HWDotW : Optical Discs

Hardware Device of the week #4:  Optical Discs

Complete 1 or more sides of A4 paper summarising how data is stored, read and written to/from optical discs. 

You should state where all your information has come from. Feel free to copy and paste diagrams, but text should be re-written so it make sense to you.  You should cite and reference your sources of information. If you wish to do this properly follow this guide http://education.exeter.ac.uk/dll/studyskills/harvard_referencing.htm . But I will accept a URL or clear book name.

SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS

Before you start your general research watch this video http://estream.godalming.ac.uk/View.aspx?id=1705~4n~NNVA9cmK&chapID=11337

Split your document into the three following sections. Include supporting images and diagrams in the sections.

1. The hardware configuration of an optical disk drive.
   Include
   
   1. Spinning disk
   2. Laser/ sensor arrangement
2. Optical disk formats (CD, DVD, BluRay, CDR, CDRW)
   Include
1. The most common usage for each
2. The size and data read/write speeds for each
3. Physical storage and retrieval of data from the disc
   Include
   
   1. How the binary information is encoded and the process to extract the data
   2. How the data is organised on the disk (sequentially? in to out?)

 RESOURCES

Assessment

You will be assessed in the following areas:

• Completeness (The extent to which you have completed all the sections above)
• Referencing / Plagiarism (+ for good use of sources,  – for over-use of copy and paste)
• Accuracy of information
• Presentation (Clarity and ease of reading above fancy styling)