the Mt. rainier.

As has happened many times before, 40-speed drives predate media certified for recording at that speed.

To avoid this situation when moving to 48-speed drives, some optical media manufacturers have decided to pre-empt drive manufacturers. Although a new wave of recorders was expected only in the second half of the year, Ritek and CMC Magnetics began mass production of CD-R discs certified for recording at a maximum speed of 48x back in May.

By that time, the rapid growth of CD-R recording speeds, which had almost doubled in half a year, already contrasted quite strongly with the remaining unchanged (10-12x) indicators for rewritable media. However, the situation changed dramatically shortly before the 48-speed recorder generation hit the mass market. On July 4 last year, the Philips Web site updated the Orange Book Part III CD-RW Volume 3 v0.9 specification, legalizing 16x, 24x and 32x CD rewriting speeds. Thus, at one moment, manufacturers received a green light to increase the maximum recording speed on CD-RW by 2.5 times at once! Drive makers were quick to take advantage of the opportunity, and with the introduction of 48x CD-R write speeds, many of them crossed the 12-speed CD-RW bar for the first time. Most 48-speed drives of the first wave implemented 16x rewrite speed, and later 24x as well.

Perhaps the most unusual novelty of the summer was the Yamaha CRW-F1 drive: in addition to the "non-standard" speed formula 44/24/44, it could boast of achievements that were unique at that time - the ability to record the entire disc at a constant angular velocity (CAV) and the implementation of technology support [email protected](read as “tattoo disk”), which allows you to apply images to an area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe working surface that is not occupied by data. It is also worth noting the large size of the Yamaha CRW-F1 buffer - as much as 8 MB.

The rest of the novelties, most of which had a speed formula 48/16/48, often looked like twin brothers. At the same time, if in earlier models the maximum read speed, as a rule, exceeded the write speed, then starting from this generation, these values ​​became equal. As an example of a typical representative of the first wave of 48-speed recording drives, one of the first released BenQ CRW4816P. His speed formula is 48/16/48. The buffer size is 2 MB; average access time when reading - 100 ms.

It should be noted that the transition to 48-speed recording still forced all manufacturers, following Yamaha, to implement a constant angular velocity (CAV) recording mode. For example, in the LG GCE-8480B drive with a speed formula of 48/16/48, CD-R media at speeds from 8 to 16x are recorded in CLV mode, 24 and 32x in P-CAV mode, and 40 and 48x in CAV mode. .

In September 2002, Plextor Europe introduced the PlexWriter 48/24/48A internal drive with a 48/24/48 speed formula. Along with high speed writing to CD-RW, this model is distinguished by an increased buffer size (4 MB), as well as a record value of the average read access time - only 65 ms. Support for Mt. Rainier, and BurnProof technology is used to protect against buffer underruns.

In autumn, the first announcements of models with support for 52-speed CD-R recording began to appear. One of the first to announce itself was ASUS, which in September announced the release of the internal drive CRW-5224A with a speed formula of 52/24/52 and support for recording in CAV mode. To date, many manufacturers have already released 52-speed recorders, but 48-speed devices still dominate in the assortment of companies selling computer components. In table. Table 2 shows the main characteristics of some modern models of CD-RW recorders available on the Russian market.

DVD-ROM drives

a sharp increase in production volumes DVD-ROM drives, caused by the growing demand for these products, over the past year has led to a significant decrease in their cost. Thanks to this, the price gap between DVD and CD drives has significantly reduced: if a year ago the prices for these types of optical drives differed by two or three times, then at present the cost of DVD-ROM drives is only about 50% higher than CD-ROM. At the same time, DVD drives are fully compatible with the entire range of CD media and allow you to read AudioCD, CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW.

The speed characteristics of the drives have also increased. Representatives of the current generation of DVD-ROM drives allow you to read DVD media at a maximum speed of 16x, and CD - with a speed of 40-48x in CAV mode. The main technical characteristics and prices of some DVD-ROM drives presented on the Russian market are given in Table. 3 .

An important point One thing you should definitely pay attention to when choosing a DVD-ROM drive is the compatibility of the device with DVD media of various formats. If reading DVD-ROM and DVD-Video media is supported by all modern DVD-ROM drives without exception, then the situation with recordable and rewritable DVD discs is much more complicated and confusing. The reason for this is the notorious “format war”, which resulted in the presence of five types of incompatible (or partially compatible) recordable and rewritable DVDs, which are under the tutelage of two opposing organizations: the Recordable DVD Consortium (RDVDC) and the DVD+RW alliance. (RDVDC patronizes the DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM formats, while the DVD+RW alliance patronizes DVD+R and DVD+RW.)

Possibilities different models DVD-ROM drives (even from the same manufacturer) can differ significantly in reading recordable and rewritable DVD media. Almost all modern DVD-ROM drives can read DVD-R media, and many of them can also read DVD-RW media. Some models also support DVD+RW, but as for DVD+R and DVD-RAM media, most of the DVD-ROM drives currently on the market will not be able to read them.

DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo drives

Recently, combined devices have become increasingly popular, combining the functions of DVD-ROM and CD-RW drives. Most of the produced combo drives are models for laptop computers. And this is understandable, because unlike desktop system units, many of which can accommodate two or three 5-inch devices, laptops have one single place to install an optical drive.

Initially, combo drives were inferior in their speed characteristics to CD-RW and DVD-ROM drives produced at the same time, but the situation is gradually changing. For example, on February 12 this year, Samsung announced the release of the SM-352 combo drive, which has a speed formula of 52/24/52/16 and supports the Mt. Rainier. Thus, in terms of performance latest models combo drives have already caught up with more "highly specialized" optical drives.

The general downward trend in prices for all types of optical storage devices has not bypassed combo drives, which has become an additional factor contributing to the growth of their popularity. Modern models of combo drives cost less than a pair of separate DVD-ROM and CD-RW drives with a similar functionality, as a result of which the buyer of a combo drive receives not only an ergonomic, but also quite tangible material gain. For this reason, everything more interest along with users of portable computers, owners of desktop PCs are also starting to show towards combo drives. The range of desktop combo drives currently available for sale is small, but it is expected that in the near future it will begin to gradually increase. Information about some models of combo drives is presented in

The price difference between CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives is gradually disappearing, and it can be assumed with a high degree of probability that in current year the ratio of the number of CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives installed in new computers will gradually change in favor of the latter. True, one should hardly expect the appearance of CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives at the same price: this is due, firstly, to the more complex design of DVD drives, and secondly, to the higher royalties that manufacturers pay to DVD patent holders -technologies.

If we talk about the state of the market for CD-RW recording drives, over the past year and a half its structure has noticeably changed: if earlier there was a clear division into relatively low-speed cheap and the latest ultra-fast models, now new drives with a higher recording speed practically do not differ in price from the models of the previous wave and, thus, the stratification into different price classes (at least for internal drives with an ATA interface) has practically disappeared.

An eloquent confirmation of this fact was the withdrawal from the market of CD-RW drives by large companies, in particular Yamaha. According to an official statement released on February 5 this year, fierce competition and a sharp drop in retail prices for CD-RW drives have led to a significant reduction in the mid-range and high-end drive segments, which Yamaha has traditionally specialized in the development and production of. For this reason, the company's management considered it inappropriate to continue its presence in the CD-RW drive market and invest additional funds in the development of this business. Production of CD-RW drives at the company's factories will be terminated by the end of March.

It is worth recalling that for similar reasons, in the fall of 2001, the HP company left the CD-RW recorder market, switching to the release of DVD + RW standard drives.

The fact that the history of the development of CD-RW drives is gradually approaching its logical conclusion is evidenced not only by the transition of these drives to the category of a kind of computer consumer goods and the gradual narrowing of the circle of manufacturers, but also by the unviability of qualitatively new developments in this area.

Over the past two years, some manufacturers have been trying to breathe new life into the aging CD format. For example, as early as mid-2000, Sony announced plans for a double-density (1.3GB) recordable and rewritable CD. Hoping for the successful implementation of the DDCD (Double Density CD) standard, in the fall of 2001, Sony even began mass production of the corresponding drives and media. However, due to a certain conservatism of users and the incompatibility of DDCD media with conventional CD-ROM drives this technology has not been widely adopted.

An equally sad fate befell the more promising technology of the so-called multilevel recording (MultiLevel Recording, ML), the principle of which was developed by scientists from the American company Calimetrics and embodied in hardware by specialists from the electronic giant TDK. Despite the tripling of capacity (up to almost 2 GB for a 120 mm media) and the potential compatibility of ML CD-R/RW media with conventional CD-ROM drives (which only required replacing the controller chip), further creation of exhibition prototypes of ML CD drives and media -R business has not progressed.

Thus, the most likely scenario for the development of events in the near future will be to continue the race for the number of "x" until such inexpensive new generation optical drives appear on the market.

Some room for further development (besides increasing maximum speeds) remains with manufacturers of DVD-ROM drives and DVD-ROM / CD-RW combo drives: as DVD burners become more affordable, the problem of ensuring compatibility with various recordable and rewritable DVD formats. Unfortunately, the difficulty of achieving broader compatibility rests not so much on overcoming technological problems as on the policy of optical storage manufacturers, many of which are members of one of the two standard-setting organizations opposing the recordable DVD market.