Multimedia Guide

Optical drive type Write to CD-RW Write to DVD±RW/R Write to DVD+R DL Write label to
LightScribe CD or
DVD±RW/R
DVD±RW/R and CD-RW
Combo Drive
Yes Yes No No
DVD±RW/R and CD-RW
Combo Drive with DL support
Yes Yes Yes No
LightScribe DVD±RW/R and
CD-RW Combo Drive with
DL support
Yes Yes Yes Yes
Blu-ray ROM DVD±R/RW
SuperMulti DL Drive
Yes Yes Yes No
Selecting the right disc
An optical drive supports optical discs (CDs, DVDs, and BDs). CDs, used to store digital data, are also
used for commercial audio recordings and are convenient for your personal storage needs. DVDs and
BDs are used primarily for movies, software, and data backup purposes. DVDs and BDs are the same
size as CDs but have a much higher storage capacity.
NOTE: The optical drive on your computer may not support all the types of optical discs discussed in
this section.
CD-R discs
Use CD-R (write-once) discs to create permanent archives and to share files with virtually anyone.
Typical uses include the following:
●
Distributing large presentations
●
Sharing scanned and digital photos, video clips, and written data
●
Making your own music CDs
●
Keeping permanent archives of computer files and scanned home records
●
Offloading files from your hard drive to free up disk space
After data is recorded, it cannot be erased or written over.
CD-RW discs
Use a CD-RW disc (a rewritable version of a CD) to store large projects that must be updated frequently.
Typical uses include the following:
●
Developing and maintaining large documents and project files
●
Transporting work files
●
Making weekly backups of hard drive files
●
Updating photos, video, audio, and data continuously
Selecting the right disc 11