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Selecting the right disc (CDs, DVDs, and BDs)
An optical drive supports optical discs (CDs, DVDs, and BDs). CDs, used to store digital data, are also
used for commercial audio recordings and are convenient for your personal storage needs. DVDs and
BDs are used primarily for movies, software, and data backup purposes. DVDs and BDs are the same
form factor as CDs but have a much higher storage capacity.
NOTE: The optical drive on your computer may not support all the types of optical discs discussed in
this section.
CD-R discs
Use CD-R (write-once) discs to create permanent archives and to share files with virtually anyone.
Typical uses include the following:
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Distributing large presentations
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Sharing scanned and digital photos, video clips, and written data
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Making your own music CDs
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Keeping permanent archives of computer files and scanned home records
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Offloading files from your hard drive to free up disk space
After data is recorded, it cannot be erased or written over.
CD-RW discs
Use a CD-RW disc (a rewritable version of a CD) to store large projects that must be updated frequently.
Typical uses include the following:
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Developing and maintaining large documents and project files
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Transporting work files
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Making weekly backups of hard drive files
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Updating photos, video, audio, and data continuously
DVD±R discs
Use blank DVD±R discs to permanently store large amounts of information. After data is recorded, it
cannot be erased or written over.
DVD±RW discs
Use DVD±RW discs if you want to be able to erase or write over data that you saved earlier. This type
of disc is ideal for testing audio or video recordings before you burn them to a CD or DVD that cannot
be changed.
LightScribe DVD+R discs
Use LightScribe DVD+R discs for sharing and storing data, home videos, and photos. These discs are
read-compatible with most DVD-ROM drives and DVD video players. With a LightScribe-enabled drive
and LightScribe software, you can write data to the disc and then add a designer label to the outside of
the disc.
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