DVD/CD track spacing and storage capacity

In summary, During an experiment to find the track spacing of a CD and DVD using a laser wavelength of 654nm, the track spacing for a CD was calculated to be 1.57um, close to the real value of 1.6um, and the track spacing for a DVD was calculated to be 0.72um, close to the real value of 0.74um. However, when calculating the storage capacity, a CD was found to have 654 MB, close to its true value, but a DVD only had 2786 MB, far from its true value of 4700 MB. It is unclear what went wrong, but it is possible that a DVD-RAM with a storage capacity of
  • #1
NeoXx
22
0
Hello,

I finished an experiment of finding out the track spacing of a CD and a DVD.
My laser wavelength was 654nm which I used to calculate track spacing of the optical discs.

I got a track spacing of a CD 1.57um which is close to a real value of 1.6um,
and the track spacing of a DVD 0.72um which is close to a real value of 0.74um.

Then I calculated the storage capacity of both and got 654 Megabytes for a CD which is pretty good but only 2786 MB for a DVD, which is pretty far from its true value of 4700 MB.

What did I do wrong?

Oh here's the worksheet I used to calculate the storage capacity:
http://www.teachengineering.org/collection/uoh_/activities/uoh_diffraction/uoh_diffraction_activity1_worksheet_mhf_tedl.pdf

Regards,

NeoXx
 
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  • #2
NeoXx said:
Then I calculated the storage capacity of both and got 654 Megabytes for a CD which is pretty good but only 2786 MB for a DVD, which is pretty far from its true value of 4700 MB.
Please show your work.
 
  • #3
This is my second experiment where I got similar data as one mentioned in my first post.
 

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  • #4
Not all DVD's store 4.7 G bytes. Some DVD-RAM store 2.5 G bytes. May be that's what you used?
 
  • #5
dauto said:
Not all DVD's store 4.7 G bytes. Some DVD-RAM store 2.5 G bytes. May be that's what you used?

But as far as I know all DVD types have the same track spacing?

As well, I measured the track spacing similar to a normal DVD, and still got 2.8GB...
 

What is the difference between DVD and CD track spacing?

DVDs have a smaller track spacing than CDs, meaning that more data can be stored in the same physical space. This is due to the use of a shorter wavelength laser in DVDs, allowing for tighter track spacing.

How is track spacing related to storage capacity?

The smaller the track spacing, the more data that can be stored on the disc. This is because smaller track spacing allows for more tracks to be packed onto the disc, increasing the storage capacity.

What is the track spacing for standard DVDs and CDs?

The standard track spacing for DVDs is 0.74 micrometers, while the standard for CDs is 1.6 micrometers. However, there are variations in track spacing depending on the type of disc and manufacturer.

Can track spacing affect the playback quality of a disc?

Yes, track spacing can affect the playback quality of a disc. If the track spacing is too small, there is a higher risk of data being lost due to interference between adjacent tracks. This can result in errors or skipping during playback.

Is there a limit to the amount of data that can be stored on a DVD or CD?

Yes, there is a limit to the amount of data that can be stored on a DVD or CD. The maximum storage capacity for a DVD is 8.5 GB for a dual-layer disc, and for a CD it is 700 MB. However, this can vary depending on the format and type of disc used.

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