The video discusses DVD-RAM, a type of optical disc that functions as removable storage, similar to a USB drive but with slow read/write speeds. It was introduced in 1996 and offered significant storage capacity for its time. Despite its potential, DVD-RAM was hindered by high costs, slow speeds, and competition from other formats like DVD-R and flash drives. It found niche use in set-top DVD recorders but ultimately did not become the standard for removable storage.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Optical media was widely used around 2005.
2. CD and DVD burners were common in PCs at that time.
3. Windows would prompt users for an action when a blank disc was inserted.
4. DVD-RAM was designed to function as removable storage.
5. DVD-RAM discs do not require special formatting like other DVDs.
6. Files can be added or erased from DVD-RAM discs on the fly.
7. DVD-RAM read and write times are slow compared to flash drives.
8. DVD-RAM behaves like a 4.7 gigabyte USB storage device.
9. DVD-RAM was first standardized in 1996 and available in 1998.
10. Early versions of MacOS, starting with 8.6, supported DVD-RAM natively.
11. DVD-RAM discs could be rewritten upwards of 100,000 times.
12. The estimated life of DVD-RAM discs is 30 years or more.
13. Early DVD-RAM discs were stored in caddies to prevent damage.
14. The cost of DVD-RAM drives and media was high compared to other storage formats.
15. DVD-RAM discs are structured like a hard drive platter with concentric rings.
16. Data on DVD-RAM is encoded on physical tracks and sectors, similar to hard disks or floppy disks.
17. Windows XP supported FAT32 formatted DVD-RAM discs; Vista supported UDF formatted discs.
18. MacOS could format DVD-RAM discs as HFS and HFS+.
19. DVD-RAM discs were made with stable phase-change alloys for re-writability and longevity.
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