CD vs DVD

[seekermeister]

My question doesn't really fit on this section of the forum, but then it doesn't really fit anywhere else either, so here goes. Besides the obvious difference in capacity, if I understand correctly, there is a difference in the fashion that Cds and DVDs are formatted. I have never had a problem burning to either, so long as the data fit, but I'm still wondering if there is any reason that a DVD can't be used as well as a CD, when the burning instructions calls for a CD, or vice versa? I'm thinking of some obscure aspect that may not be apparent on the surface.

 

[V3xar]

Hi seekermeister.

Without getting to technical, you are correct. There is a big difference between DVD recording and CD recording, and that is the recording format.

DVD recording uses UDF — Universal Data Format. UDF makes it possible to store data, video, audio, or a mix of all three within a single physical file structure. This file structure ensures that any file can be accessed by any drive, computer, or consumer video.

CDs do not comply with UDF. (Read more on UDF here: Universal Disk Format - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

You will find that in most cases you can use a DVD where a CD is requested, however due to the UDF formatting applied to a DVD it is not possible to reverse the situation. (There are obviously exceptions to this.)

More info here: Difference Between CD and DVD | Difference Between | CD vs DVD

WikiAnswers - What is the difference between a DVD and a CD

Hope this helps a bit.

.

 

[seekermeister]

Without delving into your links, I think that you have answered my question. While burning to a CD might have issues at times, burning to a DVD shouldn't...yes? It's not that I don't have both, but I'm often too lazy to look for anything in particular, and I just grab my cake of DVDs. They are slightly more expensive than CDs, but with the low volume of burning that I do, that really isn't an issue. Sometimes I feel a little foolish burning a DVD and then seeing that the burned area is just a small ring around the hub, but as long as it works, I can live ith it.

I would rep you, but it won't let me at the moment.

 

[V3xar]

I think that you have hit the nail on the head. Burning to DVD rather than CD has always been my preferred choice (purely personal) although I do on occasion burn MP3's to CD for use in my car's system.

Regarding burning only small amounts of data to a DVD I am sure you are aware that you can multi-session on a DVD, allowing you to burn additional data after the initial burning. In fact with DVD-RW you can burn, delete data and re-use the DVD many, many times.

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[seekermeister]

The only time that I have to burn to CD is for music disk for a boombox that I keep in the bedroom, but the sound quality of it is such that I usually just turn up the volume on the computer and listen to AOL Radio instead. I know that there is a better way to manage my burning, but I'm short sighted and like to burn specific labels on each disk, and that doesn't lend itself to multi-session or rewritable disks. I've got so many disks as it is, that I really don't want to manage more, so my burning is generally on the essential side.

 

[1Bowtie]

Other than the music cd for your car or the pic cd you want to share with some friends i've almost quit using them. Flash drives are the thing for storeing data, music, or pic's. I used to have hundreds of cd's laying around but not anymore