Computer parts


The CD writer

The Compact Disc (CD) writer is one of the most important backup devices. It can not only read CDs, like the ordinary CD-ROM drive, but it can also write them. The CD writer is an optical storage media in the sense that it uses laser technology to access the CDs. Their advantage over magnetical storage is the media's resistance to electricity, water and dust.
A simple CD can be written only once; there is no option to delete something from it. There are also re-writeable CDs, but they are much more expensive, and they can only be read by CD writers!

Aopen 1232 CD writer
Aopen 1232 CD writer

CD writers differ in the speed they read and write. For writers there are different speed informations:
  • the speed they write re-writeable CDs
  • the speed they write recordable CDs
  • the speed they read CDs
This is measured as multiples of 150KB/second, the speed of audio CDs in an audio CD player. So the Yamaha 4/8/32, for instance, writes re-writeables at 600 KB/second (quad speed), recordables at 1200 KB/second (8-speed), and it reads CDs at 4800 KB/second (32-speed). Every writer can play audio CDs as well, and it can of course play them at single speed ;-)


© 2000 Peter Gallert, last updated on 30 April 2001