How much data can fit on a DVD?

General · 06-24-2006, 03:31 PM

Online and at Walmart, I have run into some packaged movies that come with 2 or 3 films on a single DVD. I added up the total running time of some of these and one added up to 6 hours and 30 minutes! Is it possible to fit so much onto a single DVD or did they likely reduce the quality of the sound and picture to achieve this?

FreeDoughnut · 06-24-2006, 03:49 PM

It's possibly dual layer. From Wikipedia:

Quote:

Dual Layer recording allows DVD-R and DVD+R discs to store significantly more data, up to 8.5 Gigabytes per disc, compared with 4.7 Gigabytes for single-layer discs.

But then again, they probably just have edited/low-quality movies. Wal-Mart can't be trusted.

I still don't think that there's any way 3 movies can fit on 8.5 gigs at full quality.

manishsingh4u · 06-24-2006, 04:45 PM

Double sided, double layered DVDs are also in existence. They can store upto 17 gb of data. However, they are not available in the open market as far as I know. 4.7 gb DVDs are common anyway (quite enough for me).

cs-cam · 06-24-2006, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Double sided, double layered DVDs are also in existence. They can store upto 17 gb of data.

Can't wait for Blu-ray! They're working on a six-layer BD disc that is the size of a CD and capable of holding up to 200GB of data! Sounds like backing up will get a whole lot easier

manishsingh4u · 06-24-2006, 06:29 PM

Quote:

size of a CD and capable of holding up to 200GB

It means I will be able to carry data from five 40 gb hard discs in my pocket.

I can't wait too. Anyway, have u heard about HVDs? See this page-

Quote:

The discs will hold between 100GB and up to one terabyte of data on a standard five-inch disc (the same size as a DVD) and support a data rate of up to one gigabit per second.

http://dvd.ign.com/articles/590/590428p1.html

rkelsen · 06-24-2006, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cs-cam

Can't wait for Blu-ray! They're working on a six-layer BD disc that is the size of a CD and capable of holding up to 200GB of data! Sounds like backing up will get a whole lot easier

Should be good if it isn't crippled with DRM.

Jeebizz · 06-25-2006, 12:04 AM

I am sure they will try something with DRM on blu-ray, but right now lets just hope that it wins over HD-DVD. History has repeated itself like betammax v. VHS, though I hope this time it won't be like those times. Going back to DRM, I am sure even if there isn't something like DRM, there are still going to be regional lockouts, why? Because the American movie studios in their infinite wisdom want it that way.

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Lets not forget the hoops us *nix users out there must jump through just to play a DVD legally, who knows how the next gen DVDs will fair on *nix boxes.