CD VS. DVD

[craiger]

Hi. Will companies always put programs and games on CD and DVD? I was thinking that all I really need for my pc was just a cd burner but I was afraid that programs might start to come out in the DVD-ROM format only. Would Microsoft ever put Windows and Office on DVD? Would video game companies always have the game on both CD and DVD? Also will they always have the CD-R/RW media even if DVDRW took over? I have an older PC a PII 350 and my system just meets the minimum system requirements for a 16X DVD-ROM. I was thinking about just getting TDK's new 48X24X48X CD-RW drive. I think it only requires a regular Pentium 233. I don't play DVD movies on my system and I occasionally play video games I am not a power gamer. Thanks, Craig.

[Matt]

That was the story when first gen DVD-ROMs first came out, how many DVD-ROM discs are out there? practically none. OEMs can only safely use DVD discs on game consoles as they know what hardware is available out there already.

[blakerwry]

Hate to dig up an old post, but you can use a DVD reader for data in almost any system that accepts a CD drive(ATAPI drives) That practically means any pentium 66mHz machine or higher. ... just dont expect to be able to watch DVD's in software on a machine like that.

also, like the last poster said. for compatibility reasons, software that uses gigabytes or more of storage are still released on multiple CD- Rom disks.

I imagine that games will be the first to utilize DVD (may also have CD versions available at the same time). Windows 200 only used about 1/2 of a CD as I remember... XP with SP1 slipstreamed is about 2/3rd's of a CD... so i imagine that there will be plenty of room for future versions of windows.

the only multiple CD OS's around seem to be linux distro's(sometimes 3 CD's)

[Matt]

Seriously, why are you digging up an old post?

The original post says he doesn't play DVD movies, so why get a DVD-ROM if you aren't going to be using DVD technology at all.

[Inertia]

The original post says he doesn't play DVD movies, so why get a DVD-ROM if you aren't going to be using DVD technology at all.

A DVD-ROM can do everything a CD-ROM drive can do (and more), and the current price differential is minimal (if any). High quality DVD-ROM drives continue to be developed, while CD-ROM development is comparatively static.

craiger may decide to play a DVD on his computer if he has the capability. If a video card with TV out is on his computer (common on ATI & some other video cards), he can still play DVD's through a TV.