CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, Books of Red, Blue, Purple, Beige, Orange, Scarlet... - Summary

Summary

A CD-R can hold 80 minutes of audio or 700 megabytes of data, which seems contradictory due to different measurement standards. Audio CDs use less error correction than data CDs, allowing more storage space. The term 'megabyte' often confuses with 'mebibyte,' which is larger and based on powers of 2. CD-ROMs use more error correction for data integrity, sacrificing some storage capacity. Multi-session writing on CD-Rs allows adding data until the disc is full. CD-RWs can be rewritten using a phase-changing alloy but have compatibility limitations. Various CD formats have been developed for different purposes, including audio, data, graphics, and video. Writable optical media may degrade over time, so important data should be backed up.

Facts

Here are the key facts extracted from the text:

1. A blank CD-R typically shows two numbers: 80 minutes of audio and 700 megabytes of data.
2. The Compact Disc Digital Audio standard consists of two 16-bit stereo audio streams with 44,100 samples per second.
3. An audio CD can hold 846 million seven hundred twenty thousand bytes, which is more than a data CD.
4. There is a difference between megabytes (powers of 10) and mebibytes (powers of 2), with the latter being larger.
5. The CD-ROM standard uses more precise error correction than the audio CD standard.
6. The CIRC error correction in audio CDs can correct errors up to 3,500 bits long and mask errors up to 12,000 bits long.
7. CD-ROMs use the same error correction as audio CDs but add more within the frame for zero tolerance error correction.
8. The High Sierra format was an early file system for CDs, which later became ISO 9660.
9. CD-ROMs enabled multimedia experiences like games with soundtracks and images.
10. CD-Rs have a pre-groove spiral and a layer of organic dye for data burning.
11. The laser in a CD burner changes the optical properties of the dye to create pits and lands.
12. Multi-session writing on CD-Rs allows for multiple lead-ins and updates to include new files.
13. CD-RWs use a phase-changing alloy that allows them to be rewritten.
14. Early writable optical media like CD-Rs are degrading over time and may not preserve data long-term.

Please let me know if you need more details or further clarification on any of these points.