Spare Tire Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 A while back when net-md just came out i think i saw a sony laptop equipt with a minidisc drive. But being net-md, all you could do with it was to listen to music. With the introduction of the hi-md with it's capacity to store data, i think now's a good occasion to make a real drive out of this. I wonder if there's gonna be a laptop with this thing. Compared to a DVD-RW, i don't think there's any point in making hi-md a real drive though, it storing less data, being slower and of a not very standart format. As for it being slow, i wonder if should they make it an internal drive they could go with something faster than usb1. But if it's just the physical limit of the disc then we're screwed. The small size could be a very interesting aspect if we make it a floppy replacement since it's even smaller than floppy. There are plenty of 12'' laptops in the ultra-portable category that would really benefit from having a drive. Some of them have nothing internal at all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadeclaw Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 With the introduction of the hi-md with it's capacity to store data, i think now's a good occasion to make a real drive out of this. I wonder if there's gonna be a laptop with this thing. I hope, we'll see computer drives real soon... Compared to a DVD-RW, i don't think there's any point in making hi-md a real drive though, it storing less data, being slower and of a not very standart format.There is a point - In fact, there are multiple points: 1.) Smaller media, so it's fits into Subnotebooks, where a normal CD/DVD-drive doesn't fit. 2.) Better protected media - If you accidentially step on it, the disc is save inside its shell, step on a cd and you have fat scratches on it. 3.) Reliability - To this day, not a single MD failed on me, despite having more than 400 discs, some of them nearly ten years old. Even these old suckers play like brand new. On the other paw, I had multiple CDs fail... 4.) Finally a decent replacement for floppy-discs... As for it being slow, i wonder if should they make it an internal drive they could go with something faster than usb1. But if it's just the physical limit of the disc then we're screwed.The speed given in the specs is the physical limit, so it is double speed for writing and quad speed for reading (compared to cd). Personally, I place reliability above speed. The small size could be a very interesting aspect if we make it a floppy replacement since it's even smaller than floppy.See point 4 above. I need atleast two 3 1/2 form factor drives. There are plenty of 12'' laptops in the ultra-portable category that would really benefit from having a drive. Some of them have nothing internal at all!See point 1 above. Constantly carrying around aditional stuff to keep the data save is a drag... . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD24 Posted April 30, 2004 Report Share Posted April 30, 2004 Well said! Personally, I place reliability above speed. That's my line :rasp: JD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PDOG58 Posted May 2, 2004 Report Share Posted May 2, 2004 I would like to add a 5th point as to why MD is so great compared to CD or DVD. 5) Re-writeability. With MD (much like old floppys), you can erase data and write new data very quickly. As apposed to CDs and DVD rewriteables where it takes several minutes to erase the entire CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spare Tire Posted May 2, 2004 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2004 Well, actually a CD or DVD can also be erased and written very quickly (if not faster than a floppy, god knows those things are slow like hell). It's just a question of software. If you can access a floppy as easely, it's because window is running it that way, while as CDs and DVDs need independant softwares to burn them. Direct CD lets you drag and drop if the CD is already formatted that way. Floppies come already formatted (usually). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazeybt1 Posted May 2, 2004 Report Share Posted May 2, 2004 ok addressing the speed factor as to errasing n what not..i don't think nothing beats MDs..cuz as for as i know..(my opinion right)..all the MD seems to do is clear the TOC..n then the disk is blank..can someone tell me whether that's true or not....n if so..then i don't c a reason y not to use MD as a replacement to floppy n zip disks...haha we all know that zip disks n drives cost some change...so yeah..think about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jadeclaw Posted May 2, 2004 Report Share Posted May 2, 2004 ..all the MD seems to do is clear the TOC..n then the disk is blank..can someone tell me whether that's true or not....The disc is NOT blank. After clearing the TOC, you can put new data on it, but if you use MD for data storage, keep in mind, that the data on the disc is recoverable after clearing the TOC. The police uses that fact in criminal investigations. But this is true for all data media, not only Hi-MD. Keep that in mind, when you give data media away. To be on the save side, do the following: CD-RW/DVD-RW : Do a full erase in your CD/DVD-Writer. Floppy-disk: Do a full format, make sure, that the quick format option is unchecked. MD/Hi-MD: Place disc in recorder, erase disc, switch to PCM and record in that mode until the disc is full, then erase again. Why PCM? It's the fastest... Harddisk: Reformat, then fiill it with junk data, then reformat again. The key is to write over each sector of the disc to delete the data, that was on it. There is specialized software on the market, that does the job much more conveniently - especially, when you regularly sell off Hardisks via Ebay... Ok, as long as the media stays in your house, you don't have to go through this, only when you give it away and there has been sensitive data on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
researchALLwars Posted May 12, 2004 Report Share Posted May 12, 2004 good call, claw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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