How does DVD-RAM work?
DVD-RAM is different than DVD-R in that it uses re-writable phase change material rather than the write-once organic dye material that comprises a DVD-R and a CD-R. When writing, a laser heats the phase change material in the disc to about 900-1300F, changing its reflective properties from shiny to dull. If the disc needs to be erased, a laser heats the disc again to about 400F to return the disc to its original shiny state. A laser of lesser power is used to read the written marks. These shiny and dull marks represent data to a computer. They are then interpreted by the computer and then translated into usable information. Second Generation 4.7GB (single sided) and 9.4 (double sided) DVD-RAM achieve their higher capacities by decreasing track width and laser spot size. What are the differences between DVD-RAM and the other rewritable formats? First, DVD-RAM media is random access like a hard disk. This enables DVD-RAM to retrieve data faster then the other available formats (current D
