Episode 50: Optical Drives and Media Types
Though less common today, optical drives and discs are still used in specific use cases such as archiving, installation media, and secure data transfer. In this episode, we discuss the different types of optical media including CD-ROM, DVD, and Blu-ray, along with their writable and rewritable formats. You'll learn how each disc type differs in storage capacity, speed, and compatibility, and when they’re appropriate for IT operations or long-term retention.
We also talk about burning speeds, read failures, and error correction techniques used in optical media. While these devices have largely been replaced by flash and cloud storage, they remain important in some environments—especially for air-gapped systems or physical hand-offs. Understanding how to troubleshoot read errors or choose the right disc type is still a relevant skill in many IT roles.
