dvd or cd?????

i want to know which is should i buy blank DVD or CD to burn the pictures (800 pictures from Canon 40D) and i wanted to know if my old computer (that say hp cd writer) and would this can burn the dvd ? or only cd? lemme know as soon as u all can and thanks! need to know now

1. You probably want to fit everything onto 1 media, but we have no idea what are the size of the 800 pictures, so if you stick with CD, you might need more than 1.

2. Without knowing what model of the writer, we can't tell if it is capable of writing dvd or not, but according to your "hp cd writer" it appears that it is only a CD writer.

AH I SEE

so i will go with CD and i will have to burn 2-3 CDs then and its 3GB-ish

CDs top out at ~700MB so you'll need 4, possibly 5.

DVDs are more durable and last better from my experiences.

DVDs are alot cheaper to buy($) and hold lots more info.

ddaayynnee wrote in post #9970218
AH I SEE

so i will go with CD and i will have to burn 2-3 CDs then and its 3GB-ish

1. More like you will need 5 CDs for that amount of data.

2. I would recommend just getting a DVD writer like this one: http://www.newegg.com …aspx?Item=N82E1​6827151188 which is only $29.
- Make sure your computer uses SATA connection though since your system seem to be an older machine, else you will need to find a PATA DVD writer.
- It is really easy to install a DVD/CD writer into your computer.
- If you aren't familiar with installing computer parts, I reconnect getting an external DVD writer like this: http://www.newegg.com …aspx?Item=N82E1​6827151198 which is only $48.

3. Here are some DVDs I would recommend and this will probably last you a while: http://www.officemax.c​om …ku.jsp?productI​d=ARS30067 for $25 each spindle of 100 pieces.

Verbatims are ok DVDs, I'd get Taiyo Yuden DVD, they are VERY good quality, I've used hundreds of them and I can't remember the last time I got a coaster from them. Plus they burn very well, from my testing of different brands with Nero CD/DVD Speed these have some of the lowest error rates.

http://www.supermedias​tore.com …l-8x-dvd-r-media-100-pack

Burnable CDs are fundamentally more archival than burnable DVDs, since the DVDs are burned using much faster rotational speeds, the organic dyes used in DVDs are fundamentally less stable!

Windows XP does not have DVD burning capabilities embedded into the O/S, but you must use application programs that can specifically burn DVDs. (example, an older version of Nero could burn CD but not burn DVD)

Taiyo Yuden would be the manufacturer of choice for me, too.

If you are using cd/dvd to archive your images, you want to buy high quality archival grade discs. From what I have read around here, people have mentioned that the standard discs you buy degrade over time compared to archival grade discs.

I think I remembered reading that usually archival grade discs have a gold coloured reading/write surface.

Wilt wrote in post #9971758
Burnable CDs are fundamentally more archival than burnable DVDs, since the DVDs are burned using much faster rotational speeds, the organic dyes used in DVDs are fundamentally less stable!

Windows XP does not have DVD burning capabilities embedded into the O/S, but you must use application programs that can specifically burn DVDs. (example, an older version of Nero could burn CD but not burn DVD)

Taiyo Yuden would be the manufacturer of choice for me, too.

Thats actually an old myth from the days of CDs. DVDs burn better and last longer at 8x or more. CDs are also more prone to UV and fungus degradation since the dye layer is unprotected, unlike DVDs where the dye is sandwiched between two polycarbonate UV protective disks.

I would burn on a good quality DVD like Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden.

I only use DVDs as they hold more.

i wanted to go for dvd but im only asking if my can burn or write on the DVD with a cd writer?

LaaG wrote in post #9980267
Thats actually an old myth from the days of CDs. DVDs burn better and last longer at 8x or more. CDs are also more prone to UV and fungus degradation since the dye layer is unprotected, unlike DVDs where the dye is sandwiched between two polycarbonate UV protective disks.

I would burn on a good quality DVD like Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden.

Burnable CDs/DVDs can eventually ‘fade’, due to five things that effect the quality of CD media: Sealing method, reflective layer, organic dye makeup, where it was manufactured, and your storage practices. Like color films, keep all media out of direct sunlight, in a nice cool dry dark place, in acid-free plastic containers; this will maximize the lifetime of any media.

For CD media, Taiyo Yuden states Super Cyanine dye is chemically stable for at least 70 years, TDK states their metal-stabilized 'Cyanine' is also stable for 70 years, and Mitsubishi uses a Metal 'Azo' dye which they claim is stable for around 100 years. While azo dyes are chemically stable, the shelf life of media using Azo dyes typically does not exceed Super Cyanine and metal-stabilized Cyanine. A third dye for CD media is called 'phthalocyanine' dye, and this is typically marketed as more resistant to heat and UV radiation than Cyanine and Azo, but these are about the same tolerance.

DVDs also use organic dyes, but the manufacturers have intentionally kept dyes they use a secret. All blank DVDs are intentionally the same color Different dyes on CDs make blanks different colors, for DVDs it is not indicative of what dye, since they can be using different colored silver alloys and non-reactive additives in the dye.

Generally one should not use CD-RW, DVD-RW, or DVD+RW media in any form for permanent storage. DVD+R has superior error correction and burning control over DVD-R. The are debates about longevity of dye vs. phase change technology permanence.

I and many others have had burned DVDs sitting on shelves in the dark in acid free plastic containers, and had them fail within a few years. I even have a supplier-provided DVD with Photoshop LE which suddenly stopped being able to be loaded. I haven't had a burnable CD failure, in comparison.

Ultimately the issue is availability of devices to read digital data, and the Library of Congress has issues of data not accessible due to lack to device to read the media which was once recorded!

ddaayynnee wrote in post #9982080
i wanted to go for dvd but im only asking if my can burn or write on the DVD with a cd writer?

No, get a quality DVD writer. DVD's have read issues mainly due to poor media and poor writer. (they are like $50, honestly)