130 Graphic Communications
CD and DVD Drives
The compact disc (CD) and digital video disc
(DVD) drives have become standard features of
desktop computers, with most equipped to write data
onto the plastic disc. CD-R discs become “read-only”
after data is written to them, and CD-RW discs are
rewritable and can be recorded on many times. CDs
range in capacity from 670 to more than 800 MB. The
DVD was originally intended for use in the video
industry, but has made its way into the graphic
communications industry because of its very high
storage capacity of 4.7 to 8.75 GB.
Flash Memory Cards
Flash memory cards are small, removable
storage devices that have high storage capacity with
fast access and retrieval speeds. Common examples
of fl ash memory cards are CompactFlash® cards and
USB fl ash drives, Figure 7-6. Applications for these
devices include storing digital camera images, game
system data, and audio fi les. Flash memory cards
range in storage sizes from 8 megabytes to
32 gigabytes and have low voltage requirements.
They are small in physical size, have fast write and
erase speeds, and allow for easy fi le management.
Internal Hard Drive External Hard Drive
Figure 7-4. External hard drives are available in a range of storage capacities, from 500 gigabytes to 2 terabytes. Storage
capacity is an important factor for internal hard drives as well, but access speed is an equally important consideration.
Figure 7-5. By connecting a number of high-capacity
hard drives together, a RAID can provide an almost
unlimited amount of data storage. (The RAIDinc Z 2,
courtesy of RAID, Inc.)